TOWAMENCIN –
The North Penn School District has some traditions that, regardless of how many changes occur annually, it can always rely on and look forward to. One of these traditions is the high school’s theater program, running for over four decades, which hosts a fall show and spring musical annually. For this year’s fall play, the cast and crew will be producing Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (adapted for the stage by Jon Jory).
Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth Bennet who was born into a family of landed gentry in 19th century England. When she meets the aloof Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth starts to learn of love and marriage, manners and upbringings, and pride and prejudice. When asked why she picked Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Roney, NPHS Theater Director, explained that the fall show runs on a three year cycle – switching between a modern, classical, and original play.
“This is our classical year and we have a number of very talented females and needed a play that could showcase them,” says Roney. Featuring five sisters and their friends, Pride and Prejudice was a perfect match.
Mrs. Roney went on to say she was hearing quite a bit of buzz about the fall show, and she expects a larger turnout than last year’s play, Witness for the Prosecution, although not as large as last year’s musical, The Sound of Music.
“Plays don’t excite the masses the way musicals do,” but she promises that anyone who comes to Pride and Prejudice will be in for a great show.
The show runs from November 17th to the 19th at 7:30, with a family show at 2:00 on the 19th. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Ticket order forms can be found at the k-pod reception desk and the NPHS website. Go see Ms. Judy McGuriman in K31 to hand in the order form or buy tickets.
The theatre has another performance during the PA State Thespian Conference which will be hosted by North Penn this year. Over 1000 delegates from across the state will be coming to the high school to perform. It will be tiring, Roney admits, “but it is going to be wonderful to highlight our district, our school, and the excellence of the arts at North Penn.”
The Theatre program is also happy to announce this year’s spring musical: The Music Man by Meredith Willson. The musical is about kids getting into some troubling activities after school and, as a solution, a town band is created to get the kids into the arts and out of trouble. “It’s a great look back at the turn of the last century, with memorable characters, great music, and toe-tapping dancing.”