NHTP Will Present PRIDE & PREJUDICE

New Hampshire Theatre Project's 2019-20 season continues with a thoroughly different take on a much-beloved novel. NHTP presents Pride & Prejudice by Kate Hamill, adapted from Jane Austen's classic. NHTP's own Kate Hamill brings Lizzy Bennett to life for the 21st century audience with traditional language in a hilariously modern approach.

Opening November 15th, Pride & Prejudice is directed by Danielle Howard, and stars a cast of comic actors, most of which are new to New Hampshire Theatre Project. The dynamic protagonist of this 19th century story is Elizabeth Bennet, played by Amy Desrosiers. Opposite Desrosiers Lizzy will be Dustin Teuber, playing the dashingly dark Mr Darcy. The remaining cast of characters including the Bennet family, the Bingley's and Lady Catherine will be played by a talented group of versatile actors - Whitney Smith, Sara Conlon, Lia Madeline, Jess Miller, Branwyn Ritchie, and Molly Dowd Sullivan.

The plot of this new adaptation follows the novel where Mr Bennet of Longbourn estate is over-run by daughters, and without a male heir in place Mr Bennet's family will become destitute upon his death. Mrs Bennet also lacks an inheritance, and so the five Bennet sisters must marry well to support the others into their adulthood, it's this conundrum that motivates the characters to find love in any way they can.

The 2019-2020 Season theme 'Can one person make a difference?' will carry through NHTP's MainStage, and into other areas of programming including classes and workshops. "Pride & Prejudice poses the question of the importance of marrying for love, not simply for economic gain or social prestige," says Artistic Director Catherine Stewart. Despite the changes in social norms relating to marriage over the centuries since this literary work was created the central idea of escaping expectations is abundantly present in today's dating world. "I think we've not really come all that far," continues Stewart. "This play evokes the question of our modern times, does one person have the power to buck-the-system, and define love in their own terms? I look forward to the conversations about modern love that this piece instigates throughout November," explains Stewart.

Pride & Prejudice is made possible thanks to the generous support of our show sponsors JCM Management Company, Inc.; and John Bolduc and Anne Corriveau. The NHTP 2019-2020 Season is supported by the NH State Council on the Arts and the NH Charitable Foundation.

NHTP will continue the new RUSH40 program which offers half-price tickets for all MainStage Productions for audience members under the age of 40 when purchased 30 minutes before curtain at the theatre. "We're working hard to make sure that all individuals have an opportunity to participate in the arts, and we found that our programming was out-of-reach for the 20 and 30 year olds that are moving into Portsmouth," explains Stewart.

Pride & Prejudice opens Friday November 15 and runs through Sunday December 1 with performances on Friday & Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 2pm. Memberships and individual tickets for the 2019-2020 season are available now.

More information and tickets, including discounts, can be found at www.nhtheatreproject.org.

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