‘Christmas at Pemberley’

Artistic Civic Theatre kicks off the holiday season with a production of “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” opening Friday, Nov. 29, for six performances through Dec. 7 in Dalton, Georgia.

A sequel to Jane Austin’s influential novel “Pride and Prejudice,” set two years after that novel ends, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” reunites the eccentric Bennet sisters as they celebrate the holiday at the home of Elizabeth and her loving husband, Mr. Darcy.

Bookish middle sister Mary is the unlikely heroine this time around. Mary is growing tired of her role as dutiful middle sister in the face of her siblings’ romantic escapades. But an unexpected guest sparks her hopes for independence, an intellectual match and possibly even love.

Meg Phinney plays Mary Bennet, and Chase Parker plays her love interest, Arthur De Bourgh.

Amy Mueller and Kirt Johnson are cast as Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Taylor Witherow plays the third Bennet sister, Lydia Wickham.

Marnie Wall plays Jane Bingley, Adam Stark is Charles Bingley and Courtenay Cholovich is Anne De Bourgh.

The play is written by Lauren Gunderson

PHOTO BY JERI DUNN Fitzwilliam Darcy (Kirt Johnson) and Charles Bingley (Adam Stark), from left, attempt to give advice to the love-struck Arthur De Bourgh (Chase Parker).