“Sense and Sensibility” is a 1811 novel written by Jane Austen, featuring a story of two young sisters who both face heartbreak from the men in their lives and through secrets, betrayal and financial hardship. The story is a period piece set in the Regency era which was during the early 18th century that inspired author Jane Austen with numerous books of romanticism and class structure.
The two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, approach life and love very differently. Elinor is the oldest sister so she takes responsibility and maturity in her family’s lives. Marianne is the middle child and she is more reckless and carefree in her choices. They both present the title of the book, where one is sense and the other is sensibility.
The Delta Drama cast and crew did an extremely incredible job on enriching the audience in the world of the story with the acting, costumes and set. The audience was blown away which was shown through laughter and lots of gasping throughout the show.
Molly Jane Sampson, 20, a student at Delta college who debuted as Clarisse McClellan in Fahrenheit 451, then Sue in Mother of the Bride, Goneril in King Lear and Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility.
“Elinor is the central character of the story alongside her sister, Marianne. Together, they represent the dichotomy of sense, prudence, discipline, maturity and sensibility, passion, expression, feeling. After the death of their father, Elinor takes on a lot of adult responsibilities, and must maintain the structure of her family on her own. She is frequently described by others as cold and unfeeling, but they don’t realize she feels pressured to keep it together while everyone else falls apart. As the story goes on, we see her grow and discover herself. She learns from her experiences that propriety is not always paramount, and that “protecting” others from her true feelings often does the opposite. By the end of her story, Elinor has gained confidence, honesty, and compassion for herself, as well as a happier outlook on life.” said Sampson.
Sampson stated what she did in order to prepare for the role and the activities to get her in the character of Elinor Dashwood.
“I spent a lot of time reading the book, scrutinizing the script, and finding ways to bring her into my daily life. I practiced her hobbies: art, embroidery, walking outdoors, practiced her dialect and watched a lot of British TV, thank you Bridgerton, and, of course, watched every version of Sense and Sensibility I could find. I also spent time talking with other cast members about their characters’ relationship with Elinor, especially Edward played by Christian Ortiz, who became my best friend in the process. All of this, as well as researching the time period, which benefitted my understanding of who she is. I even found myself wearing clothes inspired by her, lots of floral patterns and long skirts.” said Sampson.
Sampson mentions her most memorable moments and how the environment overall was during rehearsals.
“Every rehearsal was a treat because they were filled with laughter and good company. Casey [Director] is a joy to work with and every person in the cast and crew were nothing short of lovely. We have built such a happy little cast family that I am so thankful to have been welcomed into.” said Sampson.
Sampson mentions her most exciting scene she has performed during this play.
“My favorite scene in the show must be the ending. There’s just so much joy all around, from Edward’s proposal to Colonel Brandon’s. When playing Elinor, I find myself spending a lot of the show with an ache in my heart. But in the final scene, she is so overwhelmed with glee, and the weight of her worries wisps away entirely. That happiness is only multiplied for me outside of the character, as I’m sharing the stage with people I adore, and the audience is having just as much fun as we are. The scene is so alive. I think it’s a perfect way to end the show and I always look forward to it.” said Sampson.
Valeria Clark, 20, a student at Delta college who debuted as June in Marisol and Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility. Clark states what draws her to theatre and acting.
“The thing that draws me to acting is the catharsis I’ve found while doing it. When fully submersing myself into the character, I try to consistently give my heart to this new being, allowing me to feel for them and see their life through a very intimate lens. My empathy and connection to that being helps me translate their needs and emotions. I also love acting because you never stop learning. Theatre holds so much history and there’re endless ways a story can be told.” said Clark.
Clark mentions why she decided to play Marianne Dashwood and her personal connection to the character’s story.
“I was completely drawn to Marianne as soon as I found out this play was going to be done at delta. Marianne’s spontaneity in the oppressive environment she’s in stands out to me as radiant, beautiful, and revolutionary. My grandma also loves Jane Austin’s novels and the moment I told her about it, she had been rooting for me to be a part of this play. I’m so glad I’m able to say I’m a part of this amazing production.” said Clark.
When asked about Clark’s ability to speak in a British accent then the practice and time it took to master that.
“Learning the dialect for the play was a challenge but so much fun. Our director, Casey, put us through a “dialect bootcamp” for the first few weeks of rehearsal. We focused a lot on the pronunciation and longevity of certain words in the RP British dialect. Everyone went over multiple tongue twisters and whenever something was off, we all did it together one by one while Casey gave each of us notes for what we struggled with. Working with the dialect was lots of fun and it helped everyone find musicality in their voice and characters. I loved learning the dialect because it brought everyone together with shared laughs, mistakes, and silly British jokes.” said Clark.
Clark mentions her favorite scene where her character Marianne is caught in a storm where she is tossed around then catches a cold which makes her bed ridden.
“My favorite scene to perform would have to be the storm scene, when visiting Cleveland. Being tossed around by the gossips combined with the lighting is just something I’ll NEVER forget. But I also love the aftermath because I’m just in bed resting and I’m usually really comfy.” said Clark.
Zero Martin, 21, a student at Delta college who debuted as Eudora in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Marian in Marian, or the true tale of RobinHood, Fiddle-Mouse in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Harry/Susie Bones/Myrtle/etc. in Puffs, and Margaret Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility.
“I am very drawn to theater because of the amount of work and collaboration that is put on to produce a show and unlike the T.V and film acting, you are more in the moment, acting in real time right in front of an audience; there is a special type of intimacy you have with the audience because their reactions can fuel you when you are in a scene and it makes it feel very personal in a way. In this show I get to play the youngest sister, Margaret Dashwood and she is such a joy to play.” said Martin.
Martin plays the character of a young girl while they’re a young adult in real life. Martin shares how they decided to best represent that character in the show.
“As a 21 year old who’s portraying how a 13 year old should be or act like in the regency period was a bit of a challenge because women in this period had to be “proper” and “appropriate” but I did not feel like Margaret should be following these “rules”. I get to have a bit more fun and freedom to do mischievous things on stage as she is a little kid who loves to play and hear about all the gossip happening around town and especially in her family.” said Martin.
Martin’s character alongside other castmates had a scene where they are playing coquet and they share some behind the scene moments.
“One particular scene I am excited to perform is the croquet scene, when the Dashwood family are out with their mallet and balls trying to make it into the wicket, mainly because every night we never know where the balls will end up and we all are competing with one another so that our stage manager can give us a sticker for making our goals.” said Martin.
More showings for the May 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. and the May 3 at 2 p.m. in the Tillie Lewis Theatre at San Joaquin Delta College.
