Jane Austen’s Classic Pride and Prejudice Produced at The Play House
CLEVELAND (March 13, 2008) -- In a sparkling new adaptation, Jane Austen’s beloved novel
Pride and Prejudice will be produced at The Cleveland Play House at 85th and Euclid. The show will run in the Bolton Theatre March 21-April 13, 2008.
This adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, directed by Peter Amster, received several nominations for the Joseph Jefferson Award when it was produced at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre under Amster’s direction.
"There are very few romances in the repertoire of plays, which is why we're so thrilled to be producing a brilliantly theatrical adaptation of perhaps the greatest romance every written,” says Michael Bloom, Cleveland Play House Artistic Director.
The production is distinguished by some of Chicago’s best actors. Complementing them is the third year class of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble, making its mainstage debut and its final Play House appearance before receiving their Master’s of Fine Arts degrees.
ABOUT PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Adapted from Jane Austen’s classic and much beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of the five Bennet daughters. During the Regency period in England (1811-1820), a young girl of limited fortune’s only hope of financial security is to marry a wealthy young man. When the rich Mr. Bingley arrives at the nearby Netherfield estate with his equally well-off friend Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Bennet’s hope of an advantageous marriage for one of her daughters is realized. Bingley and the eldest daughter, Jane, immediately take a liking to each other.
Elizabeth Bennet is not as lucky as her sister—from the moment Lizzy meets Mr. Darcy, she finds him arrogant and conceited, and he is equally unimpressed with her. Despite his instincts against it, Darcy finds himself growing more and more affectionate toward the witty and headstrong Elizabeth as time goes on, but the stubborn Elizabeth holds on to her first negative impressions of him. As Darcy and Elizabeth’s lives continue to collide months after their first meeting, Elizabeth becomes captivated by the very man she swore to hate forever. As Elizabeth’s sisters are finding husbands, the Bennets find themselves in the midst of a family scandal, and Darcy and Elizabeth find they must struggle to overcome their initial impressions of each other in favor of love.
ABOUT THE CAST
ANNABEL ARMOUR (Lady Catherine de Bourgh/Mrs. Reynolds) has performed on several regional stages including the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ford’s Theatre Washington D.C. and Galway Arts Festival. Her Chicago credits include performances at Remy Bumppo Theater Company (Artistic Associate), Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, The Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Organic Theater Company and Writers’ Theatre. Ms. Armour has been see on television in “Prison Break,” “Missing Persons,” “In the Company of Darkness,” “What a Dummy” and “The Untouchables.” Her film credits include roles in Amityville Horror, Lifelike, Were the World Mine, Stolen Summer, Magic Act, WhiteBoyz, Mercury Rising, Men Don’t Leave and Dr. Detroit.
CASSANDRA BISSELL (Mary Bennet) has extensive regional theatre credits with performances at the Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens, NEA “Shakespeare in American Communities” Tour, Next Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Shakespeare on the Green, Peninsula Players (Door County, WI), Actors Theatre of Louisville (2005 Humana Festival), Pittsburgh Public Theatre and Irish Classical Theatre Company (Buffalo, NY). She has been seen on film in Vanishing Points and Now I Know. Ms. Bissell earned a BA in Gender Studies from the University of Chicago.
JASON BRADLEY (Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy) has performed regionally at Madison Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, American Players Theatre (multiple credits) and Indiana Repertory Theatre (multiple credits). His Chicago credits include roles at Writers Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre. Mr. Bradley was nominated for a Jeff Award for best actor in Stripped at Circle Theatre in Chicago.
CHAON CROSS (Elizabeth Bennet) has extensive regional theatre experience, having performed in productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Redmoon Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Theatre Hikes, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and The American Shakespeare Center (Staunton, VA). She also appeared in the film My Dog Skip. Ms. Cross holds a BFA in Theater Arts from Stephens College in Columbia, MO.
JUDITH DAY (Mrs. Bennet) has performed at the Goodman Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Signature Theatre, Merry Go Round Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theatre, Tampa Bay Center for the Performing Arts, Rocky Mountain Repertory and Merrimack Hall. She has been seen on television’s The Learning Channel (TLC) in “The Great Books.” Ms. Day attended the University of North Alabama.
TOM DEGNAN (Mr. Charles Bingley) is completing his final year as an MFA student in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. While at CPH, Mr. Degnan has been an understudy for Doubt, and performed in the Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting. His Case/CPH credits include As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. He has performed in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre, and also appeared in multiple roles at Monomoy Theatre.
