Pride and Prejudice and dinner at Okanagan College

Okanagan College Media Release

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the only thing more fun than a Jane Austen work adapted for the stage is a Jane Austen work adapted for the stage that also includes fine dining.

Such is the message that Okanagan College’s own theatre troupe, the Red Dot Players, have for audiences this spring as they present Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice. The play will run for three evenings, from March 14-16 (curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m.) along with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 17.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at kelownatickets.com or at the door.

Pride and Prejudice marks the tenth production for the Red Dot Players, founded in 2011. To celebrate the milestone, the troupe has decided to bring something special to the table: dinner theatre.

On Thursday, March 14 and Friday, March 15 attendees can combine a performance of Pride and Prejudice with a gourmet meal at Infusions Restaurant on the Kelowna campus, which is located just steps from the theatre. The meal will consist of a set appetizer, a choice of three main courses (including a vegetarian option), and a dessert. Seating for dinner will be at 5:30 p.m., giving diners plenty of time to savour their meal and anticipate the performance at 7:30.

The play’s Director, Jeremy Beaulne, who is also a professor in the English Department at OC, is excited to bring Hamill’s fun and fast-paced adaption to audiences in the Okanagan – with that treat for foodies thrown in.

“It’s going to be such a fun show. Kate Hamill – who is a young playwright from New York – really captures the spirit of Jane Austen’s novel and presents it in such an exciting and engaging way. There’s great comedic characters and a wonderful emotional arc. It’s fast-paced, it’s energetic, and overall, it’s just going to be a really enjoyable experience for the audience, I believe,” says Beaulne.

“And to make it all the more fun for audiences we’re doing something we’ve never done before in the dinner theatre offerings. So on top of great performances, beautiful costumes and some very impressive vintage furniture and set pieces – courtesy of Lois Lane in Kelowna – audience members can enjoy a great meal at Infusions before they take their seats.”

Tickets for dinner theatre are $50 for adults and $47 for students and seniors. Seating is limited so dinner theatre tickets are only available until March 10.

More information about the play, and the Red Dot Players, is available at www.reddotplayers.com.