Jane Austen Readings for Readers Theater: Script Adapted From Four Jane Austen Novels

A charming tool for Readers Theater entertainment or classroom education.The Readers Theater passages from four of Jane Austen’s novels - Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion - selected for these readings illuminate the author’s mastery of form, keen observation of human nature and cultural irony, her delightful wit, sharp dialogue and vivid description. Not only will these readings engage and enchant audiences, but also will they enhance young readers’ literary comprehension skills and educate them in the humanities of the times: history - during the War of 1812 and the British Regency era -, English literature, and with recommended piano accompaniment, the music of the period. Ideally, these Readings would be exercised as a part of a core course of study.Or, read them for your own amusement and quick synopses of these four novels written by Jane Austen 200 years ago yet strikingly contemporary to the culture of our times. Northanger Abbey, the spellbinding centerpiece of these Readings, is Jane Austen’s parody on Gothic novels widely read in her time and still in print today.

Carol Child is a freelance writer, journalist, editor, essayist, composer of creative nonfiction and greeting card verse, and a writing tutor. Additionally, she is the author of two books, Begins the Night Music: A Dementia Caregiver’s Journal, Volume I and To What Green Altar: A Dementia Caregiver’s Journal, Volume II, under her pen name Samantha Mozart, available on Amazon.com and elsewhere worldwide. Currently, she is the founder and editor-in-chief of the online literary review and blog, ＂The Scheherazade Chronicles.org.＂ When she was 10, she wrote a script that she and her younger brother were to perform for her family. They came to watch. All had their tickets and sat there in the audience, in the basement, looking up at the stage where Carol and her brother stood. They waited, anticipating. And then, her brother spoke: ＂I’m not doing it,＂ he said. The years passed, the family who came to watch are gone now. Since then, Jane Austen Readings for Readers Theater is the first script Carol has written for perfomance. The audience came in Regency era attire, the actors, delighted in reading the script, engaged the audience. The audience was charmed and wanted more.