San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
WILDLY UNCONVENTIONAL ‘PRIDE AND PREJUDICE’
From new TV shows and cast reunions to virtual musical and arts events, here’s a weekly look at a standout streaming option:
My pick:
Cygnet Theatre’s “Pride and Prejudice”
Not for Lady Catherine de Bourgh types: This weekend, Cygnet makes it version of “Pride and Prejudice” available to stream. But be warned: This is not, by any means, a traditional staging of Jane Austen’s classic. Written by Kate Hamill, this version is a humorous and lively adaptation told through a modern lens — including the use of pop music. Lady Catherine definitely would not approve.
Elizabeth + Darcy forever:
Though “Pride and Prejudice” is essentially a love story between the free-sprited Elizabeth Bennet and the uptight Mr. Darcy, it’s also a play about propriety, family and social class. In the book, these topics are explored over hundreds of pages. Onstage it’s condensed into a dizzying two acts, combined with a modern feminist perspective. But never
fear, Elizabeth and Darcy still live happily ever after and the Bennet family doesn’t die penniless.
More chaotic than Mrs. Bennet:
This play has a cast of only eight, which means the actors play multiple characters — Sweet Mr. Bingley, for example, doubles as the alwaysignored Mary Bennet. Also? They change costume onstage, sometimes as they speak. It’s definitely chaotic, but it also infuses a hyperactive energy into a traditionally slow-moving story.
As good as Pemberley Estate: I saw this play when it was first staged in 2019, and it was one of my favorite productions of the year.
Watch it: “Pride and Prejudice” is available as a 48-hour rental for $20. Today is the final day to purchase at cygnettheatre.com.
Today: Actor Sophia Loren (above) is 86. Bassist Chuck Panozzo (Styx) is 72. Actor Tony Denison (“Major Crimes,” “The Closer”) is 71. Actor Debbi Morgan (“Power”) is 69. Jazz guitarist Peter White is
66. Actor Betsy Brantley (“Deep Impact”) is
65. Actor Gary Cole is 64. Bassist Randy Bradbury of Pennywise is 56. Actor Kristen Johnston (“3rd Rock From The Sun”) is 53. Singers Gunnar and Matthew Nelson of Nelson are 53. Bassist Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden) is 52. Actor Crystle Stewart (“For Better or Worse”) is 41. Rapper Yung Joc is 40. Actor Aldis Hodge (“Straight Outta Compton,” “Hidden Figures”) is 34.
Monday: Author-comedian Fanny Flagg is
79. TV and film producer Jerry Bruckheimer is 77. Guitarist Don Felder (The Eagles) is
73. Author Stephen King is 73. Actor Bill Murray is 70. Filmmaker Ethan Coen of the Coen Brothers is 63. Actor-comedian Dave Coulier (“Full House”) is 61. Actor David James Elliott (“JAG”) is 60. Actor Nancy Travis is 59. Actor Rob Morrow (“Numb3rs,” “Northern Exposure”) is 58. Actor Angus Macfadyen (“Braveheart”) is 57. Actor Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) is
55. Country singer Faith Hill is 53. Actor-talk show host Ricki Lake is 52. Rapper Dave (formerly Trugoy the Dove) of De La Soul is
52. Actor Billy Porter (“Pose”) is 51. Actor Rob Benedict (“Supernatural,” “Felicity”) is
50. Actor James Lesure (“Las Vegas,” “For Your Love”) is 49. Actor Alfonso Ribeiro (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-air,” “In the House”) is 49. Actor Luke Wilson is 49. Actor Paulo Costanzo (“Royal Pains,” “Joey”) is 42. Actor Autumn Reeser (“Entourage,” “The O.C.”) is 40. TV personality Nicole Richie (“The Simple Life”) is 39. Actor Maggie Grace (“Lost”) is 37. Actor Joseph Mazzello (“Simon Birch”) is 37. Actor Ahna O’reilly (“The Help”) is 36. Rapper Wale is 36. Singer Jason Derulo is
34.
