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Ballarat National Theatre

pride prejudice main

Dates

29th September Gala Night
30th September Sunday Matinee
1st October - Fundraising Night for Mer Maj
3rd – 5th October Wednesday – Friday 8 pm
6th October Saturday Matinee
6th October Saturday 8pm

Synopsis

Finding a husband is hardly Elizabeth Bennet's most urgent priority. But with four sisters, an overzealous match-making mother, and a string of unsuitable suitors, it's difficult to escape the subject. When the independent-minded Elizabeth meets the handsome but enigmatic Mr. Darcy, she is determined not to let her feelings triumph over her own good sense -- but the truth turns out to be slipperier than it seems. In a society where subtle snubs and deceit proliferate, is it possible for Elizabeth and Darcy to look beyond his pride and her prejudice, and to make the best match of all?

About the Play

The novel Pride and Prejudice retains the fascination of modern readers, consistently appearing near the top of lists of "most-loved books" among both literary scholars and the general public. This version written by Jon Jory in 2005 has all of the wit and romance of Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel come to life—in a refreshing fast-paced and engaging new adaptation.

"Jory gets the entire story told without either cramming the script with detail or omitting anything crucial."
James Reel, Tucson Weekly

"While he [Jory] has cleverly crafted a narrative structure where everyone moves the plot forward with description and commentary and has shrunk the novel's regiment of characters to a core of 23 performed by 14 actors, he has also done everything he can to remain true to Austen's prose, which is why this evening is a treat not only for fans of Austen's work such as I, but a great entree for the uninitiated to discover the world of Mr. Bennet and his five daughters."
Mark Turvin, Back Stage Newspapers

Director

cast alexandra meerbachAlexandra Meerbach

Alexandra completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts at BAPA in 1999. Since then she has appeared a few times on screen; participated in various fringe festival shows as either: writer, director, actor and costume or mask designer. She has also experimented with anonymous theatre, immersive theatre and produced the short film Sine which made it to the final of Tropfest.

Alexandra works as a simulated patient for the Royal Women’s Hospital and University of Melbourne and coordinates actors for Deakin University. She teaches Speech and Drama at Ballarat Centre of Music & the Arts (link out to https://www.facebook.com/ballaratcentreofmusicandthearts/); Damascus College & Ballarat Grammar.
Alexandra has been involved with the following BNT productions:
2013 - Eileen in One Boy's War
2014 - assistant director to Mary-Rose McLaren for Social Tales
2015 - co-director with Peter Nethercote for Who Remembers The Great War
2015 - Molly in The Female of the Species
2016 - director of Little Women
2017 - director of Much Ado About Shakespeare
2017 - Daisy in Daisy Pulls It Off
In 2015, Alexandra & cofounder Mary-Rose McLaren started a choral speaking choir which performed in Ballarat National Theatres’ Who Remembers the Great War?, Ballarat Laneways Festival with The Raven and the witches from Macbeth, at Clunes Book Week & most recently at the Royal South Street Society Competitions. Both are now involved in Mad Swan Productions (link out to https://madswanproductions.com/) which has a vision to create art, (be that theatre, film or installation art), that addresses social and political issues and generates discussions within communities to bring about change. Their latest production Chatroom was funded by the City of Ballarat in 2016.
To view other Ballarat National Theatre productions search for Alexandra’s name www.bnt.org.au

Credit

Director

Alexandra Meerbach

Production Manager

Doug Bennett

Stage Manger

Rachael Shelton

Assistant Director

Shannon Nicholls

Lighting Design and Setup

Braydon Mckinnon, Lian Mudge and Ally Stewart

Lighting Operation

Braydon Mckinnon, Ally Stewart

Set Design

Braydon Mckinnon

Sound

Michael Zala

Props

Sally Read

Costume

Fiona Kieni-Judd, Alexandra Meerbach, Sam Allan, Kris Carroll and the Cast

Choreographer

Vanessa Stephenson

Poster Design

Hannah Connell

Photography

Gary Hunt

Program

Alexandra Meerbach

Front of House Manger

Robyn Ashmore

Gala Night

Steve and Christine Holmes

Bump In Crew

Braydon Mckinnon, Michael and John Mckinnon, Doug Bennett, Peter Nethercote, Ted Varvel, Mike Bull, Alexandra Meerbach, Robyn Ashmore, Elizabeth Hardiman, Steve and Christine Holmes, Michael Zala, Elly Krieg, Olivia French, Kirily Greenbank, Shannon Nicholls, Chris Hiscock, Daisy Kennington, Sophie Skoblar, Elliott Gale, James Wait and Ryan Britton

Playwright Jon Jory

American playwright Jon Jory was at the forefront of the American regional theatre movement of the 1960s. He is most well known for his involvement with the transformation of the Actors Theatre of Louisville. As the producing director at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Jon Jory directed more than 125 plays and produced more than 1,000 plays during his 32-year tenure. Jory has also worked in academia at the University of Washington.

Awards:

2000 inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame
Awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Utah, the University of Louisville and Bellarmine University.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Jory

Cast

Chris Hiscock

Chris Hiscock

Plays Mr Bennet
Elizabeth Hardiman

Elizabeth Hardiman

Plays Mrs Bennet
Liana Skewes

Liana Skewes

Plays Jane Bennett
Olivia French

Olivia French

Plays Elizabeth Bennett
Kirily Greenbank

Kirily Greenbank

Plays Mary Bennet / Charlotte Lucas
Sophie Skoblar

Sophie Skoblar

Plays Kitty Bennet
Daisy Kennington

Daisy Kennington

Plays Lydia Bennet / Georgiana Darcy
Ryan Britton

Ryan Britton

Plays Mr Darcy
Paul Roberts

Paul Roberts

Plays Mr Bingley Col. Fitzwilliam
Ebony McClain

Ebony McClain

Plays Caroline Bingley / Servant
Shannon Nicholls

Shannon Nicholls

Plays Mr Collins / Mr Gardiner / Sir Lucas
Marnie Wilmore

Marnie Wilmore

Plays Mrs Gardiner / Ball Guest / Servant
Elly Krieg

Elly Krieg

Plays Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Elliott Gale

Elliott Gale

Plays Mr Wickham / Ball Guest
James Wait

James Wait

Plays Officer / Ball Guest / Servant

Gallery

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