Rochester Janeiacs Invade Canandaigua!

The Rochester "Janeiacs"--the "Action Jane" members of JASNA Rochester--are at it again! This time, they've scheduled a number of activities to take place in the village of Canandaigua in honor of Pride and Prejudice's 200th anniversary. Canandaigua is southeast of Rochester (and an easy drive south from Exit 44 of the NY State Thruway, for many Syracuse Region members). Here's a list of what will be happening in the next few weeks. 

Unless otherwise noted, all activities will take place at the Granger Homestead, an historic landmark property at 295 N. Main St., Canandaigua (585-394-1472; go here for the website). The Granger's usual admission charge will be waived for these events.

•  Guest speaker Kathi Nacca (from the Wood Library in Canandaigua) will lead a discussion of P&P at the Granger on Saturday, February 23, from 1 to 3 pm, with tea to follow.
• Aniela Wolkonowski of JASNA Rochester will lead a discussion of JA sequels, focusing on Pamela Aidan's An Assembly Such as This (a retelling of part of P&P from Mr. Darcy's perspective), on Saturday, March 2 at the Granger, starting at 1 pm. An 1813-style tea will follow.
• JASNA Syracuse/JASNA Rochester Co-Coordinator Lisa Brown will present her ever-popular Regency Fashion Show (featuring both ladies' and gentlemen's clothing styles) on Sunday, March 3, starting at 1 pm. Note: This event will take place at the Wood Library, 134 N. Main St., Canandaigua (585-394-1381). It too is free of charge and open to the public.
• Finally, the Country Dancers of Rochester will give a demonstration of dances popular during JA's lifetime on Saturday, March 9 at the Granger, starting at 1 pm.

In Memoriam: Cheryl Suzanna Spiese

The Binghamton English Country Dancers have given us the sad news that Cheryl Suzanna Spiese died on February 12 at age 65, after a long and bravely borne illness. She was a Special Collections Librarian and a Translation Research & Instruction Program Faculty Associate at Binghamton University. In addition, she was actively involved with the Binghamton ECD group in many capacities--as dancer, caller, teacher, organizer, and musician. JASNA Syracuse will always remember Suzanna gratefully for performing with Charlene Thomson, her friend and fellow musician in the group "Greenwood," at the first Syracuse Region meeting at RiverRead Books in Binghamton--and thus getting the RiverRead meetings off to a delightful start. We send our sympathies to Suzanna's family in Lancaster, PA, and to her BU colleagues and ECD friends in Binghamton. This year's Binghamton ECD Ball, on Saturday, April 6, will be dedicated to her.

Happy 200th Anniversary, Pride and Prejudice!

Either today (the 200th anniversary of the day Jane Austen received her author's copy--her "own Darling Child") or tomorrow (the 200th anniversary of the first advertisement), depending on your point of view, is Pride and Prejudice's Really Big Day. Huzzah! Huzzah!! Huzzah!!!

Both mainstream and less traditional media outlets are falling all over themselves to celebrate as well. Even such dedicated "link hunters" as JASNA New York Metro's Kerri Spennicchia and our own Lisa Brown are hard pressed to keep up with the rush! Below, I'm passing on a mere fraction of the ones unearthed by Kerri and Lisa (with thanks to them both):

Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen fans celebrate novel's 200th anniversary

International Pride and Prejudice 'Readathon'

Plain Jane? Plain Wrong by Daisy Hay

Pride and Prejudice Celebrates 200 Years

Pride and Prejudice: Top five pop culture references

‘Pride and Prejudice’ turns 200 — with events to mark the occasion

 'Pride' of Jane Austen is worth a celebration

Pride and Prejudice – and politics

Austen power: 200 years of Pride and Prejudice

Meet the real Jane Austen, the prototype Guardian gal

BBC to recreate Netherfield Ball for 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice

  
Several of the blogs in our "Links" list at right, such as Jane Austen in Vermont, Jane Austen's World, and Austenonly, have also put up celebratory posts. And if all this isn't enough, just Google "Pride and Prejudice 200th anniversary," "Jane Austen," or "Austen power"--and then stand back and watch the flood of links!

A very important link to pass on for JASNA members is the one with information about this year's JASNA tour of England--which of course this year focuses on P&P. In addition to the by now customary visits to Steventon, Chawton, and Winchester, this year's tour will include destinations in Derbyshire, as well as a stop in Brighton! Here's the link to the tour info on the national JASNA website.

And finally, don't forget our celebration of "Pride and Prejudice: The Novel and the Films" at the Liverpool Public Library this coming Saturday, February 2, at 2 pm! 

JASNA Syracuse Candlemas Meeting in Liverpool, Sat., Feb. 2, 2 pm

On Saturday, February 2, at 2 pm, JASNA Syracuse will continue the worldwide celebrations of Pride and Prejudice's 200th anniversary (Jane Austen's "own Darling Child" was first offered for sale on January 28, 1813) by discussing "Pride and Prejudice: The Novel and the Films." The meeting will take place in the Sargent Room of the Liverpool Public Library. 

