Virgina Stage Company presents Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Virginia Stage Company opens the new year with Jane Austen's most popular literary novel, Pride and Prejudice. Directed by Virginia Stage Company Producing Artistic Director, Tom Quaintance, Pride and Prejudice will sweep you away with its witty, fast-paced exploration of expectations that has become the template for modern romance. Fans of the novel will be thrilled with this faithful adaptation of the story.

Sparks fly when the charming, vibrant Elizabeth clashes with the aloof, enigmatic Mr. Darcy. A mix of romance, drama, and comedy, the story navigates a number of obstacles, including family matters and social class. Romantic repartee will be best appreciated by ages 10 and older.

Pride and Prejudice begins on January 17 with an official opening night on January 20 and continues with performances through February 4. Tickets for each performance range between $20 - $55 with discounts for groups, students, and the military. For more information about group tickets and events, contact Heather Plym at hplym@vastage.org.

Memberships are still available for the remaining shows, with packages starting below $20 per ticket.

Interviews can be arranged with members of the cast, crew, creative team, or staff of Virginia Stage Company. All reviews are welcome, and tickets can be provided to anyone who wishes to see the production for these purposes.

Virginia Stage Company is southeastern Virginia's leading theatre destination, serving an audience of over 70,000 annually both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. Virginia Stage Company's mission is to "enrich, educate, and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality."

See below for information on the cast and creative team:

Tom Quaintance (Director/Producing Artistic Director) comes to Virginia Stage Company from Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT) where he produced over 35 plays and directed the World Premiere of Downrange: Voices from the Homefront, a play based on interviews with military spouses from Fort Bragg. At CFRT, Tom also directed Henry V, Man of La Mancha, Amadeus (with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra), Spamalot, Return to the Forbidden Planet, The Santaland Diaries, Sweeney Todd, The Little Prince, Pride & Prejudice, A Midsummer Night's Dream (also with the FSO), Jesus Christ Superstar, On Golden Pond, Othello, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and Hairspray. Tom is an Associate Artist at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill where he directed An Enemy of the People, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and The Little Prince. He also directed The Little Prince at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As the founder of FreightTrain Shakespeare in Los Angeles, he earned a Dramalogue Award for his direction of Pericles. Other Los Angeles credits range from King Lear to The Devil With Boobs. A member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Tom is a graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) with a B.A. in Theatre and Economics, and the University of California, San Diego MFA directing program, where he was the assistant director on the original production of The Who's Tommy. Tom and his wife Wallis are the proud parents of Mireille Julia and Annika Christine.

Marina Shay (Elizabeth Bennet) most recently appeared as Viola in Shakespeare in Love at the Cleveland Play House. Other notable regional credits include Estella/Biddy in Great Expectations (Syracuse Stage, SALT Awards Best Actress nomination), Eleanor in Pulse (The Guthrie), Sasha in Ivanov (Trinity Repertory Company), Iphigenia in Iphigenia 2.0 (Cleveland Public Theatre), and Roxanne in Cyrano De Bergerac (Heartwood Regional Theatre). NYC credits include Julie in Miss Julie (Access Theater), Eurydice in Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice (Columbia Stages), and Helen Hunt Jackson in Emily Dickinson: Paranormal Investigator (Kraine Theater). Short films include Go On, Lux, The Dog, and Desde El Principio (HBO NY Latino Film Festival winner). Favorite educational roles include The Seagull (Nina), Twelfth Night (Olivia), In The Blood (Amiga Gringa), Equus (Jill), In The Next Room (Annie), and Stone Cold Dead Serious (Shaylee). Marina will next be seen as Viola in Twelfth Night and Annie in The Miracle Worker, both at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. She holds a BA in Theater from Oberlin College and an MFA in Acting from Brown/Trinity Rep. marinashay.com.

