Arts & Culture

UK Theatre to Present Virtual Staged Reading of 'The Watsons'

photo of web banner for "The Watsons" reading by UK Theatre and Dance
UK Theatre and Dance will present at staged reading of "The Watsons" March 19-21.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 17, 2021)  The University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance will present a staged reading of "The Watsons," by Laura Wade, available on-demand online March 19-21, 2021. 

"The Watsons," directed by Christina Ritter and stage managed by theatre and journalism junior Spencer Neichter, takes audiences to the era of Jane Austen. What happens when the writer loses the plot? Emma Watson is 19 and new in town. She's been cut off by her rich aunt and dumped back in the family home. Emma and her sisters must marry — fast. If not, they face poverty, spinsterhood, or worse: an eternity with their boorish brother and his awful wife. Luckily there are plenty of potential suitors to dance with, from flirtatious Tom Musgrave to castle-owning Lord Osborne, who's as awkward as he is rich. So far, so familiar. 

But there's a problem: Jane Austen didn't finish the story. Who will write Emma's happy ending now? Based on her incomplete novel, this sparklingly witty play looks under the bonnet of Jane Austen and asks: what can characters do when their author abandons them?  This reading is free, but registration is required at: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-watsons-by-laura-wade-tickets-142101957781?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

"The Watsons" was first performed at The Chichester Festival Theatre, directed by Samuel West on Nov. 8, 2018. This reading is was made possible by arrangement with Knight Hall Agency Ltd. This is an amateur status production. 

The Department of Theatre and Dance, part of UK College of Fine Arts, is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Students in the department get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from professional theatre and dance faculty and renowned guest artists in acting, directing, playwriting, theatrical design and technology, and dance. From mainstage productions to student-produced shows, students have plenty of opportunities to participate on stage or backstage. Special programs include a musical theatre certificate, education abroad, as well as a thriving dance program that emphasizes technique, composition, performance and production.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.