THE WICKHAMS: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY Comes to Blackfriars Theatre in December

Travel back to Pemberley with Blackfriars Theatre (795 East Main Street) for The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, running December 8th - 30th. 

Rochester theatregoers will certainly remember Blackfriars' sold out run of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley last holiday season. The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley offers a look at the same three days in the Austenland fan fiction, alternatively portraying the drama taking place with the servants “downstairs.” When an unwelcome visitor stumbles into the kitchens in the middle of the night, a trio of savvy servants discovers that it's Mr. Darcy's nemesis and Lydia's incorrigible husband, Mr. Wickham. Before long, everything reaches a boiling point, festivities spiral into chaos, and the truth finally comes to light!

Lindsay Warren Baker, previous director of Miss Bennet, enthusiastically returns this year to steer the Pemberley ship once again. “In The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, audiences will find out what happened downstairs at the Pemberley estate while Mary Bennet and Arthur de Bourgh were falling in love upstairs,” says Baker. “You can look forward to the return of Elizabeth, Darcy, and Lydia—all played by the same actors—while enjoying the appearance of Lydia's roguish husband, George Wickham, and meeting the devoted Pemberley housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, and her dedicated staff. If you missed last year's production, never fear! The Wickhams entertains all on its own, and you will enjoy this frolicsome (and spicy!) holiday romp without missing a beat.

Blackfriars artistic director, Brynn Tyszka also anticipates that audiences will delight in this holiday tale: “After the popularity of Miss Bennet last year, we knew that our audiences were craving light-hearted, romantic, and fun stories that offered a hint of escapism from the holiday grind. Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon deliver again, but this time from a the servants' perspective that fans of Austen's books almost never get to enjoy! It's a little more scandalous, but still keeps you grinning from ear to ear the entire time.”

For this production, Blackfriars is teaming up with both the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) and local small business, Writers and Books. Fans should keep their eyes peeled for upcoming book deals and special events surrounding the show.

The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley cast includes Eddie Coomber (Wickham), Fiona Criddle (Lydia), Carl Del Buono (Mr. Darcy), Lauren McCall (Cassie), Jess Ruby (Elizabeth), Mary Kathryn Withers Tagliamonti (Mrs. Reynolds), and Ian Yates (Brian). The show is directed by Lindsay Warren Baker.