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ReviewsOcoODuis Sed SapienMorbi PosuereMusic and Lyrics by Rita AbramsBook by Josie BrownAenean sit amet lacusin tortor fermentumblandit. Quisque atpurus in nulla.Page3Aliquam tincidunterat ac turpis. Craspurus nisi, dapibus in,hendrerit non.Page5

“At Fort Mason Center on Friday night, Sept. 23, the opening ofPRIDE AND PREJUDICE, THE MUSICAL was greeted with grateful applause.That’s because everyone loves the story; because the songs were tuneful and hummable;because Rita Abrams’ lyrics rhymed hypothesize with philosophize,morose with comatose, and esoteric with hysteric.”—Leah Garchik, San Francisco Chronicle“The songs are often funny and occasionally surprisingly bawdy.Brown’s adaptation conveys the gist of the (novel) fairly and effectively,and gives some sense of Austen’s sly humor,accentuated by the more whimsical drollery of the musical numbers.In true romantic comedy fashion, these elements initially seem like an odd match but gradually cometogether into what feels almost like a natural pair."—Marin Independent Journal2

Nullam tristique diam non lorem.Suspendisse lobortis, enim idcondimentum rutrum, ligula maurisiaculis augue, at porta diam nisi sedlibero. Curabitur quam justo, fringillaa, luctus vitae, placerat et, nisl.Consectetuersongssed, scelerisqueAbrams’are ac,molestie ac, justo.“Ritacompelling, delightful,and in the case of the ballads, moving.The book by Josie Browncaptures the period ofJane Austen’s world in words.It is a witty, tuneful, and sophisticatedshow.”—Talkin’ BroadwayA"PRIDE AND PREJUDICE — THE MUSICAL is funny and inviting right from the title.It is a pleasure and much more from beginning to end.So many things to admire, from the wit, bite and insoucianceof Rita Abrams' lyrics to her command of the musical formsthat make the piece take wing and soar. The gorgeousChangingWorld ensemble (and then the differentlyMorbi lobortis, eros ut adipiscing placerat, erat sem sollicitudin risus,shaded reprise)wereespeciallyfine.vehicula diam eget felis.a aliquet pedeligulaac nisi. PraesentPraesent tempus fermentum metus.The song, Being Married, is a dry martini ofdouble meaning. The production’s wonderfully,darkly charismatic Darcy (David Crane) won theProinnightA.withhistristique.showstopper delivery of hismoving torch-song ballad. The transportingfinal chorus brought the garden-growingend of Bernstein’s Candide to mind.And plenty of otherdelights along the way.”BPRIDE ANDPREJUDICE — THE—StevenMUSICALWinn,is funny andformertheatreinviting right fromcritic,theSanFranciscoChronicletitle. Itis a pleasureandmuch more frombeginning to end.So many things toC3

PERFECT PACKAGEBy Charles Brousse, Pacific SunIf you are an admirer of Jane Austen’s fiction,and have a soft spot for the more traditional styleof American musicals than most of what has beengenerated on and off-Broadway in the past fewdecades, then you ought to hop in your car, pagean Uber or engage whatever mode of transportyou prefer, and head over to Fort Mason Centeron the San Francisco waterfront.There, ensconced in what used to be the MagicTheatre’s venue, the Southside Theater, you’ll findIndependent Actors of Marin’s (IAM) delightfulproduction of Pride and Prejudice—The Musical.Be forewarned, however: You better hurry,because this staged version of Austen’s mostbeloved novel, which debuted in London in 2012,is scheduled to end its American premiere run onSunday, October 9th. Given the uncertainties thatface such projects, who knows when, or where, itwill turn up next.The show is about as close to a perfect package ofscript, music directing, performers and overallproduction quality as one could realisticallyexpect from a low-budget, non-professionalcompany. Beyond that, the energy and talent of itsmostly youthful cast give it a freshness that isoften lacking in more lavish treatments.All three of its creators are women (a rarity initself). Rita Abrams (score, lyrics, musicaldirection) gained national recognition(including a pair of Emmy Awards) for herhit recording of “Mill Valley,” performed by achildren’s chorus. In later years, she hascollaborated on a number of well-receivedsatirical revues that explore the pricklynature of male/female relationships. JosieBrown (book), is a popular writer of novels.Director Lexie Papedo Gasparini is anexperienced professional actress.To their immense credit, these three havemanaged to pull off the difficult task offashioning a musical treatment of a famousliterary milestone that, although modern inform, carefully preserves the vision of theoriginal source.To repeat: from top to bottom, it is anoutstanding whole package.Future potential producers: take notice.4

Leslie Katz, San Francisco Examiner“Fans of the Jane Austen classic likely will be pleased withthe charming adaptation by Bay Area-based Rita Abrams (music, lyrics)and Josie Brown (book) onstage in its North American premiereat Fort Mason in The City.It is presented by IAM Theatre, a Marin community troupe whose playersskillfully articulate the novel’s early 19th century mores and morals,and lively, dense verbiage, which the writers lovingly retain.It’s truly an ensemble piece, from the funny openingWelcome to Our Neighborhood (which introduces the fiveunmarried Bennet sisters with the amusing invitation,“It would be our greatest gift if we /could facilitate your felicity —especially if you’re as wealthy as you look, sir”)to the sentimental closing I Wish You Joy!(One fan in the audience even teared up at theinevitable unions between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcyand Jane and Mr. Bingley.)Kathy Deichen and Geoffrey Coltonplay the beleaguered Bennet parentswith fine humor, and Chris Maltby and Juliet Hellerdisplay comic chops at Bennet associatesMr. and Mrs. Collins, as does Sandi Rubay as thehaughty Lady Catherine.Lizzy Moss is a lovely Jane,to Kodo Elder-Groebe’s affable Charles Bingley, andKim Long gets her digs in as Bingley’s sister Caroline.The show’s biggest drama comes in a power balladby David Crane as Darcy(after he’s rejected by Elizabeth),and Brittany Law as Elizabeth, as she comes toterms with her complicated feelings toward Darcy.”5

