The Station Theatre

06/07/2026

In honor of pride month, we are shouting out one of our favorite local nonprofits:
Uniting Pride !!!

🏳️‍🌈Uniting Pride has been helping the C-U LGBTQIA2S+ community since 2009, and they have a few events to celebrate pride this month! For more information, visit their page or website: unitingpride.org🏳️‍🌈

👀Keep an eye out for the parade and celebration in October this year 👀

You can see them at their table on opening night of The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged on June 18th! Tickets are on sale now: stationtheatre.ludus.com

06/06/2026

Want a chance to get your hands dirty???

Come help us get the space ready for The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged!!! Everyone is welcome 11am-4pm, but we do ask that you wear close-toed shoes.

We can't wait to see you there!

06/06/2026

Today, we are showcasing a member of our cast:
Aera Boateng, Jessica

Aera Boateng (any pronouns) joins the cast and crew of the Complete Works of Jane Austen Abridged for their second show at the Station Theatre. They're a senior acting BFA at UIUC and have previously been seen in Illini Theatre's productions of Everybody and Cloud Shaped Like Pianos.

Boateng's favorite line from the show is "Great t**s."

When asked what their favorite thing about Austen is, Aera had this to say:
"I'm with Jessica on the dresses; the clothes of the Regency era are gorgeous and I will never miss an opportunity to wear one!"

"If you love Jane Austen, it's a no-brainer (because there can NEVER be enough Jane Austen adaptations, we all want to see these characters beought to life as much as possible). So, to appeal to those of us who are less familiar with these wonderful novels: pretty costumes, non-stop comedy, and a run time of less than 2 hours is pretty hard to beat. Just saying."
-Aera on why you should come see the show!

Boateng would choose Mr. Bingley from Pride and Prejudice to hang out with of Austen's characters: "He reminds me of both myself and my partner. Golden retriever energy all the way!"

Come see Aera in The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged June 18-28!
Tickets are on sale now:
https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/index.php

06/03/2026

With such small casts, we wanted to take the opportunity to showcase one of Austen's most well-known adaptations: Joe Wright's Pride & Prejudice (2005)!

With talent such as Keira Knightley playing Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfayden playing Mr. Darcy, this adaptation has been well-loved by many!

In 1797, Jane Austen wrote the short story "First Impressions," which would eventually be rewritten and published as "Pride and Prejudice" in 1813. Joe Wright opted to have this adaptation take place during 1797 as a nod to this fact and to have it stand out from other adaptations.

Despite there being several takes while filming. During editing, filmmakers found that they had gotten everything they wanted from the first shot taken during Elizabeth and Darcy's first dance!

Come see The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged June 18-28, where we reference this adaptation AND MORE!
Tickets are on sale now: https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/index.php

05/31/2026

Today we spotlight our wonderful Stage Manager, Caro Cousins! (they/she/he)

Caro is a CU local who is so excited to be making their Stage Manager debut! They want to thank Dr. Christiana Molldrem Harkulich and the Station Theatre for this wonderful opportunity, and they implore you to come see BOTH amazing casts!!

When asked why audiences should see the show, Cousins had this to say:
"It's witty and charming, our actors are SO talented, and you might learn a thing or two!"

Caro's favorite line from the show is "To Hertfershire, bi***es!"

Come see Caro's hard work in The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged, which runs June 18-28!
Tickets are on sale now: https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/index.php

05/29/2026

Introducing a member of our Understudy Cast:
Damon LaMar (Trevor u/s)

Damon is excited to be performing in his first play in over a decade and is ready for the challenges that make the play experience different from those of a musical!

Of all of Austen's characters, LaMar would most like to hang out with Mr. Knightley from Emma because "he seems like a down to earth person."

When asked about his favorite thing about Austen, Damon had this to say:
"Although my Jane Austen knowledge is limited, from what I have seen, I enjoy that the primary focuses of her books are flawed in one way or another and there isn’t a perfect person to be found."

"Hi. I have five daughters. Want to meet them?"
- Damon's favorite line from the show

If you're still wondering why you should see the show, listen to why LaMar thinks you should:
"It’s a charming and funny show that encapsulates what it means to enjoy your hobbies and passions."

The Understudy Cast has two guaranteed performances on June 20th and 25th. Get your tickets TODAY:
https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/show_page.php?show_id=200483080

05/26/2026

Showcasing Jane Austen's most famous and most adapted work:
Pride and Prejudice!

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” is the beginning of the novel, and is arguably one of the most iconic lines of Austen's.

It follows Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the book, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. Her father, Mr. Bennet, has five daughters, but this estate can only be inherited in the male line. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters face living only on the interest a separate estate upon Mr. Bennet's death. It is imperative that at least one of their daughters marry well to support the others, which is a primary motivation driving the plot.

Originally a short story, it was initially titled "First Impressions," but was received poorly by publishers. Jane revised it, and it was eventually published in 1813. The reading public loved Lizzie Bennet, and the book has sold over 20 million copies to date!

See this novel adapted AND MORE in The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged, which runs June 18-28. Tickets are on sale NOW. Don't miss out!!! https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/show_page.php?show_id=200483080

05/24/2026

Box office signup for "Jane Austen":

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

05/24/2026

Introducing another member of our production team:
Sol Alyr (they/them), Assistant Stage Manager

Sol Alyr is a poet, screen and fiction writer, and filmmaker recently graduated from UIUC's Creative Writing and Critical Film Production programs. The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged is Sol's first show at The Station and their first ever show in the company rather than the audience.

When asked about their favorite thing about Jane Austen, Alyr had this to say:
"Austen is so, so skilled at—and ruthless about—showing how social conventions and structures intersect with, intercept, and unavoidably shape love, and yet, there is love. Also, she's so funny."

Sol would most want to hang out with Mr. Darcy, purely for psychological research.

"For the dramaaaaa, the swooning, and the sheer playfulness and delight the characters bring to Jane Austen's work."
-Sol on why audiences should see the show

Tickets are on sale now! Don't miss your chance to see the show:
https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/index.php

05/23/2026

📖Today we are spotlighting one of Jane Austen's novels!📖

🐎Persuasion was published December 20th, 1817, which was six months after her death. Her brother and sister published the novel under the name "Persuasion," despite "The Elliots" being the name Austen had been using as a placeholder.🐎

💍It tells the story of Anne Elliot whose family starts renting their estate to an admiral and his wife. The wife's brother, Captain Frederick Wentworth, was engaged to Anne eight years prior, but the engagement was broken when Anne was persuaded by her friends and family. Anne and Captain Wentworth, both single, meet again, setting the scene for a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage.💍

🎭Come see The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged to see how we showcase this novel! We run June 18-28, and tickets are on sale now: https://stationtheatre.ludus.com/index.php 🎭