[NEohioPAL] Jane Austen's Classic Pride and Prejudice Produced at The Play House

[Alison Bibb]

Jane Austen’s Classic Pride and Prejudice Produced at The Play House

CLEVELAND (March 13, 2008) -- In a sparkling new adaptation, Jane Austen’s
beloved novel 
Pride and Prejudice will be produced at The Cleveland Play House at 85th and
Euclid. The show will run in the Bolton Theatre March 21-April 13, 2008.  

This adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, directed by Peter Amster, received
several nominations for the Joseph Jefferson Award when it was produced at
Chicago’s Northlight Theatre under Amster’s direction.

"There are very few romances in the repertoire of plays, which is why we're
so thrilled to be producing a brilliantly theatrical adaptation of perhaps
the greatest romance every written,” says Michael Bloom, Cleveland Play
House Artistic Director.

The production is distinguished by some of Chicago’s best actors.
Complementing them is the third year class of the Case Western Reserve
University/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble, making its mainstage
debut and its final Play House appearance before receiving their Master’s of
Fine Arts degrees.

ABOUT PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Adapted from Jane Austen’s classic and much beloved novel, Pride and
Prejudice tells the story of the five Bennet daughters. During the Regency
period in England (1811-1820), a young girl of limited fortune’s only hope
of financial security is to marry a wealthy young man. When the rich Mr.
Bingley arrives at the nearby Netherfield estate with his equally well-off
friend Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Bennet’s hope of an advantageous marriage for one of
her daughters is realized. Bingley and the eldest daughter, Jane,
immediately take a liking to each other.

Elizabeth Bennet is not as lucky as her sister—from the moment Lizzy meets
Mr. Darcy, she finds him arrogant and conceited, and he is equally
unimpressed with her. Despite his instincts against it, Darcy finds himself
growing more and more affectionate toward the witty and headstrong Elizabeth
as time goes on, but the stubborn Elizabeth holds on to her first negative
impressions of him. As Darcy and Elizabeth’s lives continue to collide
months after their first meeting, Elizabeth becomes captivated by the very
man she swore to hate forever. As Elizabeth’s sisters are finding husbands,
the Bennets find themselves in the midst of a family scandal, and Darcy and
Elizabeth find they must struggle to overcome their initial impressions of
each other in favor of love.

ABOUT THE CAST
ANNABEL ARMOUR (Lady Catherine de Bourgh/Mrs. Reynolds) has performed on
several regional stages including the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park,
Ford’s Theatre Washington D.C. and Galway Arts Festival. Her Chicago credits
include performances at Remy Bumppo Theater Company (Artistic Associate),
Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, The
Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Organic
Theater Company and Writers’ Theatre. Ms. Armour has been see on television
in “Prison Break,” “Missing Persons,” “In the Company of Darkness,” “What a
Dummy” and “The Untouchables.” Her film credits include roles in Amityville
Horror, Lifelike, Were the World Mine, Stolen Summer, Magic Act, WhiteBoyz,
Mercury Rising, Men Don’t Leave and Dr. Detroit. 

CASSANDRA BISSELL (Mary Bennet) has extensive regional theatre credits with
performances at the Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory
Gardens, NEA “Shakespeare in American Communities” Tour, Next Theatre
Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Shakespeare on the Green, Peninsula
Players (Door County, WI), Actors Theatre of Louisville (2005 Humana
Festival), Pittsburgh Public Theatre and Irish Classical Theatre Company
(Buffalo, NY). She has been seen on film in Vanishing Points and Now I Know.
Ms. Bissell earned a BA in Gender Studies from the University of Chicago.

JASON BRADLEY (Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy) has performed regionally at Madison
Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, American Players Theatre
(multiple credits) and Indiana Repertory Theatre (multiple credits). His
Chicago credits include roles at Writers Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre.
Mr. Bradley was nominated for a Jeff Award for best actor in Stripped at
Circle Theatre in Chicago.