Lowell Byers (Mr. Darcy) recently had his original play Luft Gangster produced Off-Broadway at The Sheen Center in NYC directed by Austin Pendleton. Prior to that, he graduated from The Old Globe MFA program appearing in the main stage productions of Comedy of Errors (Dir. Scott Ellis), The Twenty-Seventh Man (Dir. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein), Twelfth Night (Dir. Rebecca Taichman) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Dir. Mark Lamos). He also was featured in the MFA productions of Much Ado About Nothing, Antigone, Reckless and the title role in Pericles, Prince of Tyre. NYC Theatre: Night Float, Balm in Gilead (NYIT Award), Othello, The Birthday Boys, You Never Can Tell and The Changing Room. Regional: The Mousetrap(Alabama Shakespeare), North Shore Fish (Gloucester Stage), As You Like It (Vermont Stage). Film: Alina (Dir. Ben Barenholtz), Brewsie and Willie, Chilling Visions, and Things I Don't Understand.www.lowellbyers.net

Julian Stetkevych (Mr. Collins) is delighted to be performing in his first show with Virginia Stage Company in his new home state of Virginia. Off-off Broadway: Richard III and The Two Gentlemen of Verona with Oxford Shakespeare Co., Dog Act with Flux Theatre Ensemble, The Silent Concerto at NY Fringe Festival, and staged workshops and readings at Playwright's Horizons, Classic Stage Company, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional: A Christmas Carol at American Conservatory Theater, The Berlin Circle at Steppenwolf Theater, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Theo Ubique. He is a member of Actors' Equity Association and an Assistant Professor of Acting at Christopher Newport University. He holds MFAs from the American Conservatory Theater and the University of Pittsburgh.

Julie Fishell (Mrs. Bennet) is honored to return to VSC having previously appeared as Lizzie in The Rainmaker, Louka in Arms and the Man, Linda in Death of a Salesman and Julianna in The Other Place all directed by Christopher Hanna. Julie has appeared Off-Broadway, Regionally and with National and International Tours. Select roles include Amanda in Private Lives, Prospero in The Tempest, Kate in All My Sons, Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Charlotte in A Little Night Music and Winnie in Happy Days. Ms. Fishell currently teaches at the University of California at Santa Barbara following 23 years of performing, directing and teaching with PlayMakers Repertory Company and the Department of Dramatic Art at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. Julie is thrilled to be working again with revered colleague Tom Quaintance on this production! Memberships - Actor's Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, National Alliance of Acting Teachers.

Rachel Lyn Fobbs (Jane Bennet) This is Rachel's VSC debut. She was last seen performing in her one-woman show at Zeider's American Dream Theatre, and her favorite roles to date include Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest and Olive in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She is currently working on a Master's Degree at Regent Law School. Psalms 37:23

Jessica Sorgi (Lydia Bennet) is excited to make her Virginia Stage Company debut. A proud Tar Heel, she graduated with a BA in Dramatic Art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Previous credits include Little Red in Into the Woods, Janie in The Parchman Hour, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Imaginary Invalid, Big River (PlayMakers Repertory Company); Nancy in Oliver!, Vivienne in Legally Blonde (The Prizery)

Maggie Williams (Kitty Bennet) is thrilled to be debuting in her first show with Virginia Stage Company! As a Hampton Roads native, she is excited to be showcasing her talent on the beautiful and historic Well's Theatre stage. Her theatre credits span a wide range of roles including playing Trinculo in the Virginia Shakespeare Festival's collaboration with Jamestown Settlement's production of The Tempest, as well as many roles throughout her college career at Longwood University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. These roles include Queen Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Annie in Evil Dead: the Musical, Helen of Troy in Trojan Women, and Hedda in Hedda Gabler. Her film and T.V. credits include a collection of short films, independent films, and T.V. productions. Her other training includes many forms of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip hop, and partnering, as well as choreography and vocal performance.

Brigitte Thieme-Burdette (Mary Bennet, Anne de Bourgh) was most recently seen in the world premiere of Vicuna and the American Epilogue by Jon Robin Baitz at Mosaic Theater Company in D.C. Other regional credits include: The School For Lies (Shakespeare Theatre Company), The Tempest (Toms River Shakespeare Festival), The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, et al (Adirondack Shakespeare Company), Love's Labour's Lost (The Shakespeare Theater of NJ). NEW YORK: VR 837 (Punchdrunk), Macbeth (The Connelly Theater). TV: A Crime To Remember (Investigation Discovery), Team UmiZoomi (Nickelodeon). BFA, Pace University. www.brigittetb.com

John Cauthen (Mr. Bennet) VSC's presentation of Pride and Prejudice marks John Cauthen's 75th theatre production, which begun in 2005 and extended throughout Hampton Roads, The Peninsula, and Richmond. Previous VSC appearances include The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the '61 Freedom Riders, All My Sons, and, A Moon for the Misbegotten.