(In keeping with our custom of following the Regency calendar, this will be our Candlemas meeting--and, for once, the meeting lands on the feast day itself. To Jane Austen and her contemporaries, February 2 was the "cross-quarter day" of Candlemas, a/k/a the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin. Don't ask us how Groundhog Day got mixed up with this.) 

We hope to begin by showing clips of Mr. Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth Bennet from at least the four film versions of P&P shown in the photo: the 1940 movie with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier; the late 1970s BBC version with Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul (shown in the U.S. on Masterpiece Theatre in 1980); the 1995 BBC miniseries with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth; and the 2005 movie with Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadyen. We'll use these as the jumping-off points for considering how each version relates to the novel. How much of the novel's own dialogue and language does each film use? What liberties does each one take with language, setting, and plot? Do the liberties enhance the viewer's experience or detract from it? 

(As you can see in the photo, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the Official Spokescat of JASNA Syracuse, is deeply loyal to the text. But certain scenes may have become so embedded in our thoughts about P&P that, for better or worse, they're part of the P&P "experience." What do you think? Come and have your "share in the conversation"!)

The Liverpool Public Library is located at 310 Tulip St., Liverpool, NY 13088. The Sargent Room is the smaller of the library's two meeting rooms (the Carman Community Room is the other). The library is easily reached from both I-81 North (if you're coming from the south) and the NY State Thruway:

From I-81, travel north from the junction with I-690, follow the signs for the Liverpool exits (near Carousel Center), and select the exit for NY Rt. 370 (Onondaga Lake Parkway). Take 370 along Onondaga Lake into the village of Liverpool, and stay on it as it angles slightly to the left and also becomes 2nd St. in the village. The library is on the corner of Tulip St. and 2nd St./370.

From the Thruway (from either direction), take Exit 38 (Liverpool/County Rt. 57). Travel south on 57 into the village, and take a right on Tulip St. (57 curves left at just about this point). Come down Tulip to 2nd St./370.

There is a small underground parking garage (entrance on Tulip), and ample free on-street parking is also available on Tulip and elsewhere. So we trust that your coachmen will be agreeably accommodated--and we hope you'll join us on the 2nd! 

New Year's Greetings, and Events Far and Near

First, a very Happy New Year to all JASNA Syracuse Region members and other local friends of Jane Austen. As you can see, Action Jane holds the "key" to the New Year!

And today is January 6--Twelfth Night or the Feast of the Epiphany, which is the last of the official Twelve Days of Christmas (these are not the twelve days before Christmas, as Lisa Brown explained to us at the Colgate Inn on December 8!). Therefore, a very happy Twelfth Night to you as well.

We begin the New Year with several announcements of "coming attractions," both in JASNA regions elsewhere in the Northeast and here in Upstate New York. First, JASNA Pittsburgh will be holding its 2013 Jane Austen Festival, "CULT-ivating Jane," in Pittsburgh on March 15-16. Features will include a Friday night movie screening, speakers such as the authors Carrie Bebris and Kim Wilson, and a Regency ball! To learn more, go to this page of the JASNA Pittsburgh website.

Second, on July 26-28, JASNA Connecticut will be holding a weekend retreat called "Jane Austen Summer Camp" in Middletown, CT--"a full weekend of learning about Jane Austen's daily activities and pastimes." If you register by February 15, you will get the "early bird" registration rate. For more information, go to this website, which JASNA Connecticut has created for the event.

Finally, we're celebrating the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice (the publisher, Thomas Egerton, first advertised P&P for sale on January 28, 1813) in various ways here in Upstate. The JABC-CNY will be having a P&P afternoon, with a trivia game and door prizes, at the Colgate Bookstore this coming Saturday, January 12, at 2 pm. JASNA Rochester will be discussing the novel at its January meeting at the Pittsford Barnes & Noble on Saturday, January 19, at 1 pm. 

And here in the Syracuse area, we'll be discussing "Pride and Prejudice: The Novel and the Films" at our Candlemas meeting at the Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip Street, Liverpool, on Saturday, February 2, at 2 pm. Questions to consider: Which is your favorite movie or TV adaptation of P&P? How does each version differ from the novel, and how is it similar? Do the differences enhance your enjoyment or detract from it? Come prepared for a lively exchange! We'll give more details about this meeting in the next post.

"Austenmas" News Roundup

Your Regional Coordinator writes: 

First, of course, a very happy "Austenmas" (as Syracuse/Rochester Co-RC Lisa Brown calls Jane Austen's birthday) to all Janeites everywhere! At 237, Our Author is going stronger than ever!

