ACMA Theatre Company Presents: Pride and Prejudice

It’s that time of year again. When director, actors, and crew members unite to form the marriage that is a theatre production. A time when audition monologues can be heard mumbled in the voices of students, and when the coffee-soaked brain of David Sikking springs to life, and refrains from it’s usual 8-hour workday. When the ACMA Theatre Company comes knockin’ on the door for more recruits, and Joel Morello isn’t mad, but rather emphatic. It’s the time of year when ACMA showcases numerous talented actors, and produces the 2015 ACMA Spring Play, which this year is an adapted for the stage version of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel “Pride and Prejudice”.

In December of 2014, nearly 100 students walked through the backstage doors of ACMA’s performing arts center and performed a scene from the adapted script to Director David Sikking. “The auditions were alright. I was a little mad they didn't do callbacks [for the male roles], but I was happy with the role I ended up with,” said actor Tristan Jackson, who is performing the part of Charles Bingley. He followed this statement by saying, “If I had to have any role, it would probably be Lydia because I think she's an interesting character. Sometimes people just portray her as flat, and I wish I could change that.”

Soon after auditions, callbacks were held for a few lead female roles, then, a cast list was released, cementing Juniors Ally Merkel and Morgan Fay in the lead roles as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, the show’s main protagonists and star-crossed lovers. The show contains a cast of 34, with an overall cast and crew of nearly 45, with star players such as Emma Younger as Mary Bennet (previously seen as Coraline in the fall production of “Coraline”), and Scott Castner as William Collins (previously seen in the 2014 spring production of “Oliver!” as Mr. Sowerberry).

“I love learning more about the universal human condition,” said Emma Younger, on her favorite part of acting. “I aim to explore the lives of others onstage, and build close relationships with my ensemble.” That being said, the rehearsal process of the production has spanned the course of three months, with rigorous rehearsal schedules, leaving both Younger, and male lead Morgan Fay to have ample time experiencing the human condition. Says Fay, “You have to do it. No matter how much it sucks, you just have to tough it out, I mean, it’s what I love, and it’s why I’m here.”

The show also has an extensive creative team, ranging from costumer Sherry Ostendorf to Poster Designer and Makeup Artist Megan Wood. When asked about the poster inspiration, Wood said it was “...mostly Sikking's idea for the paper cut-out look. I loved the scene where Elizabeth is looking at the statue of Mr. Darcy because it's a really poignant moment in the book. The color palette is designed to have a romantic and dreamy feel, and the objects in the background represent the letters to and from the main love interests.” She further added that she really “enjoys being around the ACMA Theatre Company” because she likes “helping the other art departments.”

"Pride and Prejudice" tells a story from the point of view of a young girl named Elizabeth Bennet (Ally Merkel), growing up in England in the Regency era. Living with her are her four other sisters, Lydia (Nina Mathieu), Kitty (Jadyn Peterson), Mary (Emma Younger), and Jane (Genevieve Adams), and her two parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet (Josiah Boucher & McKenzie Mitchell). She embarks on an adventure to find an acceptable partner, and along the way discovers many eligible men, who all soon become disgusting to her. Throughout the show, Lizzie Bennet conveys messages that can be adapted to modern day circumstances, and she portrays a significant expression of the universal human condition.

The production conveys views on current and topical events, ranging from feminism to courtship and plays with a great deal of talented and devoted performers. With all this in play, ACMA’s “Pride and Prejudice” promises to be a great night of laughter and tears, of joy and sadness, and of comedy and drama.

Beaverton's Arts & Communication Magnet Academy will present director David Sikking's adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," beginning Thursday, March 5, at ACMA, 11375 S.W. Center St., in Beaverton. Curtain times are 7 p.m. March 5-7 and 12-14, with 2 p.m. Saturday matinees added for March 7 and 14. Tickets are $5-15; for more information or to purchase tickets, visit ACMA's theater program website.

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