Edwin Castillo (Charles Bingley) is delighted to work with VSC once again, having appeared in Treasure Island and Othello. Edwin is the Associate Artistic Director and co-founder of Core Theatre Ensemble, an independent internationally touring theatre company based in Hampton Roads. As part of CTE, Edwin has served as director and designer for several productions both locally and abroad including Othello, Macbeth, Antigone, and Frankenstein (Roper PAC, Norfolk); The Yellow Wallpaper (University of Lithuania); The Poe Project (University of Liege, Belgium) and most recently Niobe (Norfolk, VA and University of Lithuania). Edwin is an alumni of Old Dominion University, and has also trained at Chautauqua Institution, as well as with Siti Company in New York state. Many thanks to his beautiful wife and partner in everything, Emel.

Grace Davis (Caroline Bingley) is an artist, designer, actor, and pancake enthusiast. She is thrilled to be back at the Wells for another production with Virginia Stage Company. Credits with Virginia Stage include performing in three productions of A Christmas Carol, puppeteer in Virginia Stage and Virginia Symphony Orchestra's The Tempest, performance in and production design for The Selfish Giant, and production design for Moon, Take Thy Flight. Grace holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and is a Master of the Dark Arts and Crafts.

Grace Abele (Charlotte Lucas) appeared most recently with the Texas Shakespeare Festival as Lady Anne in Richard III, Betty Jean in The Marvelous Wonderettes, Julie Jordan in Carousel, and Elvira in Blithe Spirit. She holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and a BFA in Acting from the State University of New York at Fredonia. Other favorite roles include Mills (Lonesome Hollow), Clarice (The Liar), The Furies (The House of Atreus), and Dromio of Syracuse (The Comedy of Errors).

Logan Bennett (George Wickham) is thrilled to make his first appearance at the Virginia Stage Company; Regional credits: Superior Donuts (Studio Theatre DC), Night Blooms (Virginia Repertory Theatre). TV/Film: TURN: Washington's Spies (AMC), Veep (HBO), Killing Lincoln (Nat Geo); Training: Atlantic Acting School, NYC. Logan would like to thank Ed Jacob for lighting the fire and Karen and Mike Howlett for their unwavering support and encouragement.

Lynda Clark (Lady Catherine de Bourgh/Mrs. Reynolds) is an accomplished professional with television and motion picture credits including Crazy People, Matlock, The Perfect Crime, I Know What You Did Last Summer; recurring roles in the CBS series American Gothic, and the Showtime series LINC'S . Regional theatre: Lynda has starred in multiple roles for Theatre In The Park, Burning Coal, Peace College, NCT, and Theatre Raleigh, among others. She appeared in the CBS Hallmark movie The Water is Wide, and is a recurrent crowd pleaser for Temple Theatre in Sanford, NC. Her one-woman show, Full Gallop, based on the fashion icon Diana Vreeland, won Top Ten Plays of the Triangle for 2017. Favorite roles include Gertrude in Hamlet, Maria Callas in Master Class, Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter and Sister Aloysius in Doubt. She was featured as Queen Elizabeth I at The Lost Colony in Manteo. For NC State University Theatre: Lynda has starred in multiple roles, including Fallen Angels, Black Coffee, and Lettice and Lovage. Her career spans over a quarter of a century. Lynda's last production Full Gallop is a one-woman show about the fashion icon Diana Vreeland and was named in the Triangle's Top Ten Plays for 2017

Ron Newman (Sir William Lucas, Mr. Gardner) is delighted to be back on the Wells Stage having appeared in The Diary of Anne Frank and The Tempest with the Virginia Stage Company. Ron is no stranger to local audiences having appeared in several Virginia Musical Theatre productions including Freaky Friday, Beauty and the Beast, Joseph...., Show Boat, The Music Man, and The Sound of Music and with the Tidewater Dinner Theatre in Pippin and No Time for Sergeants. Other regional credits include: the East Coast tour of Marlo Thomas' Free to Be...You and Me, The Importance of Being Earnest, Cabaret, and Bus Stop (Appalachian Theatre Ensemble). Ron has over 40 years' experience as a teaching artist, educator, director, playwright, and producer.

