St. Dominic’s Crusader Players will take center stage this weekend in their production of Pride and Prejudice. However, before seeing the show, there are some things to know that may enhance your viewing experience.
The Pride and Prejudice stage production is adapted from the original novel written by Jane Austen, and uses Old English within much of the script. The story follows the Bennets, a family in 1800’s England, consisting of a mother, father, and their five daughters. With the knowledge that should her husband Mr. Bennet pass away the family will be left destitute, Mrs. Bennet seeks to have all her daughters married off as soon as possible. The main foil to her plans is her second eldest daughter Elizabeth, an intelligent, independent girl determined to live life according to her own plan. Elizabeth is the main focal point of the show, and is somewhat of a reflection of her creator Jane Austen in her independent nature and alternative thinking to ideas of the time.
The show has two casts, who will each perform two shows. Junior Madison Huff, who plays the eldest Bennet daughter Jane in the “Prejudice Cast” has been working especially hard, and noted that she has been enjoying the challenge provided by portraying her character.
“This has been one of the most difficult shows that I’ve had to do, but definitely one of the best, and this character has been my favorite to play. The character development that I have to go through through the show just really helps to challenge me as an actress and really grow my acting abilities,” Huff said.
While the women within the program have been working tirelessly on character building and growing their skills within their respective casts, the men have also been working hard balancing the roles of working within both casts. Senior Liam McMullin saw many ups and downs to working with multiple different types of characters within different casts.
“I would say for the cons, the time commitment is doubled compared to the girls and it kind of makes the guys burnt out. I’d say for the pros, we have two extra shows to show our talent off. On top of that, I have a sense of independence with my character, it’s entirely my own. I can kind of build it as I see fit, and I’m the only one who performs it,” McMullin said.
Both casts have displayed incredible talent, and seeing so many fantastic performers sharing the stage across multiple nights is sure to be a spectacle. We hope the St. Dominic community comes to show their support, and to all our performers, break a leg!
