The Historic Rock Ford and Theater, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, will host a production of "Emma, The Matchmaker" on select dates from Thursday, Nov. 2, to Saturday, Nov. 18. Sam Slaymaker, director of Historic Rock Ford, adapted the play from Jane Austen's novel "Emma." This year, the production will be directed by Rachel Faust, who will also play the lead role of its protagonist, Emma Woodhouse.

Each performance will be roughly one hour and will take place in the General Edward Hand Mansion on Rock Ford's property. Audience members will follow the actors through the candlelit parlors and hallways of the house, which was constructed in the late 18th century. Due to the limited space inside the mansion, a restricted supply of tickets are available for the immersive show.

Slaymaker's "Emma, The Matchmaker," set in England circa 1800, focuses on the first of three volumes that make up Austen's novel. The play tells the tale of Emma, who acts as a matchmaker between the village vicar and her friend Harriet. Period-accurate music and dancing will be incorporated into each performance.

Faust has portrayed Emma in each of Rock Ford's productions of the play since 2019, but this year is the first time she is simultaneously directing it. Although Faust has a wealth of experience to draw from, her two-fold part in the production presents unique challenges. "One thing I was struggling with is not being able to stand outside of the scenes and see the audience's perspective," Faust said. "But my cast has been amazing. If they're not involved in a scene, they'll step out and watch to give me feedback before I even ask."

While preparing this year's iteration of "Emma," Faust said she has tried to give the show a fresh quality by making her character more grounded and by not relying on what has been done in previous years. Additionally, the setting of the Hand Mansion has allowed Faust and Slaymaker to blur the line between presentational theater and realistic theater. Instead of re-creating a window to the past with a set made from flats and plywood, the cast of "Emma" will perform in a home that was built centuries ago and lived in by real individuals of that time period. "It's an otherworldly experience," Faust said. "You're in a space where so many things have happened in those rooms. I try to give the setting as much time in the spotlight as the actors."

Faust also noted that despite the source material being more than 200 years old, she finds its themes and characters to be highly relatable for a modern audience. "(The characters) are very real people," Faust added. "I'm trying to help the audience relate to each person by bringing out those qualities within them that transcend time."

For more information, visit http://www.historicrockford.org.