CHAON CROSS (Elizabeth Bennet) has extensive regional theatre experience,
having performed in productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf
Theatre Company, The Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Redmoon Theatre,
Timeline Theatre, Theatre Hikes, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and The
American Shakespeare Center (Staunton, VA). She also appeared in the film My
Dog Skip. Ms. Cross holds a BFA in Theater Arts from Stephens College in
Columbia, MO. 

JUDITH DAY (Mrs. Bennet) has performed at the Goodman Theatre, Olney Theatre
Center, Signature Theatre, Merry Go Round Playhouse, Capital Repertory
Theatre, Tampa Bay Center for the Performing Arts, Rocky Mountain Repertory
and Merrimack Hall. She has been seen on television’s The Learning Channel
(TLC) in “The Great Books.” Ms. Day attended the University of North
Alabama.

TOM DEGNAN (Mr. Charles Bingley) is completing his final year as an MFA
student in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. While at CPH,
Mr. Degnan has been an understudy for Doubt, and performed in the Theatre
for Children production of Tuck Everlasting. His Case/CPH credits include As
You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. He has
performed in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre,
and also appeared in multiple roles at Monomoy Theatre. 

AMANDA DUFFY (Caroline Bingley) is finishing her final year of the
Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble program. At CPH, Ms. Duffy
performed in the Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting, and
served as an understudy in A Christmas Story. In the graduate program, she
has performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little
Foxes. While in Cleveland, Ms. Duffy also performed in The Specificity of
Paradise and The Seagull at the Eldred Theatre. She has toured with
productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It,
Twelfth Night, Hamlet, ShakespeareLIVE. She has also appeared in multiple
roles at Utah Shakespearean Festival and The Shakespeare Theatre of New
Jersey. 

RONI GEVA (Lydia Bennet) has performed at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis,
Pegasus Players, The Armory, Mercury Theatre, Raven Theatre, Baby Wants
Candy (improv group that performs internationally – multiple credits) and
ImprovOlympic. She also appeared on film in Heather, A Moment of Grace. Ms.
Geva received a Jeff Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a
Musical, and earned a BS from Northwestern University.

MARK ALAN GORDON (Sir William Lucas) is the Associate Director of the
Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble Program. His CPH acting credits
include Doctor in A Streetcar Named Desire and Jenkins in Room Service. His
Case/CPH directing credits include Twelfth Night (Director–Graduating Class
of ‘04), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Director–Graduating Class of ‘06), Big
Love (Director–Graduating Class of ‘08). Mr. Gordon has performed in Lunacy
at Dobama Theatre, and Off-Broadway in Ambrosio, Signature Theatre and True
Crimes, Theatre for a New City Theatre. His regional theatre credits include
roles at Dallas Theatre Center, Long Wharf Theatre, LaJolla Theatre,
Syracuse Stage, Hangar Theatre, Studio Arena and The Kitchen Theatre. He has
been seen on television’s “Law and Order” and “Made” on MTV. Mr. Gordon
holds an MFA in Acting from Ohio University and a BA in
Education/Theatre/Theology from Niagara University.

MICHELE GRAFF (Jane Bennet) has extensive regional theatre credits,
including performances at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Stratford
Festival of Canada (multiple credits), Cape Fear Regional Theatre; Soho
Repertory Theatre, The Artistic Home, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (multiple
credits), Marriott Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Goodman Theatre and Court
Theatre. She was nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Actress in Landscape of
the Body at The Artistic Home. Ms. Graff has appeared on television in
“Numb3ers” and “Turks.” Her film credits include roles in Death of a
President, Broken Echoes and High Fidelity. She attended Northwestern
University.      

DANIEL GRAHAM (Mr. Wickham) is in his final year in the Case/Cleveland Play
House Graduate Ensemble. He has performed in CPH’s Theatre for Children
production of Tuck Everlasting, and mainstage productions of The Chosen
(understudy) and Of Mice and Men (understudy, performed). As part of the MFA
program, Mr. Graham performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House
and The Little Foxes. He also appeared in The Specificity of Paradise and
The Seagull at Eldred Theatre; and Lunacy at Dobama Theatre. He is a
co-founder of Standing Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois, and holds BA
degrees in Theatre and Classical Studies from Loyola University Chicago and
The School at Steppenwolf Theatre.

