Photo by Julia Koizumi

Each year, PCPA tours a 50-minute literacy-based production to local schools with the support of the Children’s Creative Project.

In 2023, in conjunction with its production of Jane Austen’s Emma, PCPA is presenting Meet Jane Austen, a touring experience that brings the famed author into local classrooms. It is an experience best suited for a small audience of 35 students or less, and is intended for grades 9-12.

Meet Jane Austen can be booked on its own or as an add-on to a student matinee performance of PCPA’s Emma, which runs March 2-19 at the Marion Theatre in Santa Maria and June 22–July 1 at the Solvang Festival Theater.

During the 30-minute one-person show that features a Q&A afterward, students have an opportunity to connect with the famed author, appreciate who she was in the context of her own time, and discover her lasting impact.

Meet Jane Austin, performed by PCPA’s Outreach/Youth Education Coordinator Kristina Melsheimer, was written by PCPA Associate Artistic Director Emily Trask and is directed by PCPA Resident Artist Kitty Balay.