Jane Austen's tale come to life at Maxwell Theatre
Carolyn Cope directs a play based on Austen's beloved novel
Courtney Arthur
Issue date: 11/15/08 Section: Arts & Life
One of the most timeless love stories written by Jane Austen will be produced at the Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre.
"Pride and Prejudice," which is directed by Carolyn Cope, director of theater, will be performed at 8 p.m. from Nov. 6-8, and also at 3 p.m. on Nov. 9.
"Pride and Prejudice" was made into a feature film in 1940 and again in 2005.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the tale of "Pride and Prejudice" begins with the introduction of the Bennet family and the five daughters who are ready to be married off.
Mrs. Bennet encourages the marrying of her daughters to wealthy men, due to a law that prohibits women, including the Bennet daughters, from inheriting their father's property.
When a man by the name of Bingley rents an estate next to the Bennets, Mrs. Bennet makes plans to have her daughters cross paths with Bingley, in hopes that he will marry one of the girls.
Luckily for Mrs. Bennet, her eldest daughter Jane and Bingley meet and seemingly fall in love with each other. However, Bingley's friend, Darcy, is a proud man who thinks of himself and Bingley as being better than the Bennet family. Many people dislike Darcy because of his conceited nature, and he soon becomes smitten with eldest daughter Elizabeth after her obvious dislike for him.
Elizabeth believes fundamentally in marrying for love, not for safety or for other reasons that were prominent in that time period, which becomes a big dilemma in the play.
Elizabeth heard of Darcy's shady nature from an officer named Wickham, whose credibility is unreliable. Darcy and Elizabeth begin to reevaluate each other and start to rethink their opinions of each other.
Cope considers "Pride and Prejudice" to be a play that a college audience especially can enjoy and understand.
"I thought the play and the subject matter would be fun for the college audience because we look around campus and people are pairing off and trying to find their perfect match," Cope said. "The dilemma (marriage of true minds) in the play certainly still is a challenge for young women today."
"Pride and Prejudice," which is directed by Carolyn Cope, director of theater, will be performed at 8 p.m. from Nov. 6-8, and also at 3 p.m. on Nov. 9.
"Pride and Prejudice" was made into a feature film in 1940 and again in 2005.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the tale of "Pride and Prejudice" begins with the introduction of the Bennet family and the five daughters who are ready to be married off.
Mrs. Bennet encourages the marrying of her daughters to wealthy men, due to a law that prohibits women, including the Bennet daughters, from inheriting their father's property.
When a man by the name of Bingley rents an estate next to the Bennets, Mrs. Bennet makes plans to have her daughters cross paths with Bingley, in hopes that he will marry one of the girls.
Luckily for Mrs. Bennet, her eldest daughter Jane and Bingley meet and seemingly fall in love with each other. However, Bingley's friend, Darcy, is a proud man who thinks of himself and Bingley as being better than the Bennet family. Many people dislike Darcy because of his conceited nature, and he soon becomes smitten with eldest daughter Elizabeth after her obvious dislike for him.
Elizabeth believes fundamentally in marrying for love, not for safety or for other reasons that were prominent in that time period, which becomes a big dilemma in the play.
Elizabeth heard of Darcy's shady nature from an officer named Wickham, whose credibility is unreliable. Darcy and Elizabeth begin to reevaluate each other and start to rethink their opinions of each other.
Cope considers "Pride and Prejudice" to be a play that a college audience especially can enjoy and understand.
"I thought the play and the subject matter would be fun for the college audience because we look around campus and people are pairing off and trying to find their perfect match," Cope said. "The dilemma (marriage of true minds) in the play certainly still is a challenge for young women today."
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