THE DECLARATION OF EVELINA
Written by Claire F. Martin
Directed by Caty Bergmark
April 2026
Woodstock Arts Theatre
~•~•~•~
"This novel, Fanny...it is a declaration of independence: Evelina's and yours."
In 18th century London, the only thing more dangerous than a woman who has ideas is a woman who publishes them. But 29-year-old editor Mr. Lowndes suspects that the brilliant manuscript on his desk was not actually written by a man. A quixotic liberal who supports the American war for independence, Mr. Lowndes is determined to unmask the female genius behind Evelina. But he gets a lot more than he bargained for when he meets Fanny Burney, a 26-year-old socialite with very different ideas about what it means to start a revolution.
Inspired by the true story behind the publication of Jane Austen's favorite novel, The Declaration of Evelina is a propulsive one-act about a woman destined to change the world...and the man who told her she could.
Written by Claire F. Martin
Directed by Caty Bergmark
April 2026
Woodstock Arts Theatre
~•~•~•~
"This novel, Fanny...it is a declaration of independence: Evelina's and yours."
In 18th century London, the only thing more dangerous than a woman who has ideas is a woman who publishes them. But 29-year-old editor Mr. Lowndes suspects that the brilliant manuscript on his desk was not actually written by a man. A quixotic liberal who supports the American war for independence, Mr. Lowndes is determined to unmask the female genius behind Evelina. But he gets a lot more than he bargained for when he meets Fanny Burney, a 26-year-old socialite with very different ideas about what it means to start a revolution.
Inspired by the true story behind the publication of Jane Austen's favorite novel, The Declaration of Evelina is a propulsive one-act about a woman destined to change the world...and the man who told her she could.
Cast & Creatives
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Zach Stolz
Mr. Lowndes |
Claire F. Martin
Miss Burney |
~•~•~•~
Caty Bergmark — Director
Claire F. Martin — Playwright
Delaney Circe — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Dramaturg
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Photographer
Kati Grace Kirby — Shakespeare Tavern Producer
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda McDonald — Shakespeare Tavern Marketing
Caty Bergmark — Director
Claire F. Martin — Playwright
Delaney Circe — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Dramaturg
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Photographer
Kati Grace Kirby — Shakespeare Tavern Producer
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda McDonald — Shakespeare Tavern Marketing
Pride and Prejudice
May 2025
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Co-produced with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company
May 3-June 1, 2026
Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"You call it courage; I call it privilege."
21-year-old Elizabeth Benneth enjoys being the cleverest girl around almost as much as she enjoys being single. Unfortunately, Elizabeth also lives in Regency England, and the pressure is on to marry an eligible suitor. Enter Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich and handsome gentleman who'd make an ideal husband...were it not for the fact that he's an arrogant snob. As Elizabeth and Darcy square off, the sparks begin to fly. But can two proud and prejudiced people overcome their own foibles and admit their love before it’s too late?
Written and directed by Belle Esprit artistic director, Claire F. Martin, and nominated for "Outstanding World Premiere" by the 2025 Suzi Bass Awards, Pride and Prejudice was co-produced with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
Co-produced with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company
May 3-June 1, 2026
Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"You call it courage; I call it privilege."
21-year-old Elizabeth Benneth enjoys being the cleverest girl around almost as much as she enjoys being single. Unfortunately, Elizabeth also lives in Regency England, and the pressure is on to marry an eligible suitor. Enter Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich and handsome gentleman who'd make an ideal husband...were it not for the fact that he's an arrogant snob. As Elizabeth and Darcy square off, the sparks begin to fly. But can two proud and prejudiced people overcome their own foibles and admit their love before it’s too late?
