The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, Handel’s Messiah – these are staple, tried-and-true live performances that encapsulate the holiday spirit and are great to share with loved ones.

But if you want to try something different from the Shows of Christmas Past, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park’s annual Christmas show, Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker, an Interactive Holiday Ball!, plays in OSP’s Indoor Black Box Theater in the Paseo Arts District from Dec. 4 through Dec. 21.

Written by Oklahoma City-area playwright, actor and multidisciplinary artist Erin Woods, Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker invites the audience into the family home of Jane and Cassandra Austen on the night of a holiday ball. Soon, it’s not just the Austen sisters in the parlor making merry, but beloved characters from Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and Persuasion interacting in what Erin describes as “snippets and snapshots” from these three works. 

“In a cracker, you get a toy, you get a gift, you get a riddle, you get a crown, you get all these wonderful little mishmash of things,” explains Tyler Woods, Executive Artistic Director for OSP, detailing what goes into these traditional British holiday presents. 

“And it sort of felt like a great way to celebrate for us, because we give you a little bit of everything. We give you song, dance, ice cream, parlor games, theater – it's all in there, and a gift to boot.”

It should be no surprise that the inspiration for this show came from across the pond. In 2009, the Woods family went to the U.K. to see Footsbarn Theatre’s Christmas Cracker at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Add a dash of Erin’s passion for Jane Austen, which was so potent that she was a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and wrote and directed stage adaptations of beloved Austen works, and voila! The first production of Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker graced the Oklahoma City theater scene in 2014 and ran annually, save for a couple of years' break due to COVID-19.

But being a member of the Jane Austen Society isn’t required to enjoy the show; newcomers to Austen are wholly welcome. 

“This show is actually built for people who don't know a lot about Jane Austen. If you are a Jane Austen superfan, there are special Easter eggs and fun stuff that's just for you,” says Erin Woods, who is also directing this year’s production. “But if you don't know anything about Jane Austen and just want a fun holiday show that's a little different, this is the perfect show for you.”

A unique aspect of the show is its audience interactivity. While audience members won’t be dragged on stage, they can voluntarily raise their program to join an English country dance or play parlor games with the cast. Additionally, as the show has been sponsored by Braum’s Ice Cream since 2015, ice cream and other holiday treats will be served to the audience – an homage to how British theaters often serve ice cream during their intermissions.

But what makes this particular run of Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker so unique is that Dec. 16 marks Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. To celebrate, the OSP team crafted something very special on Dec. 14 before the matinee show: an exclusive Jane Austen birthday brunch at Paseo Grill. With a hot tea service, finger sandwiches, pastries, quiche, and more, brunch attendees will enjoy delicious food and exclusive entertainment, including a visit from the cast “Disney Princess-style,” as Tyler describes it.

Beyond the dancing, games, merriment, and ice cream during Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker comes the idea of feeling more healed and happy during the holidays, which Erin and Tyler Woods are happy to share with the audience.

“I think we do need a little bit more love, and we always have in this old world; it always needed love,” says Tyler Woods. “It's our job as theater producers and people to be in touch with what the world wants and needs.”

When the world feels bleak, a cozy affair like Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker can ensure that audiences feel a little less alone during the holidays; Austen would likely agree. 

As Austen writes in Emma: “One cannot have too large a party.”

Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker runs select dates Dec. 4 through Dec. 21. To learn more about Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker or to buy tickets for the show or the brunch, visit Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park’s website or follow the organization on Instagram at @oklahomashakespeare.

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