Review: STAGES St. Louis AUSTEN’S PRIDE Glows with Originality and Seduces with Enchanting Storytelling

Kicking off a planned eight city tour, with hopes of making it to Broadway, STAGES St. Louis, in partnership with Fitzwilliam LLC opened the premiere production of Austen’s Pride on Wednesday in St. Louis. Written by Lindsay Warren Baker & Amanda Jacobs, Austen’s Pride is a reimagined telling of Pride and Prejudice with author Jane Austen as a central part of the story.  

As embarrassing as it is to admit, I’ve never read a Jane Austen novel. I’ve been, for lack of a better word, exposed to Pride and Prejudice. My wife dragged me to the theatre in 2005 to see the film starring Keira Knightley. My memories of the film are hazy at best. Going into Austen’s Pride, I knew little about the Bennett family, Fitzwilliam Darcy, or any of Jane Austen’s other beloved characters. Fortunately, being intimately acquainted with Pride and Prejudice was not a pre-requisite to enjoying this delightful new musical.  

The STAGES St. Louis production of Austen’s Pride is elegantly staged, a bit daffy, and passionately romantic. Director Igor Goldin and music director Sheela Ramesh have constructed a rapturous adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This lovely musical comedy is lush, polished, and ready to take St. Louis, Charlotte, Memphis, and other cities by storm. Their endearing adaptation is boundlessly entertaining, even for those who know little about Jane Austen. 

Austen’s Pride opens with Jane Austen (Olivia Hernandez) and her sister Cassandra (Dianica Phelan), celebrating the success of Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility. All printed copies have been sold, and her publisher is requesting her next manuscript. Unfortunately, Austen doesn’t have a completed novel that she is satisfied with, or willing to send to the publisher. Cassandra begs Jane to submit her new story “First Impressions,” telling Jane how much she adores the characters and enjoys reading her romantic prose.  

In a charming storytelling convention, Austen’s Pride follows the author as she pens her most beloved novel. The narrative takes the audience inside her mind as she develops the characters and finds her voice, while bouncing ideas off her sister. Sound complex? It's not. It is really fun.  

Baker and Jacobs’ winsome and charming book is quite funny. It follows Jane Austen and the fictional Elizabeth Bennet (Delphi Borich) as they open their hearts to love. As Austen writes, the Bennets, Darcy, and the other characters act out the story while simultaneously challenging her themes, narrative intentions, and their own character’s motivations. It's amusing watching Austen wrestle with the personified characters as she struggles scribing Pride and Prejudice.  

The flowing score feels gentle and effortless. Credit Ramesh for her expressive and melodious music direction. She has been gifted with a cast that can sing, and her 10-piece orchestra sounds mellifluous. Hernandez, Borich, and Dan Hoy’s (Darcy) graceful vocals soar. The entire company is rich in pitch, timbre, and tone. They are masters of their vocal instruments and create beautiful sounds.  

While the score lacks any really memorable songs, it is listenable and far better than serviceable. It never quite reaches sweeping in grandeur but offers some pleasant moments. It’s effective at propelling the narrative. There are numbers that work extremely well and others that would benefit from rewrites prior to a Broadway run. The comedic “My Poor Nerves” and the ethereal duet “When I Fall in Love” are highpoints. Hoy sings “Fine Eyes” with wonderful vocal command but the song needs work lyrically, and the silly “I Can’t Resist a Redcoat” is a bit cringey. 

Austen’s Pride is rich with wonderfully engaging performances. Hernandez and Borich are appealing dual protagonists with complimentary character arcs. Thier author/character relationship is reminiscent of the male lead characters Stine and Stone in Cy Coleman’s City of Angels. Both offer composed portrayals of confident stoic women who succumb to romance and allow love to soften their hearts. Hernandez and Borich are mesmerizing, enchanting, and captivating.  

Hoy is a dashing and debonair Darcy. He is just the right blend of aloof arrogance and romantic charmer. Hoy, Borich and Hernandez have a smoldering romantic chemistry that simmers with unspoken desire and tension filled longing.  

Kevyn Morrow (Mr. Bennet) and Sally Wilfert (Mrs. Bennet/Lady Catherine de Bourgh) are memorable as the protective loving father and the comedic mother on a mission to find suitable husbands for her daughters. Wilfert again steals scenes as the meddling matriarch Lady Catherine standing in the way of an Elizabeth/Darcy union. She is a comedic gem.  

Sarah Ellis (Mary), Cali Noack (Kitty), Addie Morales (Jane), and Kate Fahey (Lydia) shine as the eagerly competitive ladies-in-waiting Bennet sisters. Morales charms in her scenes with the immensely likeable Cole Thompson (Bingley). Paul Castree (Mr. Collins/Mr. Gardiner) is hilarious as the clownishly dorky cousin set to inherit the Bennet estate who would marry any of the Bennet sisters who would have him.   

Josh Zangen’s scenic design is intentionally sparse, dark, and a bit smoky, representing the creative space in Austen’s brain. Set pieces move in, out, and around Austen’s desk as she writes. Small, brightly lit backdrop windows are revealed to add a splash of color as the story unfolds. In general, while not a fan of minimalist set designs, Zangen’s artistry was an essential part of the narrative, worked marvelously, and includes a goosebump inducing reveal at the end.  

Visually, Austen’s Pride drips in elegance. It is beautifully constructed. Jason Lyon’s lighting design exceeds magnificent . His engineered work is expressive, textured, and cue-perfect, adding layers of depth to the story. As does Emily Rebholz and Tommy Kurzman’s sumptuous and elegant 19th century costume and wig design. The actors simply look marvelous. Phillip Peglow’s sound design was auditory perfection and Lisa Shriver’s choreography was period appropriate.  

STAGES St. Louis pre-Broadway production of Austen’s Pride is polished and ready for the road. It glows with originality. Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs’ book seduces with enchanting storytelling. Igor Goldin and Sheela Ramesh’s collaborative direction have drawn radiant performances and resonant vocals from a hugely talented cast. Olivia Hernandez, Delphi Borich, Dan Hoy, and the rest of this cast show up with excellence and deliver at the highest level.  

Don’t miss STAGES St. Louis radiant Austen’s Pride. Performances continue at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center through August 24th. Click the link below to purchase tickets and be among the first to see a wonderfully entertaining new musical.