Written and directed by Belle Esprit artistic director, Claire F. Martin, and nominated for "Outstanding World Premiere" by the 2025 Suzi Bass Awards, Pride and Prejudice was co-produced with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
Cast & Creatives
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Tyra Watkins
Elizabeth Bennet |
Nicholas Tycho Reed
Fitzwilliam Darcy |
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Alejandra Ruiz
Lydia, Charlotte, Georgiana |
Daniela Santiago
Jane, Lady Catherine, Gardiner |
Amanda Lindsey McDonald
Mrs. Bennet, Collins, Mrs. Lawson |
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Kevin Roost
Mary, Bingley, Wickham, Fitzwilliam |
Quinelle Bhandari
Bennet, Caroline, Mrs. Gardiner |
~•~•~•~
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Andrew Houchins — Producer
Julia Barton — Stage Manager
Sarah Hack — Assistant Stage Manager
Anné Carole Butler & Clint Horne — Costume Design & Construction
Jeffrey Lee Watkins — Scenic Designer
Samantha Lancaster — Lighting Designer
Omari Joseph — Composer & Sound Designer
Kenneth Wigley — Props Designer
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman -- Dramaturg
Amy Elizabeth Wachtel — Wardrobe Assistant
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda McDonald — Marketing
Daniel Parvis — Promotional Photography
Tyler Fox — Production Photography
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Andrew Houchins — Producer
Julia Barton — Stage Manager
Sarah Hack — Assistant Stage Manager
Anné Carole Butler & Clint Horne — Costume Design & Construction
Jeffrey Lee Watkins — Scenic Designer
Samantha Lancaster — Lighting Designer
Omari Joseph — Composer & Sound Designer
Kenneth Wigley — Props Designer
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman -- Dramaturg
Amy Elizabeth Wachtel — Wardrobe Assistant
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda McDonald — Marketing
Daniel Parvis — Promotional Photography
Tyler Fox — Production Photography
"Elizabeth has, to borrow a colloquial phrase, girlbossed too close to the sun. She earnestly senses the need for women to not be relegated to one box, and so she creates a few more." |
First edition of Jane Austen's second novel, "Pride and Prejudice," as sold by Bauman Rare Books.
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Sense and Sensibility
April 2024
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Co-produced with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company
April 6-28, 2024
Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"Is it not love that makes us capable of tremendous things?"
When the wealthy Mr. Dashwood dies, his introverted daughter Elinor finds herself alone at the helm of a dysfunctional family.
To make matters worse, Elinor seems to be falling in love with the only man she can't have...while her headstrong sister Marianne succumbs to the charms of a local scoundrel. As the Dashwood sisters navigate romance, heartbreak, and loss, they find an unlikely ally in their fearless tween sister Margot.
Written and directed by Belle Esprit artistic director, Claire F. Martin, and nominated for "Outstanding World Premiere" by the 2024 Suzi Bass Awards, Sense and Sensibility marked Belle Esprit's first major regional production, in association with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
Co-produced with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company
April 6-28, 2024
Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"Is it not love that makes us capable of tremendous things?"
When the wealthy Mr. Dashwood dies, his introverted daughter Elinor finds herself alone at the helm of a dysfunctional family.
To make matters worse, Elinor seems to be falling in love with the only man she can't have...while her headstrong sister Marianne succumbs to the charms of a local scoundrel. As the Dashwood sisters navigate romance, heartbreak, and loss, they find an unlikely ally in their fearless tween sister Margot.
Written and directed by Belle Esprit artistic director, Claire F. Martin, and nominated for "Outstanding World Premiere" by the 2024 Suzi Bass Awards, Sense and Sensibility marked Belle Esprit's first major regional production, in association with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
Cast & Creatives
Cameryn Richardson
Elinor Dashwood |
Tyra Watkins
Marianne Dashwood |
Shakoria Alexus Davis
Margot Dashwood |
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Sheri Gilbert-Wilson
Mrs. Dashwood, Miss Grey, Anne Steele, & Mr. Palmer |
Marlon Burnley
Colonel Brandon, Johnny Dashwood, & Messenger |
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Kenneth Wigley
Edward Ferrars, Lady Middleton, & Mrs. Palmer |
Amanda Lindsey
Fanny Dashwood, Mrs. Jennings, & Lucy Steele |
Kevin Roost
Robert Ferrars, Sir John Middleton, & Charles Willoughby |
~•~•~•~
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Andrew Houchins — Producer
Gabi Anderson — Stage Manager
Julia Barton — Assistant Stage Manager
Anné Carole Butler & Clint Horne — Costume Design & Construction
Jeffrey Lee Watkins — Scenic Designer
Samantha Lancaster — Lighting Designer
Omari Joseph — Composer & Sound Designer
Kenneth Wigley — Props Designer
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Production Dramaturg
Amy Elizabeth Wachtel — Wardrobe Assistant
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda McDonald — Marketing
Daniel Parvis — Promotional Photography
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Production Photography
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Andrew Houchins — Producer
Gabi Anderson — Stage Manager
Julia Barton — Assistant Stage Manager
Anné Carole Butler & Clint Horne — Costume Design & Construction
Jeffrey Lee Watkins — Scenic Designer
Samantha Lancaster — Lighting Designer
Omari Joseph — Composer & Sound Designer
Kenneth Wigley — Props Designer
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Production Dramaturg
Amy Elizabeth Wachtel — Wardrobe Assistant
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda McDonald — Marketing
Daniel Parvis — Promotional Photography
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Production Photography
"We cannot limit our understanding of either Jane Austen’s world or our own to simple demographic columns; we must appraise our work as artists, and hers, through the lens of intersectionality." |
Martin, David. "Portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay and Lady Elizabeth Murray." Oil on canvas, 1778.
