Thompson Hall stands on the corner of Pullen Road and Dunn Avenue Tuesday. Thompson Hall houses University Theatre and premieres productions and musical ensembles throughout the academic year. “Pride and Prejudice,” a romantic comedy based on the novel by Jane Austen will show from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1." />
Glenn Wagstaff
Thompson Hall stands on the corner of Pullen Road and Dunn Avenue Tuesday. Thompson Hall houses University Theatre and premieres productions and musical ensembles throughout the academic year. “Pride and Prejudice,” a romantic comedy based on the novel by Jane Austen will show from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1.
This year is the 200th anniversary of the death of legendary author Jane Austen, and her influential works will be celebrated throughout September and October. University Theatre plans to celebrate Austen through the stage with the production of Austen’s famous work “Pride and Prejudice.” Adapted as a romantic comedy by Jon Jory and directed by Mia Self, assistant director of University Theatre, “Pride and Prejudice” is the first University Theatre production of the fall season. The first performance is on Sept. 21. at 7:30 p.m. in Thompson Hall’s Titmus Theatre.
The storyline of “Pride and Prejudice” circles around a young Elizabeth Bennett and her four sisters’ experiences navigating the matchmaking scene with both suitable and unsuitable suitors. Self, who always admired the famous novel, said she was very excited to direct her first Austen work.
“It’s pretty cool to think about these characters in a 3-D type of way,” Self said. “The script is very streamlined, running in two-ish hours; it’s a whirlwind.”
In the production of “Pride and Prejudice,” cast diversity was indeed intentional. However, due to conflicts with another show over the selection pools, Self could only select so many minority characters for the production.
“The story is about relationships and those themes transcend the white European precedent,” Self said.
Perhaps the primary theme of the show, and a driving force of action, is interpersonal relationships. Staying true to Austen’s original work, actors have been preparing to emulate real, believable relationships. Four counselors from the Counseling Center came in to help breakdown different aspects of relationships, such as love language, to the actors. This preparation will further help actors connect with the audience on a more intimate level.
“The human connection piece is vital to who we are as people,” Self said.
University Theatre held an open rehearsal on Sept. 11 and, after observing, it is safe to say this is not your grandmother’s idea of “Pride and Prejudice.” The open rehearsal started with a tour of the backstage area, where students who were unfamiliar with Thompson Hall became acquainted with the theatre. The show proved fairly modern, from the actors’ costume design to the set. However, the storyline is still classic in University Theatre’s adaptation of the work. The show at the open rehearsal can almost be described as a love letter being played out on the stage.
The cast ran through the first act with limited stops throughout. For Rachel Walter, a fourth-year studying biological sciences, theatre has always been a point of interest, and playing the lead role of Elizabeth proved worthwhile.
“It’s been amazing,” Walter said. “I always thought I liked to act. I’ve been [in] theater since I was 12, but this is a huge learning process. I had no idea what it meant to commit yourself to a role like this, and I learned a lot about myself.”
Walter explains her character as one that is nothing short of fierce.
“Elizabeth is a character that stays true to herself, despite what society might think or feel,” Walter said. “She accepts nothing less than what she deserves.”
Although merely an open rehearsal of the play’s current state, it played out more like a preview of what is to come. The central theme of relationships was displayed early, with the drama ramping up as the relationships between the characters grew more and more complex as the plot thickened. Although the show portrays relationships in all their glory, it is important to note the play’s comedic tone, which Self described as a “whirlwind.” Whether an avid Austen lover, or someone looking to support University Theatre’s first production of the season, “Pride and Prejudice” is bound to entertain from beginning to end.