Classic tale performed Nov. 15-17 at Havens Auditorium

English author Jane Austen's story, Pride and Prejudice, hits the stage starting this evening at Havens Auditorium. Indiana University Kokomo Theatre chose a stage adaptation of Austen's second novel by Jon Jory for the script about manners, traditions, and preconceived notions of who is good and who is not so much in the middle- and upper-class English countryside.

Director Joann Kaiser picked the show because “It has a strong female character ... I think that is very relevant today.”

Published in 1813, the novel follows story of one of the five daughters of landowner Mr. Bennet, who, producing no male heir, has to find a husband for one of them to pass his land to after his death. English property law of the time did not allow for a female to inherit land.

Bennet's second eldest daughter, Elizabeth, narrates the goings on with her siblings and her parents as the older Bennets hold parties and ask "eligible" bachelors to come and court their daughters. After one of the dances, the story centers around Elizabeth's relationship with one of the local male callers, Mr. Darcy, who seems rude and put off by the process of courting. Elizabeth finds out there is more to Mr. Darcy's seeming rudeness than meets the eye.

Clarissa Kepner, an IUK senior majoring in criminal justice, plays Elizabeth Bennet. She noted this role has been "a lot of hard work."

Mason Gottshall, also a senior majoring in computer science, plays Mr. Darcy. He explained the difficulty in adapting to the 19th Century language that the play uses.

"It's a challenge going from an American accent to a British accent,” said Gottshall. “I have to make my diction so clean”

Elisabeth Pennington, a junior majoring in biochemistry, plays the oldest Bennet daughter, Jane. She remarked that she is “not a fan of the way women were treated," noting that she did “love the love story. It's a pure classic.”

Pride and Prejudice is directed by Kaiser, IU Kokomo teaching professor in communication arts. This show is Kaiser's last as she is retiring in 2025. Her first stage job was in 1981 as a graduate assistant at Ball State University. She has directed several shows at IU Kokomo and also was one of the founding members of Tipton Community Theatre.

The show will be held at IU Kokomo's Havens Auditorium, 2300 S. Washington St., on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 17, at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are cash only and cost $10 for general admission, $5 for IUK students and K-12 students, and free for children younger than 6.