playbill vip

Like a lot of directors, I tend to drift toward "grittier" shows—"acting from the gut" (as one of my college directors used to say) is where I feel most at home. So when I got the call to direct Pride and Prejudice and close out this amazing season for PGSH, I guessed that it would be a little outside of my "sweet spot." 

Yet in preparing for this show by researching Austen and her work, I noticed something odd: all my preconceived notions vaporized the more I read. Clearly the reason her work not only survives, but thrives, with old and new readers—and the reason you will find her novels in a bookshelf next to modern classics like Twilight or Mortal Sight—is that the character struggles in her works are timeless. The example of characters who are unapologetically themselves, unafraid to give a voice to their values, and willing to challenge the "rules" of their time is not just for Jane Austen superfans. I—we—all need this kind of courage. And as a father of four, including a 20 year old daughter... thank God for Elizabeth Bennet!

On a personal note, thanks to Players Guild, especially Anderson and Ane, for trusting me with this amazing script and cast. To my trusty (and often better-prepared) sidekick JP, the amazing Stage Management team: Jenny, Marissa, and Jamilyn. But most of all to my family, who endured all the late nights and missed meals to let me chase my passion.

John Rhoads

Director, Pride and Prejudice