NATHAN GURR (Mr. Denny) is in his final year of study in the Case/CPH
Graduate Ensemble. He has performed in CPH’s Theatre for Children production
of Tuck Everlasting, and Case/CPH productions of As You Like It, Big Love,
Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. He has also performed in The Seagull
at Eldred Theatre; and The Taming of the Shrew at Great Lakes Theater
Festival. Mr. Gurr holds a BA in Theater and Philosophy from Whittier
College in Los Angeles.

BILL McGOUGH (Mr. Bennet) has extensive regional theatre credits including
roles at Goodman Theatre, Writers Theatre, Court Theatre, Irish Repertory
Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Center for the Performing
Arts, Apple Tree Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Next Theatre, Collaboraction
and The Hypocrites. He has appeared in the films Let’s Go to Prison, Design
and The Fence.

DERIC McNISH (Captain Carter/Ensemble) is in his final year of the
Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. He performed in the CPH Theatre
for Children production of Tuck Everlasting and served as an understudy in
the CPH mainstage production of The Chosen. For the MFA program, Mr. McNish
performed in As You Like It, Big Love, The Little Foxes and Heartbreak
House. His other Cleveland acting credits include roles in The Specificity
of Paradise and The Seagull at Eldred Theatre; Peter Pan at Porthouse
Theatre; and Othello at The Ohio Shakespeare Festival. His select regional
theatre credits include performances at The Shakespeare Theatre of New
Jersey, The Cider Mill Playhouse, Expanded Arts/Ludlow Ten, The Kraine
Theatre, National Theatre of the Performing Arts and La Mama. He has
appeared on television’s “Third Watch,” and the films White Room and Lead
Paint. 

NIGEL PATTERSON (Mr. Collins) has performed in several regional theatres
including Northlight Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Shattered Globe,
Remy Bumppo and Timeline Theatre. Mr. Patterson has also appeared in the
film Bubblerama, and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford,
England.

ANNIE PAUL (Kitty Bennet/Miss Anne de Bourgh) is finishing up her final year
in the Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble program. She has
performed in the CPH Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting,
Americans during FusionFest, and also understudied for a role in the
mainstage production of Doubt. For the MFA program, Ms. Paul performed in As
You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and The Little Foxes. Also in
Cleveland, she was seen in The Specificity of Paradise and The Seagull at
Eldred Theatre; and King Lear at Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. She has
multiple credits at American Players Theatre, and has also performed at
Theatre X (multiple credits) and Renaissance Theaterworks (multiple
credits). She was an apprentice in the United Stuntmen’s Association and
studied with the Moscow Art Theatre.

TAYLOR VALENTINE (Colonel Fitzwilliam) is in his final year in the
Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble program. He performed in the CPH
Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting and served as an
understudy in the mainstage production of The Chosen. For the Graduate
Ensemble, Mr. Valentine performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak
House and The Little Foxes. His regional theatre credits include roles at
the American Conservatory Theatre, Warehouse Theatre, New Conservatory
Theatre Center, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shotgun Players and San Jose
Repertory Theatre. He holds a BA from Catawba College; Journeyman Program,
The Warehouse Theatre in South Carolina.

MELYNEE SAUNDERS WARREN (Charlotte Lucas) is finishing her final in the
Case/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble. At CPH, she performed in the
Theatre for Children production of Tuck Everlasting and understudied for a
role in the mainstage show Doubt. As a member of the MFA program, Ms.
Saunders Warren performed in As You Like It, Big Love, Heartbreak House and
The Little Foxes. She was also seen in The Specificity of Paradise and The
Seagull at Eldred Theatre and King Lear at the Cleveland Shakespeare
Festival. Her regional theatre credits include roles at Monomoy Theatre and
Hedgerow Theatre. 


ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
JAMES MAXWELL (Playwright) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on March 23,
1929; however, he spent most of his career in the UK and died in London on
August 18, 1995. He was a founding artistic director of the Royal Exchange
Theatre in Manchester, England and enjoyed a long association with that
theater as an actor, director, and playwright. As an actor he took leading
roles in Royal Exchange productions which included The Rivals, The Prince of
Homburg, Doctor Faustus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Long Days Journey into
Night, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Don Carlos (which he also translated) and
The Voysey Inheritance. Television appearances included Shadow of the Tower,
Under the Hammer, and Doctor Finlay. Film Credits included Otley, with Tom
Courtenay and Ransom, with Sean Connery. He directed numerous productions
for the Royal Exchange Theatre, including The Doctor’s Dilemma, Blithe
Spirit, Sidewalk Sidney, An Ideal Husband, The Moonstone, and his own
adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The last productions James Maxwell
directed were Absurd Person Singular and The Importance of Being Earnest,
which also toured in the Royal Exchange’s Mobile Theatre. He also adapted,
together with Jonathan Hackett The Count of Monte Cristo from the novel by
Alexandre Dumas.

PETER AMSTER (Director) has directed and choreographed productions for most
of the Chicago area’s professional theatres and opera companies. He was
nominated for four Joseph Jefferson Awards for his direction of Pride and
Prejudice at Northlight Theatre, and for Once on This Island, The
Rothschilds, and The World Goes Round, all for Apple Tree Theatre. He has
been a regular guest director at the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare
Festival, where he directed Tartuffe, The Importance of Being Ernest,
Twelfth Night, The Royal Family, Present Laughter, Idiot’s Delight and Enter
the Guardsman, and at Indiana Repertory Theatre, where he directed Our Town,
The Gentleman from Indiana, Driving Miss Daisy, Pride and Prejudice,
Arcadia, State of the Union, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, The Gifts of the Magi,
She Loves Me, and Tales from the Arabian Nights. His long association with
Lyric Opera of Chicago includes direction of Die Fledermaus, La Traviata, La
Cenerentola, and The Magic Flute for the Opera Center, and choreography of
The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe, Don Quixote and La Traviata for the main
stage. Mr. Amster’s choreography credits include The Grapes of Wrath for
Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, LaJolla, London and Broadway; Four Saints in
Three Acts and The Mother of Us All for Chicago Opera Theatre; The Winter’s
Tale, She Always Said Pablo, and The Good Person of Setzuan for the Goodman
Theatre, all directed by Frank Galati. He has taught theatre, opera and
performance studies at Northwestern University, CalArts, LSU, Columbia
College and Roosevelt University.

ROBERT KOHARCHIK (Scenic Designer) CPH: Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure
REGIONAL: Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, Geva Theatre,
American Players Theatre, The Weston Playhouse EDUCATION: MFA, Boston
University OTHER CREDITS: Co-founder ShadowApe Theatre Company,
Indianapolis, IN; Assistant Professor at Butler University  

GAIL BRASSARD (Costume Designer) BROADWAY: The Miser, Taking Steps
OFF-BROADWAY: Altar Boyz (Henry Hewes Award Nomination), New World Stages;
Sweeney Todd in Concert, New York Philharmonic; Visiting Mr. Green, starring
Eli Wallach; Union Square Theatre; Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New
World, WPA Theatre REGIONAL: 25 productions at Indiana Repertory Theatre;
current production of Permanent Collection at Madison Repertory Theatre; A
Little Night Music at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois; Sweeney
Todd and Candide for San Francisco Symphony; additional productions at
Goodspeed Opera, Studio Arena Theatre, McCarter Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse
TELEVISION: “Passion” Live from Lincoln Center (Emmy Award), PBS; “Sweeney
Todd in Concert,” PBS OTHER CREDITS: 124th Edition of Ringling Bros and
Barnum & Bailey Circus, Assistant Professor of Theatre at University of
Wisconsin, Madison

