Lampeter-Strasburg
October Is
Breast Cancer townlively.com
OCTOBER 18, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 24
Awareness Month
Blurring the line between past and present he 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
“It’s an otherworldly experience.” 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
LancasterHistory highlights locally born filmmaker BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
The National Museum of African American History and Culture recognizes Madeline Anderson as the first African American woman to direct a televised documentary film. Anderson and her work are credited with paving the way for black women in the television industry, but many Lancaster residents may be unaware that she also grew up in Lancaster city. The renowned
filmmaker is an alumna of McCaskey High School and Millersville University, and she went on to achieve national acclaim in her career. On Sept. 23, LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, held a film screening of two documentaries directed by Anderson. The first film, titled “Integration Report One,” was released in 1960, and it depicts the battle for racial equality in various cities across the See Filmmaker pg 2
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 recreating 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 www.historicrockford.org.
Rachel Faust (left) as Emma Woodhouse and Sam Shea as Mr. Knightley in a previous production of “Emma, The Matchmaker” at Historic Rock Ford.
Dance your cap off at the annual Railroad Museum swing dance BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Last year’s swing dance drew more than 200 attendees, many of whom were decked out in period-accurate attire.
Nearly a century later, the trends and styles of those who lived in the early to mid-1900s remain instantly recognizable and deeply appreciated by many throughout the United States. Americans who were born in the first three decades of the 20th century are commonly referred to as the Greatest Generation, and with ample reason: This generation includes the individuals who weathered calamities like the Great Depression and fought in See Swing dance pg 3
-*&9.3, (441.3, & ).;.8.43 4+ 2&79.3 &551.&3(*
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
WWW. PDUWLQKHDWLQJFRROLQJ FRP _ POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER OCT. 18, 2023
Postal Patron
LSA
T
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
R100899 R100 R10 R R1 100 110 000899 8 9 89
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD