Regent’s Park Open Air theatre has announced a new stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice and a re-imagining of The Winter’s Tale for children aged six and older to complete its 2013 season.
The season additions will join previously announced productions of To Kill A Mockingbird (15 May to 15 June) and the first ever Rodgers and Hammerstein production at the alfresco summer venue, The Sound Of Music (25 July to 7 September).
Simon Reade’s adaptation of the hugely popular romance Pride And Prejudice will play from 20 June (press night 25 June) to 20 July. A classic story that needs no introduction, audiences will be treated to the trials and tribulations of the Bennet sisters, their hilariously pushy mother and long-suffering father, and, of course, the iconic Mr Darcy, with casting and creatives yet to be announced.
The Winter’s Tale will play from 29 June to 20 July, following in the footsteps of the acclaimed venue’s previous children’s adaptations of Shakespeare classics including Pericles and Macbeth.
Using Shakespeare’s original text, the Open Air will no doubt continue its history of inventive and exciting staging to offer children their first experience of the great Bard’s work in this mysterious story of a man consumed by an inexplicable jealousy that threatens to destroy his family, kingdom and himself.
While casting has yet to be confirmed for any of the 2013 productions, the creative team for The Sound Of Music has also been announced today.
Love Story director Rachel Kavanaugh will return to the venue to direct the musical following numerous Shakespearean productions at the venue including The Taming Of The Shrew, Cymbeline, The Two Gentlemen Of Verona and As You Like It. She will be joined by choreographer Alistair David and designer Peter McKintosh, who won an Olivier Award for his work on the venue’s 2011 musical Crazy For You.
While Regent’s Park Open Air theatre famously opens its doors every year when the summer months arrive, this Christmas the venue’s Robert Atkins studio will host a one-off festive themed cabaret evening on 11 December.
Entitled A Fairytale Of New York, the evening will be packed full of old Manhattan glamour and feature stars from this summer’s hit Ragtime The Musical, Rosalie Craig and Sandra Marvin. The pair will be joined by Hadley Fraser (Les Misérables, The Phantom Of The Opera) and Adrian Hansel (Hairspray, Starlight Express), with the musical stars treating the audience to a selection of jazz classics including Santa Baby, The Christmas Song, Let There Be Love and the classic White Christmas.