We here at the Jane Austen Summer Program are busy prepping for next month’s symposium, and we have got a lot of JASP news to share with you. So sit back and let us catch you up:
Creative writing workshop
[Register here.] New this year, the creative writing workshop will focus on creating new content with an emphasis on writing adaptations. The workshop — led by Professor Randall Kenan of UNC’s creative writing program, Eleanor Griggs of the UNC Department of English and Comparative Literature, and guest author Soniah Kamal — will incorporate prompts and activities that correlate to adapting Austen to a modern audience. Participants do not need to bring any previous writing. No previous writing experience is required, and sharing is always optional.
— Garland Rieman
The reticule and shoe roses Friday workshop
There are a handful of spaces left for Friday’s Reticule & Shoe Roses workshop in which participants will make their own shoe decorations and purse to go with their outfits for the Regency ball. What are shoe roses? In the 17th century, shoe roses were a popular form of ornamentation used to dress up, well, your shoes — usually considered the least exciting part of an ensemble. Typically, shoe roses were made of ribbons twisted into a rosette or gathered into a large blossom, and could be expensive, depending on the materials used to create them. A reticule is a small women’s handbag, originally netted and typically having a drawstring. Decorated with embroidery or beading, the reticule would match a woman’s shoe roses and dress. This workshop — Friday, June 21 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. — requires extra fees; sign up here. (Please note: There is a waitlist for our hair and shoe roses workshop on Saturday; join it here.)
— Garland Rieman
Afternoon tea
There are still spots available for our traditional English afternoon tea. Served for the second year in a row in the beautiful Old Well Room at the historic Carolina Inn, this year’s tea features four courses, including cucumber and watercress tea sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, chicken salad phyllo cups, scones with assorted jams and clotted cream, rose orange macaroons, pie bites, tarts, sponge cake, chocolate cake, as well as earl gray and breakfast tea.
The tea is Sunday, June 23, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. To register for the tea, click here. For directions to the Carolina Inn (where our group will also receive free valet parking), click here.
— Ashley Oldham
Exhibits
Please note that this year’s self-guided Austen-themed tour at the Ackland Art Museum has been canceled. However, you can still view our rare-book exhibit at Wilson Library on Thursday, June 20, from 11 to 2:30 p.m. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information about our Wilson exhibit.
— Garland Rieman
Pub crawl
Get to know your fellow JASP-ers outside of the conference hotel during our pub crawl. Spots are still available for the event, set for Friday, June 21, beginning at 9 p.m. We’ll have special themed cocktails at three local bars, so make sure to sign up soon! One bar is $15; two, $20; three, $40.
— Jennifer Abella
Theatrical update
Our theatrical is a highlight every year. This year, we’re presenting “Love and Friendship.” Here’s a note from writer Adam McCune: Like “Pride and Prejudice,” Austen’s “Love and Friendship” features a bold heroine who defies the older generation by pursuing a love match rather than following the conventions of rank and wealth — but unlike Lizzy, the heroine of “Love and Friendship” comes across as impractical and even unethical.
In this rollicking parody poking fun at the heroes and heroines of popular novels, young couples marry strangers, scorn the most reasonable requests of their families, go recklessly into debt (and debtor’s prison), meet with ludicrous tragedies, and faint upon the slightest provocation.
The theatrical is Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss it!
— Jennifer Abella
T-shirts
Look back on your sure-to-be-awesome time at JASP with one of our souvenir T-shirts, which are locally silk-screened. They’re available for preorder ($20) on our registration page; they can be picked up on-site in June. Here’s a sneak peek at the shirts!
— Jennifer Abella
Book giveaway winners
Congratulations to our registration giveaway winners! The following will receive the “The Jane Austen Diet” by Bryan Kozlowski: Ashley Honaker, Karen Field, Merrill Bell, Ruth Grant and Michele Beach. You’ll receive your books at JASP.
— Jennifer Abella