AMANDA DUFFY (Caroline Bingley) is finishing her final year of the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble program. At CPH, Ms. Duffy performed in the Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting, and served as an understudy in A Christmas Story. In the graduate program, she has performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. While in Cleveland, Ms. Duffy also performed in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at the Eldred Theatre. She has toured with productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, ShakespeareLIVE. She has also appeared in multiple roles at Utah Shakespearean Festival and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.
RONI GEVA (Lydia Bennet) has performed at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Pegasus Players, The Armory, Mercury Theatre, Raven Theatre, Baby Wants Candy (improv group that performs internationally – multiple credits) and ImprovOlympic. She also appeared on film in Heather, A Moment of Grace. Ms. Geva received a Jeff Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, and earned a BS from Northwestern University.
MARK ALAN GORDON (Sir William Lucas) is the Associate Director of the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble Program. His CPH acting credits include Doctor in A Streetcar Named Desire and Jenkins in Room Service. His Case/CPH directing credits include Twelfth Night (Director–Graduating Class of ‘04), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Director–Graduating Class of ‘06), Big Love (Director–Graduating Class of ‘08). Mr. Gordon has performed in Lunacy at Dobama Theatre, and Off-Broadway in Ambrosio, Signature Theatre and True Crimes, Theatre for a New City Theatre. His regional theatre credits include roles at Dallas Theatre Center, Long Wharf Theatre, LaJolla Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Hangar Theatre, Studio Arena and The Kitchen Theatre. He has been seen on television’s “Law and Order” and “Made” on MTV. Mr. Gordon holds an MFA in Acting from Ohio University and a BA in Education/Theatre/Theology from Niagara University.
MICHELE GRAFF (Jane Bennet) has extensive regional theatre credits, including performances at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Stratford Festival of Canada (multiple credits), Cape Fear Regional Theatre; Soho Repertory Theatre, The Artistic Home, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (multiple credits), Marriott Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Goodman Theatre and Court Theatre. She was nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Actress in Landscape of the Body at The Artistic Home. Ms. Graff has appeared on television in “Numb3ers” and “Turks.” Her film credits include roles in Death of a President, Broken Echoes and High Fidelity. She attended Northwestern University.
DANIEL GRAHAM (Mr. Wickham) is in his final year in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. He has performed in CPH’s Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting, and mainstage productions of The Chosen (understudy) and Of Mice and Men (understudy, performed). As part of the MFA program, Mr. Graham performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. He also appeared in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre; and Lunacy at Dobama Theatre. He is a co-founder of Standing Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois, and holds BA degrees in Theatre and Classical Studies from Loyola University Chicago and The School at Steppenwolf Theatre.
NATHAN GURR (Mr. Denny) is in his final year of study in the Case/CPH Graduate Ensemble. He has performed in CPH’s Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting, and Case/CPH productions of As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. He has also performed in The Seagull at Eldred Theatre; and The Taming of the Shrew at Great Lakes Theater Festival. Mr. Gurr holds a BA in Theater and Philosophy from Whittier College in Los Angeles.
BILL McGOUGH (Mr. Bennet) has extensive regional theatre credits including roles at Goodman Theatre, Writers Theatre, Court Theatre, Irish Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, Apple Tree Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Next Theatre, Collaboraction and The Hypocrites. He has appeared in the films Let’s Go to Prison, Design and The Fence.
DERIC McNISH (Captain Carter/Ensemble) is in his final year of the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. He performed in the CPH Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting and served as an understudy in the CPH mainstage production of The Chosen. For the MFA program, Mr. McNish performed in As You Like It, Big Love, The Little Foxes and Heartbreak House. His other Cleveland acting credits include roles in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre; Peter Pan at Porthouse Theatre; and Othello at The Ohio Shakespeare Festival. His select regional theatre credits include performances at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Cider Mill Playhouse, Expanded Arts/Ludlow Ten, The Kraine Theatre, National Theatre of the Performing Arts and La Mama. He has appeared on television’s “Third Watch,” and the films White Room and Lead Paint.
NIGEL PATTERSON (Mr. Collins) has performed in several regional theatres including Northlight Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo and Timeline Theatre. Mr. Patterson has also appeared in the film Bubblerama, and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford, England.
