Playwright, director, producer, and writer Jason Neulander has adapted Robert Louis Stevenson’s seminal pirate adventure for a new multimedia extravaganza hitting shelves—and the stage—in September. Today, The Beat can exclusively reveal Treasure Island Reimagined: Jane Hawkins and the Pirate’s Gold, a “live-action graphic novel” that combines theatrical performance with timed panel projections to bring each page to life.
Jane Hawkins and the Pirate’s Gold is illustrated by Johnny Dombrowski, colored by Lee Duhig, and lettered by David Hutchison. The story gender-bends the protagonist of the original book to focus on a preteen girl who gets caught up in a whirlwind adventure. THere’s the full synopsis:
On the western shores of England in 1754, twelve-year-old Jane Hawkins lives a quiet life at a seaside inn until a mysterious traveler arrives carrying a dangerous secret. Before long, she is swept into a world of pirates, buried treasure, mutiny, and adventure.
In addition to team behind the graphic novel, whose work will be projected on screen during live performances if Jane Hawkins and the Pirate’s Gold, the show’s production also features a score by composer Sam Lipman and sound design by Buzz Moran. More than 1,200 panels are projected on-screen during the performance, which features three actors doing every character voice and sound effects.
“This project is hugely inspired by my daughter Scarlett. I read the original novel to her when she was nine, and when I was figuring out what adventure story I wanted to adapt as my next graphic novel and live show, at the age of 18, she said, ‘Duh! Dad, you have to do Treasure Island,’” said Neulander in a statement. “And that was the trigger that turned Jim Hawkins, the hero of the original, into Jane Hawkins, the hero here.
“This process has been ridiculously fun to make, in no small part because Johnny has been a dream to work with. It’s like he took a straw and sucked the images right out of my head,” Neulander continued. “I really can’t wait to share this classic story in a whole new way with all those people who have heard the title but have no idea what the book is about.”
“After working almost two decades as a lone illustrator, I was honestly worried about joining a team. However, this run has been such a wonderful surprise,” said Dombrowski. “Between figuring out visual storytelling with Jason and teaching Lee to color outside his comfort zone with my style of old-school comic halftones, this experience has set a very high bar for others moving forward. It has been so exciting to map out this story as it takes on its different shapes.
“In some ways, neither format is complete without the other,” he continued. “Some moments may work better on the printed page, while others work better when acted out on stage. Walking that line to make both work as best as they can makes for a truly remarkable experience, no matter where or how you interact with it.”
Watch the Jane Hawkins trailer below.
Treasure Island Reimagined: Jane Hawkins and the Pirate’s Gold will be available September 18 to coincide with the world premiere of the show at Austin’s State Theatre (719 Congress Ave) at 7:30 p.m. (Doors at 6:30.) Tickets are available here.
Following the Austin debut, Jane Hawkins will tour more than 20 venues across the U.S. Tour dates and more can be found at TreasureIslandReimagined.com.
