Music Theatre International has released a new chamber adaptation of Paul Gordon and John Caird‘s 2000 musical version of Charlotte Brontë‘s Jane Eyre for licensing.
The new edition features a smaller orchestration, a reduction in casting requirements, and changes to the lyrics and book. The reimagined version of the work, which features music and lyrics by Gordon (Daddy Long Legs) and a book and additional lyrics by John Caird (Children of Eden), premiered in 2024 at North Carolina’s Theatre Raleigh.
Gordon and Caird, according to press notes, hope the new revision will make their musical accessible to a wider variety of theatres with its casting flexibility, but they also describe it as the definitive version of the work, landing closer to their original vision for the project.
“We are so happy this new chamber adaptation is now available for licensing,” say Gordon and Caird in a joint statement. “In these uncertain times we believe audiences want to feel uplifted when going to the theatre. Jane Eyre might take some dark turns, but the story is infused with such feeling, such passion, it restores the soul. If it makes you cry, we trust it will be for all the right reasons.”
The work premiered on Broadway in 2000 after a pre-Broadway try-out at California’s La Jolla Playhouse the year prior, bringing Brontë’s classic gothic romance to the world of musical theatre. The work would go on to earn five 2001 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. A starry concert production of the original version of the musical will be held at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall via Manhattan Concert Productions February 15, with Erika Henningsen and Ramin Karimloo starring.
“Paul and John have given new life to their iconic musical, reimagining this beloved story for a new generation of performers and audience members,” says MTI President and CEO Drew Cohen. “We can’t wait to see how this brand-new adaptation plays on stages around the world.”
Theatres producing Jane Eyre, or any of MTI’s catalogue, can make their own Broadway-quality Playbill programs using PLAYBILLDER, Playbill’s fully customizable program creation platform—the only authorized way to have a real Playbill, complete with the iconic yellow-and-black logo, at a school production. Users can auto-populate their program with all the MTI-approved data for the show, including billing information and song and character lists.
Visit MTIShows.com.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source playbill.com ’
