Slow-Burn Romance and Drama: ‘Jane Austen’s Persuasion’ Comes to MSU

Slow-Burn Romance and Drama: ‘Jane Austen’s Persuasion’ Comes to MSU

If you love slow-burn romances, second chances, and just the right amount of yearning, Jane Austen’s Persuasion is sure to draw you in.

Three people in Regency-era costumes stand on a dimly lit, arched hallway with vintage lanterns. They display a serious yet poised demeanor.
From left to right: Karen Law, playing Anne Elliot; Ben Larson, playing Young Frederick; and Arielle Olkhovsky, playing Young Anne, in the MSU Department of Theatre production of Persuasion. (Photo by Nicole Merchant)

MSU’s Department of Theatre presents the Persuasion adaptation by Melissa Leilani Larson April 14-19, 2026, at the Pasant Theatre in Wharton Center for Performing Arts. Directed by Daniel Smith, Associate Professor of Theatre, the play features a 16-student cast, large creative and production team, and at least 79 fast-moving scenes.

At the center of the story is Anne Elliot, a thoughtful but overlooked woman who was persuaded to reject young naval officer Frederick Wentworth. When he comes back years later as a successful naval captain, Anne questions if love comes back.

For Smith, Persuasion holds a special place in the hearts of Jane Austen fans.

“This is my third opportunity to direct a Jane Austen adaptation at MSU, having previously worked on Pride and Prejudice in the Fairchild Theatre and Sense and Sensibility for Summer Circle,” Smith said. “Persuasion tends to be a favored title for devoted Janeites.”

What makes this adaptation especially compelling is how it brings the past and present together.

“Melissa Leilani Larson’s inventive adaptation features memories of Young Anne and Young Frederick, as Anne and Wentworth recall the summer of 1806 and the events of their courtship,” Smith said. “It beautifully captures Austen’s themes of patience, second chances, and maturity without sacrificing the satirical portrayals of Anne’s superficial and supercilious family members.”

The production leans into movement and flow, with roughly 79 scenes unfolding in quick succession. Set in the historical setting of 1814-1815, the story explores ideas that still resonate today: regret, growth, and the courage it takes to choose differently the second time around.

A man and a woman in period costumes sit on stairs. The woman holds a basket of yellow and red flowers, smiling at the man, creating a warm, nostalgic scene.
A woman in a brown medieval-style dress stands by an ornate window, holding a red book. She gazes out thoughtfully, conveying a contemplative mood.
Two women in vintage dresses playing a piano together, focused and collaborative, in a cozy room with green walls, conveying a harmonious mood.
Three cast members from MSU's production of Jane Austen's Persuasion pose outdoors in Regency-era costumes. Two women in empire-waist gowns — one in a floral print with a gold sash, one in a copper satin dress — flank a man in a white shirt, tan vest, and dark trousers. The man looks downward while both women look toward him
The MSU Department of Theatre production, Persuasion, runs April 14-19, 2026, at the Pasant Theatre in Wharton Center for Performing Arts. (Photos by Nicole Merchant)

For dramaturg Ashley Romo, Jane Austen’s Persuasion is both intellectually engaging and deeply personal.

“I have had the privilege of hearing stories from younger and older individuals who talk about regret within love and letting someone go due to the influence of family, socioeconomic, and internal conflicts,” Romo said. “Because of this, I think it’s important to take a step back and notice the beauty and power of human connection. And, most importantly, the power of love.”

Jane Austen’s Persuasion invites audiences to settle into a story that unfolds gradually, rewarding patience in the same way its characters must learn to do. The audience will see a world of letters, longing, and second chances, and perhaps leave wondering what they would have done in Anne Elliot’s shoes.

Young woman in a vintage floral dress reads a red book in an arched hallway with warm lanterns. Her expression is thoughtful and engaged.
Arielle Olkhovsky plays Young Anne in the MSU Department of Theatre production of Persuasion. (Photo by Nicole Merchant)

Performance Dates and Times

  • Tuesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 15, 7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday, April 17, 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 18, 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 19, 2 p.m.

Tickets

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at whartoncenter.com, in person at the Wharton Center Ticket Office, by calling 517-432-2000 or 1-800-WHARTON..

  • General Admission: $32.50
  • Seniors (60+): $27.50
  • MSU Faculty and Staff: $27.50
  • Non-MSU Students: $17.50
  • MSU Students: FREE ticket per student with valid MSU ID. Pick up the free ticket an hour before the performance or day of/days prior at the Wharton Center Ticket Office.

By Buu-Tran Duong

Categories: Theatre