Jungle Theater to Stage First Holiday Show MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY

To close the 2017 Season, the Jungle presents its first holiday show - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, directed by Christina Baldwin. Opening on November 18, this enchanting romance reunites Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice characters at the Darcy home for the holidays.

This charmingly imagined sequel - picking up two years after Jane Austen's beloved tale ends - centers on Mary, the ever-dependable middle daughter. When she unexpectedly encounters shy bookworm Arthur de Bourgh, she finds a kindred spirit and intellectual equal. But since Arthur is a "single man in possession of a good fortune," she's hardly his only admirer. Mary must learn to be the heroine of her own story in this "perfectly constructed love story" (San Francisco Chronicle).

Jungle artistic director Sarah Rasmussen, who helmed the 2016 production of Austen's Sense and Sensibility at the Guthrie, worked on the play's development with the co-playwrights. Gunderson is currently "the most-produced playwright of the 2017-18 season" with Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley one of the most produced plays of the 2017-18 season (American Theatre).

Christian Bardin (Lone Star Spirits) and JuCoby Johnson (The Nether) star as Mary Bennet and Arthur de Bourgh. Making their Jungle debuts are Sam Bardwell, Su Mee Chomet, Kelsey Didion, Becca Hart, Anna Hickey, Adia Morris, James Rodríguez and Guillermo Rodriguez Zermeño. The Miss Bennet creative team features the talents of Sarah Bahr (set and costumes), Ivey Award-winning Barry Browning (lighting), Sean Healey (sound) and John Novak (properties).

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley is on stage through December 30 at the Lyn-Lake neighborhood theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S. in Minneapolis. The Jungle offers post-show Stay Late discussions with an actor after every performance to give audience members the opportunity to ask questions and talk about the play's themes.

Performances of Miss Bennet are Tuesdays ($35), Wednesdays ($35), Thursdays ($35), Fridays ($45) and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. ($45), and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ($40). Preview performances on November 16-17 at 7:30 p.m. are $15. Rush tickets are offered every night of the week, based on availability two hours prior to the performance, and there is special Friday night pricing for students, 55408 neighborhood residents and employees, and those under 30 years of age. Tickets and more information are available at (612) 822-7063 or online at www.jungletheater.com.

The Jungle Theater (Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen) is a neighborhood theater with a national impact. As one of the region's most dynamic theaters, the Jungle is known for its definitive productions, exquisite design, masterful acting and compelling storytelling. Since its founding in 1991, the Jungle has been a flagship example of the transformative power of the performing arts, playing a vital, continuing role in the economic, social and cultural life of its Minneapolis Lyn-Lake neighborhood.

Pictured: Mary Bennet (Christian Bardin) and Arthur de Bourgh (JuCoby Johnson). Photo by William Clark.

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