Tuesday: Singer-dancer Toni Basil is 77. Actor Paul Le Mat (“American Graffiti”) is
75. Singer David Coverdale (Whitesnake, Deep Purple) is 69. Actor Shari Belafonte is
66. Singer Debby Boone is 64. Country singer June Forester of The Forester Sisters is 64. Singer Nick Cave is 63. Actor Lynn Herring (“General Hospital”) is 63. Singer Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde is
63. Singer Joan Jett is 62. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli is 62. Actor Scott Baio is 60. Actor Catherine Oxenberg (“Dynasty”) is 59. Actor Bonnie Hunt is 59. Actor Rob Stone (“Mr. Belvedere”) is 58. Actor Dan Bucatinsky (“24: Legacy”) is 55. Bassist-guitarist Dave Hernandez (The Shins) is 50. Rapper Mystikal is 50. Singer Big Rube of Society of Soul is 49. Actor James Hillier (“The Crown”) is 47. Actor Mireille Enos (“World War Z”) is 45. Actor Daniella Alonso (“Revolution,” “Friday Night Lights”) is 42. Actor Michael Graziadei (“The Young and the Restless”) is 41. Actor Katie Lowes (“Scandal”) is 38. Bassist Will Farquarson of Bastille is 37. Actor Tatiana Maslany (2020’s “Perry Mason,” “Orphan Black”) is
35.
Wednesday: Singer Julio Iglesias is 77. Actor Paul Petersen (“The Donna Reed Show”) is 75. Actor-singer Mary Kay Place is 73. Singer Bruce Springsteen is 71. Director George C. Wolfe (film’s “Nights in Rodanthe,” stage’s “Angels in America”) is
66. Drummer Leon Taylor of The Ventures is
65. Actor Rosalind Chao (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) is 63. Actor Jason Alexander (“Seinfeld”) is 61. Actor Chi Mcbride (“Hawaii Five-0,” “Boston Public”) is 59. Steel guitarist Don Herron of BR549 is 58. Actor Lisaraye (“All of Us,” “Beauty Shop”) is 54. Singer Ani Difranco is 50. Singer Sam (formerly Sarah) Bettens of K’s Choice is
48. Rapper-producer-record head Jermaine Dupri is 48. Actor Kip Pardue (“The Rules of Attraction,” “Remember the Titans”) is 44. Actor Anthony Mackie (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) is 42. Singer Erik-michael Estrada of O-town is 41. Actor Brandon Victor Dixon (“Hamilton”) is 39. Actor David Lim (“S.W.A.T.,” “Quantico”) is 37.
Thursday: Singer Sonny Turner of The Platters is 81. Singer Barbara Allbut of The Angels is 80. Singer Phyllis “Jiggs” Allbut of The Angels is 78. Singer Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers is 78. News anchor Lou Dobbs is 75. Actor Gordon Clapp (“NYPD Blue”) is 72. Actor Kevin Sorbo (“Hercules: Legendary Journeys”) is
62. Singer Cedric Dent (Take 6) is 58. Actor-writer Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) is 58. Actor Ben Platt is 27.
Friday: Newswoman Barbara Walters is 91. Singer Ian Tyson of Ian and Sylvia is 87. Polka band leader Jimmy Sturr is 78. Actor Josh Taylor (“Days of Our Lives,” “Valerie’s Family”) is 77. Actor Robert Walden (“Lou Grant”) is 77. Actor Michael Douglas is 76. Model Cheryl Tiegs is 73. Actor Mimi Kennedy (“Dharma and Greg”) is 72. Actor Anson Williams (“Happy Days”) is 71. Actor Mark Hamill is 69. Actor Colin Friels is 68. Actor Michael Madsen is 62. Actor Heather Locklear is 59. Actor Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”) is 58. Actor Tate Donovan (“The O.C.”) is 57. TV personality Keely Shaye Smith (“Unsolved Mysteries”) is 57. Actor Jason Flemyng (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) is
54. Actor-singer Will Smith (left) is 52. Actor Hal Sparks (“Queer as Folk”) is 51. Actor Catherine Zeta-jones is 51. Actor Bridgette Wilsonsampras (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”) is 47. Rapper T.I. is 40. Actor Lee Norris (“One Tree Hill”) is 39. Actor-rapper Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) (“Atlanta,” “Community”) is 37. Actor Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley,” “The Office”) is 36.
Saturday: Country singer David Frizzell is
79. Actor Kent Mccord (“Adam 12”) is 78. “The Weakest Link” host Anne Robinson is
76. Singer Bryan Ferry is 75. Actor Mary Beth Hurt is 74. Singer-actor Olivia Newtonjohn is 72. Actor James Keane (“Bulworth,” TV’S “The Paper Chase”) is 68. Singerguitarist Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos is 66. Country singer Carlene Carter is 65. Actor Linda Hamilton is 64. Actor Melissa Sue Anderson (“Little House on the Prairie”) is
58. Singer Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl is 58. TV personality Jillian Barberie is 54. Guitarist Jody Davis of Newsboys is
53. Actor Jim Caviezel (“The Passion of the Christ”) is 52. Actor Tricia O’kelley (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”) is 52. Actor Ben Shenkman (“Royal Pains,” “Angels in America”) is 52. Singer Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men is 48.