THE WICKHAMS: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY Announced At City Theatre

City Theatre has announced the second subscription season show of the 2024/2025 season, a delightful companion piece to last season’s Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly—The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. The production is supported, in part, by the UPMC and UPMC Health Plan and produced in association with the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. 

“Believe it or not, programming Pemberley last year was risky for City Theatre,” said Monteze Freeland, Co-Artistic Director of City Theatre. “However, new and familiar audiences showed us they were eager to go on this journey with Austen’s iconic characters. We are thrilled to present the second installment of Gunderson and Melcon’s trilogy and doubly excited to reunite many of the original design team—all of whom make Pittsburgh their artistic home. Helmed by the multi-talented Kyle Haden, this production will warm your heart and provide a few laughs this holiday season. And who wouldn’t want that gift?” 

The cast includes Anna Bakun, Melessie Clark, Brett Mack, Shammen McCune, Juan Rivera Lebron, Alex Sheffield, and Evan Vines. The creative team includes scenic and projection design by Anne Mundell, costume design by Carrie Anne Huneycutt-Parker, lighting design by Eva Hu, sound design by Howard Patterson, dialect coaching by Nancy McNulty McGeever, dramaturgy by Lindsay Barr, and fight choreography by Sam Muñoz. Patti Kelly will serve as the production stage manager. 

After an informal partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama (Robert Ramirez, Head of School) last year with Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, City Theatre has expanded its collaboration with the School of Drama and is presenting the show in association with CMU. This partnership is in recognition of the numerous current students and alumni involved in the cast and design team, contributions from School of Drama costume studio, and faculty involved on the project in various creative team roles. In addition to director Kyle Haden (School of Drama professor and associate head), other CMU-affiliated members of the company include: recent graduates Alex Sheffield (reprising the role “Lydia Wickham”), Eva Hu (lighting designer), and Lindsay Barr (dramaturgy); current students Anna Bakun (actor), Evan Vines (actor), and Carrie Anne Huneycutt-Parker (Costume Designer); acting professor Juan Rivera Lebron; and professor emerita Anne Mundell. City Theatre’s production manager, Rachel D’Amboise, is also a graduate of the School of Drama. 

For the production, City Theatre will partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania and the Country Dance and Song Society of Pittsburgh through the theatre’s City Connects program. In the spirit of the season, the company will also be collecting supplies for Community Human Services throughout the run of the show. 

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