April Poland (Lady Lucas/Mrs. Gardiner) is delighted to make her Virginia Stage Company debut. Locally, April has appeared in the Virginia Shakespeare Festival's Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Tidewater Stage Company's The Christians (Elizabeth), and Panglossian Productions' The K of D, An Urban Legend, playing all sixteen roles. In her home city of Seattle, she has appeared in Taproot Theatre's Mr. Pim Passes By (Olivia Marden), Illyria (Olivia), and Jane Eyre (Blanche). For Regent University's MFA program, April has directed The Diviners and The Seagull. This spring, she will return to direct She Loves Me. A member of the Theatre faculty at the College of William & Mary, April holds her MFA from the University of Washington's Professional Actor Training Program.

Ryan Clemens (Colonel Fitzwilliam) is proud to work with VSC on the main stage and in the various touring shows, classes and, education workshops. Patrons may remember Ryan from previous VSC productions: Vinnie in The Odd Couple, Bob Cratchit, Fezziwig, or Old Joe in A Christmas Carol, Mortimer in The Fantasticks, or as his famous relative Sam Clemens in his one-man show Meet Mark Twain. Originally from Wyoming, Ryan began his career in a travelling Wild West show. He has worked at theaters around the country, including several seasons locally with the Virginia Shakespeare Festival and Tidewater Stage Company. He holds a BA in Theatre from Western Washington University and an MFA in Acting from Regent University. He also teaches at ODU. www.clemensistwain.com

Ja'Keetrius Woods (Georgiana Darcy/Mary King) is a junior theatre major at Norfolk State University. She is originally from Mobile Alabama but she currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is her fourth production with the Virginia Stage Company. She was previously a part of the company's most recent production of The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the '61 Freedom Riders and A Christmas Carol in 2016 as a townsperson. She was also a part of the co-production of The Wiz between the Virginia Stage Company and the Norfolk State University Theatre company as YBR (yellow brick road) and Dorothy's understudy. Ja'Keetrius is very excited to be working with the Virginia Stage Company again.

Jahmeel Powers (Ensign Denny) This is Jahmeel's debut with Virginia Stage Company! Originally hailing from the Mitten State, Michigan, he is a soon to be graduate of the MFA Acting program at Regent University this May. His most recent Regent credit is Truffaldino in the Servant of Two Masters (his MFA Thesis Role), and will be in the upcoming production of She Loves Me this April! He is also an avid student of improv comedy; being a part of Regent's Varsity Improv Players, and plays for ComedySportz Detroit when he's back home. After Graduation, he would love to open up his own improv theatre. He would like to thank Director Tom Quaintance for an opportunity to help tell such a classic tale, and to his lovely and supportive girlfriend, Beth Guarnieri, for being the best scene partner a guy could ask for! http://jahmeelpowers.com

Ja'Quan M. Jones (Captain Carter) is a sophomore Theatre Performance student at Norfolk State University from Chesapeake, Virginia. He has previously appeared in Norfolk State University Theatre Company productions of BlackNativity, Ruined, and the Virginia Stage Company and NSUTC production of The Wiz.

Christopher Lindsay (Male Swing) is an alumni of Norfolk State University with a Bachelor's in Theatre Performance. Originally from from Brooklyn, New York; He has previously appeared in the Virginia Stage Company productions of The Tempest and A Christmas Carol and the Norfolk State University Theatre Company productions of The Brothers Size, A Raisin in the Sun, Dreamgirls, Black Nativity, The Road Less Traveled and Ruined. He is the recipient of the 2016 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival's Distinguished Performance by an Actor in a Play.

Brianna Driscoll (Maid #1) This is Brianne's first appearance at the Wells Theater. Brianne grew up admiring the stage. Brianne studied theater at Jackson School of the Arts in Massillon, Ohio and at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is ecstatic to be part of this production. Brianne would like to thank Jeff and her family and friends for their love.

Kristi J Meyers (Maid #2) has been seen in many of the theatres in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. Credits include Crystal Allen in The Women (LTN), Shelby in Steel Magnolias (LTVB), Sue Snell in Carrie (Generic Theatre) and Susannah Cibber in Joyful Noise (Regent University). She is very grateful to now include VSC in her credits. Thankful to be a part of a wonderful cast and crew!

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