ANNIE PAUL (Kitty Bennet/Miss Anne de Bourgh) is finishing up her final year in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble program. She has performed in the CPH Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting, Americans during FusionFest, and also understudied for a role in the mainstage production of Doubt. For the MFA program, Ms. Paul performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. Also in Cleveland, she was seen in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre; and King Lear at Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. She has multiple credits at American Players Theatre, and has also performed at Theatre X (multiple credits) and Renaissance Theaterworks (multiple credits). She was an apprentice in the United Stuntmen’s Association and studied with the Moscow Art Theatre.
TAYLOR VALENTINE (Colonel Fitzwilliam) is in his final year in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble program. He performed in the CPH Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting and served as an understudy in the mainstage production of The Chosen. For the Graduate Ensemble, Mr. Valentine performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. His regional theatre credits include roles at the American Conservatory Theatre, Warehouse Theatre, New Conservatory Theatre Center, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shotgun Players and San Jose Repertory Theatre. He holds a BA from Catawba College; Journeyman Program, The Warehouse Theatre in South Carolina.
MELYNEE SAUNDERS WARREN (Charlotte Lucas) is finishing her final in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. At CPH, she performed in the Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting and understudied for a role in the mainstage show Doubt. As a member of the MFA program, Ms. Saunders Warren performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. She was also seen in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre and King Lear at the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. Her regional theatre credits include roles at Monomoy Theatre and Hedgerow Theatre.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
JAMES MAXWELL (Playwright) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on March 23, 1929; however, he spent most of his career in the UK and died in London on August 18, 1995. He was a founding artistic director of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, England and enjoyed a long association with that theater as an actor, director, and playwright. As an actor he took leading roles in Royal Exchange productions which included The Rivals, The Prince of Homburg, Doctor Faustus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Long Days Journey into Night, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Don Carlos (which he also translated) and The Voysey Inheritance. Television appearances included Shadow of the Tower, Under the Hammer, and Doctor Finlay. Film Credits included Otley, with Tom Courtenay and Ransom, with Sean Connery. He directed numerous productions for the Royal Exchange Theatre, including The Doctor’s Dilemma, Blithe Spirit, Sidewalk Sidney, An Ideal Husband, The Moonstone, and his own adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The last productions James Maxwell directed were Absurd Person Singular and The Importance of Being Earnest, which also toured in the Royal Exchange’s Mobile Theatre. He also adapted, together with Jonathan Hackett The Count of Monte Cristo from the novel by Alexandre Dumas.
PETER AMSTER (Director) has directed and choreographed productions for most of the Chicago area’s professional theatres and opera companies. He was nominated for four Joseph Jefferson Awards for his direction of Pride and Prejudice at Northlight Theatre, and for Once on This Island, The Rothschilds, and The World Goes Round, all for Apple Tree Theatre. He has been a regular guest director at the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he directed Tartuffe, The Importance of Being Ernest, Twelfth Night, The Royal Family, Present Laughter, Idiot’s Delight and Enter the Guardsman, and at Indiana Repertory Theatre, where he directed Our Town, The Gentleman from Indiana, Driving Miss Daisy, Pride and Prejudice, Arcadia, State of the Union, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, The Gifts of the Magi, She Loves Me, and Tales from the Arabian Nights. His long association with Lyric Opera of Chicago includes direction of Die Fledermaus, La Traviata, La Cenerentola, and The Magic Flute for the Opera Center, and choreography of The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe, Don Quixote and La Traviata for the main stage. Mr. Amster’s choreography credits include The Grapes of Wrath for Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, LaJolla, London and Broadway; Four Saints in Three Acts and The Mother of Us All for Chicago Opera Theatre; The Winter’s Tale, She Always Said Pablo, and The Good Person of Setzuan for the Goodman Theatre, all directed by Frank Galati. He has taught theatre, opera and performance studies at Northwestern University, CalArts, LSU, Columbia College and Roosevelt University.