As noted in the preceding post, JASNA Syracuse Region members and JABC-CNY members gathered at the Colgate Inn on December 8 to celebrate Austenmas in particular and the winter holidays in general. After we toasted JA's birthday, Lisa Brown regaled us with a holly- and yew-trimmed presentation on Regency Christmas customs--including some holiday sports and games that would definitely not meet modern safety standards. (Nevertheless, someone has had the temerity to demonstrate the game of "Snap Dragon" on a YouTube video, and Lisa hopes to post a link to this shortly.)

The elegant cake above (with a frosting inkwell and both a frosting and an actual quill) was served at yesterday's JASNA Rochester birthday luncheon at the Chatterbox Club in Rochester.  Alice Villasenor's description of JA's niece Catherine Anne Hubback and of Hubback's career as a novelist was fascinating. Edith Lank led us as usual in Kipling's epigraph to "The Janeites" as a birthday toast to JA. The team of "Bake and Jake" (a/k/a Rochester's own Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs) gave us an update on the progress of their Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice: A Musical, and treated us to an impromptu performance of its newest song, Mr. Collins's hilarious paean to Lady Catherine. 

And on a much somberer but most salutary note, Rochester RC Celia Easton reminded us in her opening remarks of how necessary JA's six novels and other works are to us--as inspiration, not just as escapism--in the face of tragedies like the school shooting in Newtown, CT. We send our thoughts and prayers to all the residents of Newtown and of Connecticut, including our JASNA Connecticut colleagues. (On Dec. 8, I'd promised the Colgate Inn attendees to post a link to the website for JASNA Connecticut's upcoming "Jane Austen Summer Camp" on July 26-28, 2013. I'll do so in a future post.)

To quote from JA's correspondence with Cassandra, "[The rest of] This Letter is to be dedicated entirely to Good News." JASNA's annual Austenmas present to its members and the world is the publication of the winter issue of its electronic journal, Persuasions On-Line--and Upstate New York is well represented in the new number (go here for the link).  The paper based on my Brooklyn AGM breakout session about the Prince Regent is included in the section of papers from the AGM, and another meditation on Pride and Prejudice by our Rochester friend Leo Rockas (this time, a review of the similarities between P&P and the Juvenilia piece "The Three Sisters") is included in the Miscellany section.

Over at Jane Austen in Vermont, "Janeite Deb" (a/k/a JASNA Vermont RC Deb Barnum) has put up a long Austenmas post on "The Ten Best Reasons to Go to a JASNA AGM," in which she kindly includes my breakout under reason #6 and Lisa Brown's "Dressing the Miss Bennets" presentation under #9. Go here for the link. Thanks and cheers, Deb! (And, hey, I thought JA in Vermont was the best regional blog in JASNA even before she put up this post!)

Finally, as we look ahead to 2013, several local events are being planned to honor the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice--JA's "own darling Child"--in late January 1813. See the updated "Events" column at right for three of these.  As you can see below, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the Official Spokescat of JASNA Syracuse, is getting in the proper frame of mind by contemplating an Austenmas ornament filled with individual sentences from the novel. (The ornament is yet another creation of the multi-talented Lisa Brown!)
 

Slight Change in Christmas Meeting Plans; Rochester Birthday Lunch

First, there's a slight change to JASNA Syracuse's plans for a joint holiday gathering with the Colgate JABC-CNY at the Colgate Inn in Hamilton on Saturday, December 8: Instead of meeting at the Inn at noon for lunch, we will be gathering there for dessert at 1:00 pm. 

As the RSVPs for the 8th started to come in, we discovered that the Colgate Inn has a limit of 14 people for ordering individually from the Inn's lunch menu, and quite a few more than 14 people have expressed interest by now.  The alternative for lunch would have been a buffet that would cost $15 plus a gratuity per person.  But since there is no limit on the number who can order just dessert individually, the decision was made to go with the dessert option.  Lisa Brown will still be giving her presentation on Regency Christmas customs; we will still be raising a 237th birthday toast to Jane Austen; and, most definitely, we will still enjoy ourselves! So do plan to join us for dessert at 1:00 on the 8th.  If you haven't already done so, please give JABC leader Heather Elia an RSVP at this address by November 29, so that she can give the Inn a head count.

Also, a few of us Syracuse Region members always try to make the trip to Rochester for JASNA Rochester's annual JA birthday luncheon at the Chatterbox Club, 25 North Goodman St., Rochester.  This year's lunch will be on Saturday, Dec. 15, starting at 11:00 am.  Professor Alice Villasenor of Medaille College in Buffalo will be the speaker; she will describe her research on Catherine Hubback, a niece of Jane Austen's who wrote a completion of JA's unfinished novel The Watsons, as well as several other books.  Alice was a participant in the Young Scholars Panel at the recent JASNA AGM in Brooklyn.  If you'd like to attend, go to this link on JASNA Rochester's website and download the registration form from the link you'll find there. The cost of the luncheon will be $27.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!