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Lady Susan
May 2025
LADY SUSAN
Sunday, May 25, 2025 | 7:30pm
Porpentine Stage
The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"The only thing more inconvenient than a husband is a man with a wife."
Hell hath no fury like a widow scorned. 35-year-old Lady Susan Vernon has lost everything: her husband, her home, and (most painfully of all) her fortune. Forced to retreat into the dull English countryside, Lady Susan devises a scheme to reclaim her position in society. She will marry off her teenage daughter Frederica to a wealthy fop, while poaching a handsome young suitor for herself. Unfortunately for Susan, Frederica has other ideas about her future. And that handsome young suitor might not be as naïve as he appears…
Based on Jane Austen's 1794 epistolary novella of the same name, Lady Susan is a rollicking satire of gender, privilege, and motherhood, set against the scandalous backdrop of Georgian England.
Sunday, May 25, 2025 | 7:30pm
Porpentine Stage
The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"The only thing more inconvenient than a husband is a man with a wife."
Hell hath no fury like a widow scorned. 35-year-old Lady Susan Vernon has lost everything: her husband, her home, and (most painfully of all) her fortune. Forced to retreat into the dull English countryside, Lady Susan devises a scheme to reclaim her position in society. She will marry off her teenage daughter Frederica to a wealthy fop, while poaching a handsome young suitor for herself. Unfortunately for Susan, Frederica has other ideas about her future. And that handsome young suitor might not be as naïve as he appears…
Based on Jane Austen's 1794 epistolary novella of the same name, Lady Susan is a rollicking satire of gender, privilege, and motherhood, set against the scandalous backdrop of Georgian England.
Cast & Creatives
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Amanda Lindsey McDonald
Lady Susan Vernon |
Alejandra Ruiz
Frederica Vernon & Mrs. Johnson |
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Evan Hill Phillips
Reginald de Courcy & Curate |
Tyra Watkins
Catherine Vernon & Mrs. Manwaring |
Nicholas Tycho Reed
Sir James Martin & Johnson |
~•~•~•~
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Kati Grace Kirby — Producer
Emily Musgrove — Stage Manager
Jeanette Meierhofer & Amanda Lindsey McDonald — Marketing
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Photography
"But if one can accept (or even embrace) plotting so nonsensical as to make a dramaturg weep, one begins to see how richly drawn even these characters are, how unique their voices, how sharp their jokes..." |
Kate Beckinsale stars as Lady Susan Vernon in Whit Stillman's 2016 film adaptation, entitled "Love and Friendship."
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A Tale of Two Cities
August 2023
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
A Staged Reading
August 23, 2023
Porpentine Stage, Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
In Paris, the people are calling for a revolution. In London, they are clinging to the past. But for Sydney Carton—a profligate English lawyer with a drinking problem—the fate of these two cities means nothing at all. That is, until a seemingly routine court case introduces Sydney to Lucie Manette, a beautiful expatriate, and Charles Darnay, a French émigré who—inexplicably—looks just like him.