“An exceptional evening of song andromance, capturing the playfulness ofJane Austen’s storywhile reimagining it as a lively musical.This lighthearted romp into RegencyEngland featuresjaunty tunes, lyric-packed songs,and an enthusiastic cast.”Streamlined set backdrops roll in andout, transforming the stagebetween manor houses and countrylanes, augmented by lovely pieces ofvintage furniture.Using the flow of Jane Austen’s wit,Josie Brown’s book is excellent.To borrow a Regency phrase, it isexcessively diverting.”—Imagination Lane Fort Mason Center’s musical adaptationof the beloved story highlightseverything that givesPRIDE AND PREJUDICEits timeless appeal, from itswicked sense of humor to theirresistible charm of its characters—while also throwing in somedazzling song and dance numbersin the mix.The sparkling wit of Elizabeth Bennetand the handsome but haughty Mr.Darcy try to overcome their pride andprejudice to find happiness togetherdespite the rigid social rulesof Regency England.Featuring music and lyricsby Emmy award-winning composerRita Abrams (“I Want it All Now”) thisstunning musical will leave you starryeyed and humming all the way home.”—EventSeeker.com6

“The Southside Theater uses the roomacross from the Magic Theatre inFort Mason. Acoustics and sightlines aregood. This is important forRita Abrams and Josie Brown'sadaptation ofPRIDE AND PREJUDICE,THE MUSICAL,which features a seventeen-personensemble under Lexie Papedo Gasparini'sdirection. There isn't a lot of space on thatstage for all those people so everymovement counts. Somehow, theymanage to pull it off.In some ways it feels like a local theaterproduction, where production and castingdecisions are limited. But in other waysthis production is the equal of otherswith far greater resources.The cast is excellent and there arestandout performers in the principal aswell as non-principal roles, includingBrittany Law as Elizabeth Bennet, DavidCrane as Mr. Darcy, Lizzy Moss as JaneBennet, and Fernando Siu as Mr.Wickham. Poor Mr. Wickham only getsone number but could probably use more.(This musical) is a lot simpler with lesspsychodrama than the original JaneAusten novel. For this and for anenjoyable night at the theater, we thankJosie Brown and Rita Abrams.Ms. Abrams writes clever lyricswith simple melodies. We especiallyenjoyed Five Daughters, A Husband, andThe One Who I Will Be with You.The songs are catchy and we exitthe theater singing."—SF Theater Blog“Rita Abrams’PRIDE AND PREJUDICE:Sheer delight!”For All Events7

“Another show that is getting nationalattention is Pride & Prejudice –The Musical.The show, from Mill Valley’s IAMTheatre group, also ends soon, playingthrough Oct. 9 at San Francisco’sSouthside Theatre at Fort Mason.Besides running to get tickets, thisshow is noteworthy as this is a nationalpremiere of a show written by BayArea’s own Josie Brown (book) andRita Abrams (music and lyrics).The Jane Austen novel has had manyfilm incarnations but rarely as a livemusical, with this production debutingin London, and finally coming home tothe Bay Area.The show with its simplistic but welldesigned sets and costumes has somereally great melodies and somememorable songs that make this ashow to seek out when it (hopefully)makes a return engagements, andperhaps a deserved production in NewYork.Brittany Law’s Elizabeth would make her onstage parentsGeoffrey Colton and Kathy Deichen proud – and all threeare harmonious and memorable, while helping to elevatethe already wonderful story, and its excellent songs.The songs, which I am still humming,not only are catchy and wonderful, butthey do a great job at advancing theplot and story, in particular the firstact’s “Five Daughters,” paints a greatportrait of the Bennet family and thesecond act’s “That Would Be Me,” putsLady Catherine on her own pedestal inthe matter of three minutes.While this doesn’t affect the review in any way, it isnoteworthy that the creative forces behind the show are allwomen (much like Broadway’s “Waitress.”)David Crane as Mr. Darcy is spot onwith his regal accent and captivates useven more when he sings. His beautifuland strong voice is a true find.Hoping the show will stay around or go on tour, but just incase, get tickets now.”Besides Austen being a female and the show’s book andsongs by women, it’s directed by Lexie Papedo Gaspariniand produced by Kathy Deichen, and women are also itsmusical director (Rita Abram) and choreographer (NicoleHelfer).—Progressive Pulse.8

"Abrams and Brown are to be commended for their faithfulnessto Jane Austen’s text keeping the plot line intact with lyricsthat complement the story and instill much needed humorto palliate the oppressive mores of its time.It is an auspicious and ambitious beginning with the 17-member castin full 18th Century costumes that is carried through the entire evening,sharing the text and dancing with songs that range frommusic hall ditties to romantic ballads and even a show stopping tango.Abrams’ lyrics are often a joy to hear.The construction of the play, the marvelous plethora of songs, and the descriptive social mores foundin Jane Austen’s novels create a potentially successful professional stage life.To steal a quote, 'This musical has legs'.”—For All Events“The entire cast is a delight, as it is excellently directed by Lexie Papedo Gasparini.But it is Rita Abrams who deserves much of the credit, for she wrotethe catchy music and clever lyrics.”—Tiburon Ark9

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