This talented cast,
under the direction of Miss Birmingham and Mr. Roberts, presented a
delightful and witty version of Jane Austenâs Pride and
Prejudice. First Impressions combined Miss Austen and Abe Burrows
talents to form a completely charming version of Pride and
Prejudice.
Mr. Bennet...............................................Matt
Bauer
Mrs. Bennet........................................Sue Schneider
Mary....................................................Maria
Langan
Lydia....................................................Patti
Wanser
Kitty.........................................................Dede
Gay
Jane.............................................Theresa Kauppert
Maid..............................................Laurie
Shelhamer
Elizabeth............................................Becky Noonen
Lady Lucas.........................................Jeanne Cattau
Charlotte Lucas....................................Denise Balma
Caroline Bingley.....................................Amy Conway
Charles Bingley.......................................Ron Ramold
Fitzwilliam Darcy..................................Tim Schneider
Capt. Wickham..................................Darin Schneider
Lieut. Denny...................................David Manoucheri
Lieut. Rockingham...................................Scott Luther
Sir William Lucas.......................................Terry
Miles
Butler....................................................Mike
Mejstrik
Mr. Collins................................................Tom
Peters
Lady Catherine Debourgh...........................Kate Hynes
Mr. Stubbs..............................................Kevin
Schmit
Polka:
Darin Schneider, R.F. Buche, David Manoucheri, Scott Luther, Patti
Wanser, DeDe Gay, Joan Ramold, Maria Langan
Chorus:
Maria Langan, Lauri Marx, Lenone Peter, Lisa Kauppert, Julie Langan,
Hilli Zurstiege, Julie Filips, Heidi Shaw, Leone Smith, Jeanne
Wallen, Bea Gallager, Susan Duffy, Ann Mueller, Lucinda Peter, Joan
Ramold, Kris Schneider, Deb Teunender, Jenny Turner, Doug Gokie, John
Goeken, Rob Hillabrand, Darin Schneider, Keith Asher, R.F. Buche,
Kevin Liewer, Scott Luther, Mike Mejstrik, Scott Sachtjen, Pat
Schneider, David Manoucheri
"Jane"....................................................................Bingley
& Darcy
Stage Direction by Barb Birmingham
Musical Direction by Jack Roberts
The time is 1813, the scene is Longbourn, the home of the Bennets in
Herefordshire. The family consists of Mr. Bennet, his busy wife, and
their five unmarried daughters: Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Lydia and
Kitty. Mrs. Bennetâs primary aim in life is to see her children
well married, which is not easy when one has (ãFive
Daughtersä). Nor are the daughters, particularly Elizabeth,
entirely sympathetic to her schemes ("I'm Me"). But good news comes
to Mrs. Bennet that a rich young man, Charles Bingley, is coming to
live at a nearby Netherfield Hall, accompanied by his even richer
friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, and she hurries out to tell her friends,
("Have You Heard the News?").
Darcy and Bingley make their first appearance at the Assembly Dance,
where the latter is immediately attracted to Jane, but an intense
dislike springs up between Elizabeth and Darcy, arising from her
spirited tongue and his overbearing pride of station. When Bingley
forces them to dance together, they make the best of it but are by no
means happy("A Perfect Evening"). Elizabeth is more attracted to the
dashing Captian Wickham, who is anathema to Darcy. Bingley and his
sister invite Jane to dinner at Netherfield, and the canny Mrs.
Bennet sends her off on horseback in the rain, planning for her to be
invited to remain over night. ("As Long As There's A Mother"), she
assures her daughters, all will be well. Jane catches a cold on her
journey, and her stay is extended. When Elizabeth goes to visit her,
she is persuaded by Bingley to sing for them ("Love Will Find Out The
Way"), and Darcy hearing her, is forced to conclude that he may have
been wrong in his low opinion of her ("A Gentleman Never Falls Wildly
in Love").
Mr. Bennet's cousin Mr. Collins, to whom the Bennet estate is
entailed, arrives at Longbourn with the idea of marring one of the
daughters, and decides upon Elizabeth, who is appalled by the idea,
and indignantly refuses him. Meanwhile the romance between Jane and
Bingley is blossoming, and he gives a party at Netherfield for her,
("I Feel Sorry for the Girl"). The strong minded Elizabeth slowly
begins to find Darcy more attractive and he, in turn, appears willing
to overlook the commonness of her mother and her connections ("I
Suddenly Find It Agreeable"). Elizabeth is delighted ("This Really
isn't Me"), until they unfortunately hear the foolish Mrs. Bennet
boasting of Jane's triumph. Darcy at once withdraws into his pride
and prevails upon Bingley to leave for London, leaving Elizabeth
bemused and angry. Mrs. Bennet wonders if she'll ever fulfill her
dream of a house in town and her daughters well married, ("A House In
Town"). The daughters assure Mrs. Bennet that as long as there's a
mother things will turn out alright, ("Mother"reprise).
Mr. Collins, spurned by Elizabeth, thereupon marries her friend
Charlotte Lucas to the intense disgust of Mrs. Bennet, ("Wasn't It a
Simply Lovely Wedding?"). Darcy arrives and tells Elizabeth he has
conquered his dislike for her and her family and that he wishes to
marry her ("The Heart Has Won The Game"). this oddly-reasoned
proposal incenses Elizabeth, who refuses, and moreover upbraids him
for his cold behavior to Captian Wickham. They argue violently, and
he again stalks out, leaving her rejected, ("I'm Me").
Lydia, the fourth sister, takes advantage of their absesce to run off
with Captian Wickham, throwing the family into dismay and
humiliation. At last, Mr. Bennet returns from his search for them
with the news that Wickhem has come into an inheritanc, has agreed to
marry Lydia, and has paid his debts. Lady Catherine arrives to forbid
Elizabeth, quite unnecessarily, to marry Darcy, and unwittingly
reveals that it was he who supplied the money to Wickham, despite the
fact that Wickham had once plotted to elope with Darcy's young
sister. It dawns on Elizabeth that her feelings against Darcy are
founded only on his pride, not on his person, and when Bingley
suddenly arrives to be re-united with Jane, she allows Mrs. Bennet to
persuade her to go to Netherfield to apologize, ("Fet's Fetch the
Carriage"). Together Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their pride and
prejudice, based on first impressions, and agree that the heart has
indeed won the game, ("The Heart Has Won the Game").
In the end, it is true ("Love Will Find Out the Way").
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