Freely adapted from Charles Dickens's seminal 1859 novel of the same name, A Tale of Two Cities was presented by Belle Esprit in an enhanced staged reading on the Porpentine Stage of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
A Staged Reading
August 23, 2023
Porpentine Stage, Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
~•~•~•~
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
In Paris, the people are calling for a revolution. In London, they are clinging to the past. But for Sydney Carton—a profligate English lawyer with a drinking problem—the fate of these two cities means nothing at all. That is, until a seemingly routine court case introduces Sydney to Lucie Manette, a beautiful expatriate, and Charles Darnay, a French émigré who—inexplicably—looks just like him.
Freely adapted from Charles Dickens's seminal 1859 novel of the same name, A Tale of Two Cities was presented by Belle Esprit in an enhanced staged reading on the Porpentine Stage of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
Cast & Creatives
Claire F. Martin
Lucie Manette & Jaques 1 |
Kenneth Wigley
Charles Darnay & Jacques 2 |
Nicholas Tycho Reed
Sydney Carton & Jacques 3 |
Megan Zhang
Marie, Miss Pross, Judge 1, Wench, & Prosecutor 2 |
Brewer Kunnemann
Defarge, Stryver, Gabelle, & Judge 2 |
Patty de la Garza
Madame Defarge, Cruncher, & Prosecutor 1 |
Kelly Johnston
Marquis St. Evrémonde, Barsad, & Dr. Manette |
~•~•~•~
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Kati Grace Kirby — Producer
Samantha Lancaster — Fight Director
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Production Dramaturg
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Production Photography
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
Kati Grace Kirby — Producer
Samantha Lancaster — Fight Director
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Production Dramaturg
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Production Photography
"This is a tale of two men who look alike; a tale of two trials; a tale of two empires on either side of decline; a tale of two sisters on either side of life and death; a tale of two parents who were dead to begin with." |
Brown, Hablot. "The Likeness." 1859, pencils.
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Arabella
April 2023
ARABELLA
April 16-19, 2023
Porpentine Theater
Atlanta Shakespeare Company
~•~•~•~
What does it mean to be a heroine?
Deep in the Northumbrian marshes, a spoiled heiress named Arabella imagines herself an enchanted princess like the ones she reads about in her favorite romances. But when her father unexpectedly dies, Arabella's fairytale comes crashing to the ground. Now, armed with nothing but her wits, Arabella will have to grow up in more ways than one to earn her happy ending.
Freely adapted from Charlotte Lennox's 1752 novel, The Female Quixote, and performed on the 50-seat Porpentine Stage of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, Arabella marked Belle Esprit's inaugural production.
April 16-19, 2023
Porpentine Theater
Atlanta Shakespeare Company
~•~•~•~
What does it mean to be a heroine?
Deep in the Northumbrian marshes, a spoiled heiress named Arabella imagines herself an enchanted princess like the ones she reads about in her favorite romances. But when her father unexpectedly dies, Arabella's fairytale comes crashing to the ground. Now, armed with nothing but her wits, Arabella will have to grow up in more ways than one to earn her happy ending.
Freely adapted from Charlotte Lennox's 1752 novel, The Female Quixote, and performed on the 50-seat Porpentine Stage of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, Arabella marked Belle Esprit's inaugural production.
Cast & Creatives
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Claire F. Martin
Arabella Kennington |
Luke Robbins
Charles Granville Marquis of Rosehaven Branksome |
Samantha Lancaster
Lucy Duncan Katherine Granville |
Nicholas Tycho Reed
Edward Callahan Sir George Bellmour Edmund Hervey |
~•~•~•~
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
O'Neil Delapenha — Producer
Samantha Lancaster — Fight Director
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Production Dramaturg
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Production Photography
Claire F. Martin — Director/Playwright
Jeffrey Watkins — Artistic Director, ASC
O'Neil Delapenha — Producer
Samantha Lancaster — Fight Director
Rachel Frawley — Intimacy Director
Claire Wittman — Production Dramaturg
Nicholas Tycho Reed — Production Photography
"How is it that in the hundreds of books I have read in my life, there is not one that prepares a young lady for what happens between a man and a woman when they are alone?" |
Photo by Nicholas Tycho Reed
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