ROBERT KOHARCHIK (Scenic Designer) CPH: Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure REGIONAL: Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, Geva Theatre, American Players Theatre, The Weston Playhouse EDUCATION: MFA, Boston University OTHER CREDITS: Co-founder ShadowApe Theatre Company, Indianapolis, IN; Assistant Professor at Butler University
GAIL BRASSARD (Costume Designer) BROADWAY: The Miser, Taking Steps OFF-BROADWAY: Altar Boyz (Henry Hewes Award Nomination), New World Stages; Sweeney Todd in Concert, New York Philharmonic; Visiting Mr. Green, starring Eli Wallach; Union Square Theatre; Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World, WPA Theatre REGIONAL: 25 productions at Indiana Repertory Theatre; current production of Permanent Collection at Madison Repertory Theatre; A Little Night Music at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois; Sweeney Todd and Candide for San Francisco Symphony; additional productions at Goodspeed Opera, Studio Arena Theatre, McCarter Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse TELEVISION: “Passion” Live from Lincoln Center (Emmy Award), PBS; “Sweeney Todd in Concert,” PBS OTHER CREDITS: 124th Edition of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Assistant Professor of Theatre at University of Wisconsin, Madison
JAMES C. SWONGER (Resident Sound Designer) CPH: Doubt, Gee’s Bend, The Chosen, Bunnicula (Theater for Children), Man of La Mancha, Trumbo, Lincolnesque, The Clean House, Cuttin’ Up, Of Mice and Men, RFK, Rabbit Hole, Dream a Little Dream, Custody of the Eyes, Well, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Christmas Story, I Am My Own Wife, Room Service, Bad Dates, Restoring the Sun, Rounding Third, The Real Thing, The Piano Lesson, Tuesdays with Morrie, Plaid Tidings, Crowns CASE-CPH MFA PROGRAM: The Little Foxes, Heartbreak House, Hurlyburly REGIONAL: Cleveland’s Lyric Opera, Utah Festival Opera Company, Utah’s Pioneer Theatre Company, Baltimore’s Center Stage, New Jersey’s George Street Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theater OTHER CREDITS: designed the premiere productions of The Tragic Demise of Whaleship Essex, Swinging on a Star: A Tribute to the Music of Johnny Burke, Tangents, and The Count of Monte Cristo, adapted by Charles Morey; designed sound system installations for restaurants, theatres, and churches; former adjunct professor for the University of Utah’s Fine Arts program
ANN G. WRIGHTSON (Lighting Designer) CPH: Bravo Caruso, You Can’t Take it with You, The Night of the Iguana, Diary of Ann Frank BROADWAY: August: Osage County, Souvenir OFF-BROADWAY: My Name is Alice, Top of the Gate Theatre REGIONAL: Steppenwolf Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Guthrie Theatre, The Alliance Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival TELEVISION: Comedy Central’s “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher EDUCATION: MFA, Temple University OTHER CREDITS: Backstage Garland Award for The Magic Fire at Oregon Shakespeare Festival
ANDREW R. HOPSON (Composer) CPH: Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure OFF-BROADWAY: Trying, Promenade Theatre REGIONAL: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Geva Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival FILM: Hockey’s Greatest Era, Birth of Legends, Utah’s Olympic Legacy EDUCATION: BA, Grinnell College; MM, Butler University; PhD, University of Minnesota OTHER CREDITS: Assistant Professor of Sound Design, Indiana University
DON WADSWORTH (Dialect Coach) My Fair Lady, Intimate Apparel BROADWAY: The Pirate Queen OFF-BROADWAY: Shepherd’s Bush, Miranda Theatre REGIONAL: over 20 productions with Actors’ Theatre of Louisville including The Importance of Being Earnest, Glass Menagerie, The Chosen, Beauty Queen of Lenane, and most recently, The Tempest; many productions with Pittsburgh Public Theatre including Cabaret, The Glorious Ones, Secret Letters of Jackie and Marilyn; Cincinnati Playhouse; Chautauqua Theatre; Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (multiple credits); City Theatre (multiple credits); Opera Pittsburgh; Irish and Classical Theatre (multiple credits); Asolo Theatre TELEVISION: “The War that Made America,” “A Will of Their Own,” “Brooklyn Sonnet” FILM: Adventureland, Homecoming (to be released later this year); The Road (to be released next year); Passed Away, Cemetery Club; Pulp Fiction; Dominick and Eugene; Iron Maze; The Dark Half OTHER CREDITS: Professor of Voice and Speech at Carnegie Mellon University; coached all of the Russian characters in the video game Jetfighter!
Founded in 1915, The Cleveland Play House is the first permanently established professional theatre in the United States. More than 12 million people have attended over 1,300 productions at The Play House – including more than 130 American and/or World Premieres. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Bloom and Managing Director Kevin Moore, The Cleveland Play House is an artist-driven theatre that serves the Greater Cleveland community by holding true to its mission:
To produce plays of the highest professional standards that inspire, stimulate, and entertain our diverse audiences, and to conduct training and educational programs that enhance the quality of life for those we serve and help to insure the future of theatre.
The Ohio Arts Council helps to fund The Cleveland Play House with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
The Cleveland Play House is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
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