Dearest reader, If you, like myself, enjoy a heartwarming romp filled with charm, delightfully anarchronistic flair, and a touch of fourth-wall-breaking snark, I highly encourage you to take a turn by University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center to spend a diverting two hours with the cast and crew of Emma. Fitting any of Jane Austen’s expansive, twisting, Regency-era plots into a two-hour play is an undoubtedly difficult task, but this adaptation by Michael Bloom under the direction of Lisa Murphy-Nathans does so beautifully. For those unfamiliar with the original story (or its modern adaptation, the Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd classic Clueless), Emma revolves around the titular character and her desire to matchmake for the people in her social circle. Determined never to marry herself, she focuses her energy on finding a connection for her friend, the young and untitled Harriet Smith. Through her romantic meddling and scheming, she soon finds herself caught within multiple love triangles, eventually coming to the surprising realization that her childhood confidante, the snarky but kind-hearted Mr. Knightley, is the only person Emma truly wants to impress. Mr. Knightley (Terrence Bartlebaugh) and Emma (Drew Okoye) in the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies’ production of ‘Emma.’ Photo by Taneen Momeni. The young cast of the production does an admirable job with Austen’s heightened text, handling snappy tête-à-têtes deftly and comedic timing with confidence. I must admit, I was surprised at first by the visual dissonance of Drew Okoye’s Emma and Terrence Bartlebaugh’s Mr. Knightley — but as soon as they began to perform off one another, I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect pairing. Okoye’s Emma is strong, self-assured, and immediately endearing in her youthful self-dependence; Bartlebaugh’s Knightley served as a worthy foil with pointed sarcasm, snappy intelligence, and gentle humility. Watching these two young actors work together made my pedagogical heart sing. Ilana Mongilio’s portrayal of the insecure but large-hearted Harriet is also to be commended, balancing melodramatic outbursts with moments of quiet sincerity with ease. Katie Quinn’s Mrs. Taylor-Weston was also a standout, bringing light-hearted and sisterly camaraderie to her scenes with Okoye and eliciting some of the biggest laughs from the crowd during her dancing scenes. The rest of the ensemble was equally amusing — Bayron Celis’ somewhat narcoleptic Mr. Woodhouse and J. Royal Miller’s Tartuffe-esque portrayal of Mr. Elton seemed to be particular favorites with the audience. Aïda Nyabingi’s reserved Jane Fairfax also has quite the wonderful moment channeling early Gwen Stefani on the pianoforte, much to the enjoyment of my fellow millennials in the audience. As per usual, the UMD Theatre and Design graduate students have built another enchanting world with this production. Margarita Syrocheva’s scenic design holds us securely in the Regency period, with marbled expanses and arches framing romantic portraits and pastorals dangling from the ceiling. Doni Rotunno’s costumes and Priscilla Bruce’s wigs are a welcome combination of Regency silhouettes with vibrant, contemporary colors that balance the push and pull of the performers in their more anachronistic moments. Lighting design by Mike Riggs and Luis Garcia aids nicely in accentuating Emma’s moments of self-reflection and conversation with the audience. Emma (Drew Okoye) and Miss Harriet Smith (Ilana Mongilio) in the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies’ production of ‘Emma.’ Photo by Taneen Momeni. The element that truly brought this production together was the collaboration between Murphy-Nathans and Choreographer Adriane Fang. With anachronistic music à la Bridgerton, Fang’s choreography is a brilliant mash-up of period movement with contemporary flair Often, ball scenes can become a bit monotonous and difficult to follow, but the combination of dance styles, brilliantly executed by the cast, and the choice to limit the number of couples dancing at any single moment made these important moments so much more enjoyable than I expected. Not to mention, the sweeping pre-intermission dance between Okoye’s Emma and Hudson White’s Frank Churchill to Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” was just about as romantic as it gets. In our current climate, sometimes we really just need a light, heart-filled evening at the theater to remember the things that bring us together as humans: loving family (found and biological), strong friendships, and the joy of experiencing art and laughter with a community. This production of Austen’s Emma is a balm for the world-weary heart. Running Time: Two hours including a 15-minute intermission. Emma plays through October 10, 2024, presented by the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies performing at the Kay Theatre at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, 8270 Alumni Dr., College Park, MD. Purchase tickets ($25, general public; $10, students and youth) online.  The program for Emma is online here. COVID Safety: While strongly encouraged, masks are no longer required. See the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Health & Safety policy here. Emma Written by Jane Austen Adapted by Michael Bloom Directed by Lisa Murphy-Nathans CAST Emma Woodhouse: Drew Okoye George Knightley: Terrence Bartlebaugh Harriet Smith: Ilana Mongilio Mr. Woodhouse: Bayron Celis Mr. Weston: Matthew Cruser Miss Bates:.Sabrina Lenett Robert Martin: Tito Silva Frank Churchill: Hudson White Mrs. Augusta Hawkins-Elton: Nani Gildersleeve Jane Fairfax: Aïda Nyabingi Mrs. Taylor-Weston: Katie Quinn Mr. Elton: J Royal Miller UNDERSTUDIES Emma Woodhouse: Bridget Knott George Knightley: Raymond Zajic Harriet Smith: Wendy Saltsberg Mr. Woodhouse: Emily Davis Mr. Weston: Alex Reyes Miss Bates: Gabriella Loshin Robert Martin: Eitan Amster Frank Churchill: Kevin Volland Mrs. Augusta Hawkins-Elton: Medhanit Desta Jane Fairfax: Julia Smith Mrs. Taylor-Weston: Miele Murray Mr. Elton: Matthew Dietrich PRODUCTION TEAM Director: Lisa Murphy-Nathans Dramaturg: Marissa Kennedy Choreographer: Adriane Fang Intimacy & Fight Director: Sierra Young Dialect Coach: Yetunde Felix-Ukwu Stage Manager: Alana Isaac Scenic Designer: Margarita Syrocheva Costume Designer: Doni Rotunno Co-Lighting Designers: Mike Riggs, Luis Garcia Wig Designer: Priscilla Bruce Sound Designer: Justin Schmitz Assistant Director: Amberley Kuo Assistant Choreographer: Kayley Childs Assistant Stage Manager: Jaylyn Manu Assistant Scenic Designer: Adam Hawley Assistant Lighting Designer: Hannah Kelly Assistant Costume Designer: Johnna Presby Associate Sound Designer: Kiefer Cure