Review: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE at Center Stage - Jane Austen Would be Proud

My third and final British play in the last few weeks (following HAY FEVER by Noel Coward at Olney extended to Oct. 4 and the marvelous AN INSPECTOR CALLS by J. B. Priestley at Everyman) is Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, adapted by Christopher Baker. This World Premiere presentation may even have enough legs for Broadway. It's a well-known story, known world-wide, has been done as a movie, television (many times), and is a period costume love story a la "Downton Abbey". All it would need is a talented cast and director, lovely costumes, great music, enough dancing, a clever and beautiful set and you will have a winner.

Well, Center Stage has a winner. This is a world premiere adaptation by Baker and he succeeds at moving the Austen novel onto the stage without missing a beat.

This is Center Stage's Associate Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif's first attempt at directing a play on Calvert Street and she succeeds marvelously.

For this classic to succeed you need a great leading lady and thankfully there is one, Kate Abbruzzese as Elizabeth Bennett is charming, beautiful, smart, cunning, and just plain irresistible. You will immediately warm to her at first meeting. The entire audience knew eventually she would catch the handsome Darcy (A.J. Shively) but it was fun watching the game unfurl.

Once again Center Stage pulls out all the stops making you feel that when you enter the lobby, you are in the late 18th century English countryside. You can sit on period furniture, play chess, and even join members of the ensemble in dancing prior to the show...so get there early to participate. I had the pleasure of having as my dancing partner Hillary Mazer (Mrs. Reynolds). It was great fun.

Playing the delightful comedic parents of four daughters, all hoping to match up with eligible and rich partners, are Anthony Newfield and Mary Jo Mecca. The two youngest daughters, Ali Rose Cachis (Lydia), Maya Brettel (Mary) are both full of energy are a delight to watch. The third daughter and eldest Erin Neufer (Jane) falls immediately for the gorgeous Mr. Bingley (the charming and handsome Josh Salt). I loved watching them dance.

The entire 21-member ensemble is terrific. The costumes by Ilona Somogyi are all a joy. I just adored watching Chris Bolan as the clergyman, Mr. Collins, a cousin, who gets a NO from a proposal to Elizabeth and then without skipping a beat moves on to woo Charlotte Lucas (Kelly McCrann). A memorable performance.

Kudos to the wonderful two - tier set by Scott Bradley. Notice the upper level scrims are see-through so you can always see what's going on upstairs.

I loved the original music by Broken Chord (also did Sound Design) which I compared to New Age Classical. It would make a great CD. Colin D. Young did the great lighting.

Again Center Stage used Alex Koch responsible for the clever Projections. As he did for last season's hit musical MARLEY, Koch here used close-ups of the actors occasionally, sometimes in slow-motion that added greatly. Paloma McGregor is responsible for the lovely dancing. I do wish there was more. The dialects by Lynn Watson are spot on.

Once again Center Stage has some great articles in the program that will add to your enjoyment. So get there early to read it and to dance.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is a great way to open the new Center Stage season. It runs until October 11, 2015. For tickets, call 410-332-0033 or visit www.centerstage.org.

There are post-show discussions following the Thursday, Oct.1 7 p.m. show, Sunday Oct. 4 2 p.m. show, and Sunday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.

Next up is Tony-winning musical THE SECRET GARDEN which runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 29.

The Center Stage season is being dedicated to the memory of Peter Culman, Center Stage Managing Director from 1966 to 2000. He will be greatly missed..

BACKSTAGE at Center Stage is their open house on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event features theater workshops, demonstrations, performances, a costume photo booth, face-painting, self-guided tours and a Q and A with the actors of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Workshops include stage combat, stage make-up, mask-making, tango and improvisation by local theater professionals. You'll be able to visit the props, costume, and scene shops. There will be performances throughout the day.

Also, there will be a Costume and Prop Tag Sale on Saturday Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4 from 12 to 5 p.m. You will find vintage and contemporary clothing, props ranging from ceramic unicorns to rotary phones to parasols, and more. They will even have pajamas from THE PAJAMA GAME and costumes from ONCE ON THIS ISLAND.

THIS AND THAT

Thank you PBS. Don't miss "Live From Lincoln Center" Friday evenings at 9 p.m. DVR ALERT: SHOW BOAT on Friday night Oct. 16 and Friday night Oct. 23, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL Live.

I was able to see a rehearsal of SHOW BOAT and this concert version is not to be missed. It features Vanessa Willliams, Norm Lewis, and Chris Fitzgerald along with the New York Philharmonic.

cgshubow@broadwayworld.com