By Daisy Moriarty ’25
On Sunday, October 29, two toaster buses full of Frederick Gunn students left campus and went to Hartford Stage in Hartford, Connecticut to see their production of Pride and Prejudice. This adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel was written by Kate Hamill, who puts a modern twist on the classic story.
After arriving in Hartford, the group went upstairs to the theater where they admired the intricate set, which included couches, hanging floral displays, and a turntable. The cast consisted of eight actors, five of whom played multiple roles. After the first act, there was an intermission, during which several Gunn students bought drinks and snacks at the theater’s concession stands. Taylor Sall, who attended the show, revealed, “I thought that the play gave me a lot of ideas that I could apply to my own acting”. “It was also very funny” she added.
After the show, Gunn students were able to meet three of the actors, including Sergio Mauritz Ang, who has worked in the past with Mr. Burnham, Gunn’s Director of Theater Arts. Sergio Mauritz Ang played the roles of Mr. Bingley, Wickham, and Mr. Collins. The other two actors that the group met were Renata Eastlick, who played Lizzy, and Lana Young, who played Mrs. Bennet. They answered questions about the rehearsal process, how they were chosen for their roles, and their past acting experience. Sergio Mauritz Ang revealed to the group that even though he didn’t originally plan to play three roles in the production, he was happy to do so when he was given the opportunity at the show’s first table read. Renata Eastlick was interested in the theater program and arts at Frederick Gunn, and students were excited to tell her all about the Fall Play Silent Sky.
The Hartford Theater will have many more productions during their 2023/2024 season, including A Christmas Carol, Simona’s Search, and The Hot Wing King.