JAMES C. SWONGER (Resident Sound Designer) CPH: Doubt, Gee’s Bend, The
Chosen, Bunnicula (Theater for Children), Man of La Mancha, Trumbo,
Lincolnesque, The Clean House, Cuttin’ Up, Of Mice and Men, RFK, Rabbit
Hole, Dream a Little Dream, Custody of the Eyes, Well, A Streetcar Named
Desire, A Christmas Story, I Am My Own Wife, Room Service, Bad Dates,
Restoring the Sun, Rounding Third, The Real Thing, The Piano Lesson,
Tuesdays with Morrie, Plaid Tidings, Crowns CASE-CPH MFA PROGRAM: The Little
Foxes, Heartbreak House, Hurlyburly  REGIONAL: Cleveland’s Lyric Opera, Utah
Festival Opera Company, Utah’s Pioneer Theatre Company, Baltimore’s Center
Stage, New Jersey’s George Street Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theater OTHER
CREDITS: designed the premiere productions of The Tragic Demise of Whaleship
Essex, Swinging on a Star: A Tribute to the Music of Johnny Burke, Tangents,
and The Count of Monte Cristo, adapted by Charles Morey; designed sound
system installations for restaurants, theatres, and churches; former adjunct
professor for the University of Utah’s Fine Arts program

ANN G. WRIGHTSON (Lighting Designer) CPH: Bravo Caruso, You Can’t Take it
with You, The Night of the Iguana, Diary of Ann Frank BROADWAY: August:
Osage County, Souvenir OFF-BROADWAY: My Name is Alice, Top of the Gate
Theatre REGIONAL: Steppenwolf Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Oregon
Shakespeare Festival, The Guthrie Theatre, The Alliance Theatre, Long Wharf
Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre
Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival TELEVISION: Comedy Central’s
“Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher EDUCATION: MFA, Temple University
OTHER CREDITS: Backstage Garland Award for The Magic Fire at Oregon
Shakespeare Festival 

ANDREW R. HOPSON (Composer) CPH: Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure
OFF-BROADWAY: Trying, Promenade Theatre REGIONAL: Oregon Shakespeare
Festival, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Geva Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse,
Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, American Players
Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of
Louisville, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival FILM: Hockey’s Greatest Era, Birth
of Legends, Utah’s Olympic Legacy EDUCATION: BA, Grinnell College; MM,
Butler University; PhD, University of Minnesota OTHER CREDITS: Assistant
Professor of Sound Design, Indiana University   

DON WADSWORTH (Dialect Coach) My Fair Lady, Intimate Apparel BROADWAY: The
Pirate Queen OFF-BROADWAY: Shepherd’s Bush, Miranda Theatre REGIONAL: over
20 productions with Actors’ Theatre of Louisville including The Importance
of Being Earnest, Glass Menagerie, The Chosen, Beauty Queen of Lenane, and
most recently, The Tempest; many productions with Pittsburgh Public Theatre
including Cabaret, The Glorious Ones, Secret Letters of Jackie and Marilyn;
Cincinnati Playhouse; Chautauqua Theatre; Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera
(multiple credits); City Theatre (multiple credits); Opera Pittsburgh; Irish
and Classical Theatre (multiple credits); Asolo Theatre TELEVISION: “The War
that Made America,” “A Will of Their Own,” “Brooklyn Sonnet” FILM:
Adventureland, Homecoming (to be released later this year); The Road (to be
released next year); Passed Away, Cemetery Club; Pulp Fiction; Dominick and
Eugene; Iron Maze; The Dark Half OTHER CREDITS: Professor of Voice and
Speech at Carnegie Mellon University; coached all of the Russian characters
in the video game Jetfighter!

Founded in 1915, The Cleveland Play House is the first permanently
established professional theatre in the United States. More than 12 million
people have attended over 1,300 productions at The Play House – including
more than 130 American and/or World Premieres. Today, under the leadership
of Artistic Director Michael Bloom and Managing Director Kevin Moore, The
Cleveland Play House is an artist-driven theatre that serves the Greater
Cleveland community by holding true to its mission:

To produce plays of the highest professional standards that inspire,
stimulate, and entertain our diverse audiences, and to conduct training and
educational programs that enhance the quality of life for those we serve and
help to insure the future of theatre.

The Ohio Arts Council helps to fund The Cleveland Play House with state tax
dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural
enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Cleveland Play House is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents
through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

###



Alison Bibb-Carson
Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
The Cleveland Play House
8500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio  44106
216.795.7000 x236
SEEINGISBELIEVING...www.clevelandplayhouse.com

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