Published anonymously as three volumes in 1813, Pride and Prejudice is one of Jane Austen’s best known novels.  It is one of the most widely read, published and adapted works—truly a timeless classic.  Set in the 19^th century, a time rife with social propriety and traditions, the story follows the Bennet family, which includes five very different sisters. Mrs. Bennet is anxious to see all her daughters married, especially as the modest family estate is to be inherited by their cousin Mr. Collins when Mr. Bennet dies. After a rather unfortunate meeting at a country dance, the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner, propels the twists and turns of the story forward. With its incisive wit and nuance, this romantic comedy is a character driven story of love, family and a true understanding of human nature. It is a love story based not on the act of falling in love, but rather the attraction of valuing of a person as an individual.

In the fall, after completing our virtual run of Shakespeare, Chris, Emily and I talked about the possibility of producing another virtual play for Deal Theater.  Wanting to try something different than Shakespeare and musicals I immediately thought of Pride and Prejudice.  This story is timeless, and despite the vast differences between Jane Austen’s society and our own, it is easy to recognize ourselves in her characters and the way they think and behave.  We all know people as cleverly manipulative and outwardly affectionate as Miss Bingley; as affable as Mr. Bingley; as self-involved as Lady Catherine de Bourgh; and as charming and lacking of scruples as Mr. Wickham.  And Elizabeth Bennet is modern, witty and empowered, despite the fact that she is from an era before iPhones, social media and the 24/7 news cycle.

I got to work adapting the book, and Chris and Emily got to work figuring out how to incorporate an ensemble virtually, as well as other ways to put the talents of Deal’s young actors to use.  What we have come up with is, we hope, a fun raucous play full of first impressions, pride, prejudice, family and love.

This production has been particularly rewarding because of the kids.  They were  amazing and worked incredibly hard!  We started with reading the play through as a group, then we put the play on its feet, and it came to life. We uncovered the comedy and heartbeat of the play, the human relationships, the courage and craziness of the characters. Each of the characters in this production are as unique as the actors who play them. They have incorporated themselves and their imaginations to the production and that’s part of what makes it so special. 

The Deal Theater Program is powered by parent volunteers and professional directors working in conjunction with the Principal, school leadership and the Alice Deal Community Association (ADCA). It is funded by the ADCA and encompasses the principal’s three big bedrock foundations for Deal - Teaching and Learning, Culture and Community Building, and Equity and Access.  We typically perform three grade level musicals and one all grade Shakespeare production each year.

GOALS OF THE DEAL THEATER PROGRAM

●       Education - We seek to educate our students about the wonderful world of theater, to teach them what it means to be a part of a cast and a production, to perform on stage and to develop skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

●       Participation - Deal is a big diverse public school. We want to see as many of our students as possible try drama and theater and come out for our grade level shows. We also want all our parents to be a part of our productions.

●       Responsibility and Accountability - Students, directors, and parent volunteers are all committed to giving their best for our performances. By choosing to take part in drama, students are committing to coming to rehearsals, learning lines and making the show a priority when it comes to their schedule. Students are also expected to behave and respect school rules, even during after school hours, especially rules about how we treat others.

●       Quality Performances - We pride ourselves on the quality of our Deal Theater productions. We encourage our student performers to do their very best and we aim to hire the best, most encouraging, inspirational directors we can find. Whether you are in the ensemble or have a leading role, every player on the stage is critical to a successful performance.

For more information visit www.alicedealmiddleschool.org/theater.