MIDLAND This week, a playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel “Sense and Sensibility” will hit the stage at Midland Community Theatre.
The play, which will take place at Mabee Theatre II at MCT, begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday and continues until April 15 with nine shows total.
The show, put on by the Pickwick Players at MCT, follows the fortunes (as well as misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters including sensible Elinor and hypersensitive Marianne after their father’s sudden death leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable.
Set in gossipy late 18th century England, the show is full of humor and emotional depth.
The director of this production is MCT regular Bill Williams who also directed “A Monster Calls” last fall and “Matilda: The Musical” last summer.
“It’s been a great experience working with the cast and crew to bring this classical novel to life on stage,” Williams said. “We have had a wonderful rehearsal process and are eager to have an audience see the results of these young actors’ hard work and dedication to this project.”
Williams said he’s always wanted to direct a piece by Austen and said that with this group of actors it seemed like a good fit.
“When I discovered this script I thought it was a good adaptation that allowed for some creativity in the way it could be staged,” Williams said. “It also offered our actors an opportunity to grow by portraying these particular characters.”
Auditions began back in late January and rehearsals started in early February.
The cast and crew have been rehearsing for three hours for three-five days a week.
“Rehearsals have been fantastic,” Williams said. “It has been a real group effort in discovering interesting ways to stage the scenes and digging into characters and motivations. The story takes place during a time period when there were different customs, standards, and perceptions of the world. It has been exciting to have our group learn more about this particular time in history.”
For the most part, the show is faithful to the original story.
“The adaptation is true to the storyline, but it has a modern energy, and leaves plenty of room to add some interesting twists and turns that should keep an audience on their toes,” Williams said.
There are 15 total actors in the play, some of who are playing double roles.
The lead characters of Marianne and Elinor are both double-cast.
Karen Ortega and Reagan Sockwell will be playing the role of Marianne while Paula Padron and Jenna Perea will be playing Elinor.
“I’m really excited,” Sockwell said. ‘This is my second show with the Pickwicks and it’s really important to me because this is my first big speaking role and I love my cast members. They’ve been really amazing. It’s really exciting to act alongside them and share the story with them.”
Sockwell is currently a freshman at Midland Freshman High School.
Her last production at MCT was “A Monster Calls.”
Sockwell described her character as “very dramatic.”
“She states her opinion,” Sockwell said. “What she says is what she’s going to go with. She doesn’t take anything from anyone.”
For Sockwell, doing the dramatic scenes has been her favorite part of playing Marianne.
“They’re fun to act out and put my own twist on,” Sockwell said.
Perea is currently a sophomore at Midland Classical Academy and was surprised to find out she was playing the lead role.
“I really love to do all things period drama including Jane Austen but to do one of these shows, it’s such a phenomenal experience and to play the lead,” Perea said. “I didn’t think this would happen. It’s so wonderful.”
Perea has done several shows with MCT including “The Music Man” and “Matilda.”
She described her character as one that likes to “keep most of her feelings inside.”
“Sometimes she’ll let a few out,” Perea said. “There are a couple of characters in this show that she dislikes so she’ll act a little differently around them. What she doesn’t want to do is let her emotions hurt her family like her mom and two little sisters and then at some point, it explodes out of her.”
Playing the roles of John Willoughby and John Dashwood is Midland Trinity School Sophomore Anthony Mixer.
“John Dashwood is the inheritor of a fortune who leaves the two sisters, the main characters, to fend for themselves,” Mixer said. “They lose all their money. I’m pretty much the cause of the entire commotion.”
Willoughby, on the other hand, is the love interest of Marianne, although Mixer didn’t want to give too much away about that character.
“I don’t want to spoil anything but he is indeed a character,” Mixer said.
Williams talked about some of the obstacles from rehearsals.
“I would say the major challenge was to try to get a group of modern teenagers to understand and buy in to what it takes to play characters from the early 19th century,” Williams said.
Nevertheless, he’s eager to get this show on the stage for the audience to enjoy.
“It is always fun to work with the Pickwick Players,” Williams said. “They are such a talented group and they bring their best to every project we work on. I am extremely proud of all of them and I can’t wait for them to be able to showcase themselves to the community.”
If you go
- What: “Sense and Sensibility.”
- When: 7:30 p.m. March 24, 7:30 p.m. March 25, 2:30 p.m. March 26, 7:30 p.m. March 31, 7:30 p.m. April 1, 7:30 p.m. April 7, 7:30 p.m. April 8, 7:30 p.m. April 14, 7:30 p.m. April 15.
- Where: Midland Community Theatre (Mabee Theatre II).
- Where to buy tickets: tinyurl.com/5m3bwezu
