Pride and Prejudice Opens SCR's 2011-12 Season Underwritten by Tom & Marilyn Sutton and Jean & Tim Weiss with Corporate Underwriting by U.S. Bank
COSTA MESA, CA, September 16, 2011 – Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen’s most popular novel, adapted by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan and directed by Kyle Donnelly, opened the 2011-12 Season on the Segerstrom Stage at South Coast Repertory. Two former presidents of SCR’s Board of Trustees, Tom Sutton and Tim Weiss, with their wives Marilyn and Jean, joined forces as Honorary Producers, with corporate underwriting by U.S. Bank, represented by Market President William R. Cave.
A quintet of SCR leaders greeted First Nights subscribers and their guests at the opening of the theatre’s historic 48th Season. Board President Tom Phelps led off, introducing SCR’s Founding Artistic Directors David Emmes and Martin Benson, who in turn welcomed the new leadership team of Artistic Director Marc Masterson and Managing Director Paula Tomei.
Masterson expressed his pleasure at the warm welcome he and his wife, Patricia Melvin, have received from the theatre and the community. He talked about the enjoyment of working with Paula and the SCR staff—and with David and Martin to choose an exciting season, beginning with Donnelly’s beautiful staging of a brilliant adaptation, adding, “One of the adaptors, Joseph Hanreddy, is with us tonight.”
Phelps thanked the Honorary Producers for helping underwrite a show of such magnitude—with a large cast, stunning visual projections and glorious costumes—that wouldn’t be possible without their staunch support.
“I’ll begin with the Suttons,” he said, “Tom and Marilyn, who were underwriters of Howard Korder’s In A Garden and Alan Ayckbourn’s Taking Steps and have been Gala underwriters, First Nights subscribers to both stages and members of every Circle of donors (Silver, Golden, Platinum and Producers). They are major donors to SCR’s Legacy Campaign, which, by the way, is chaired by Tim Weiss. As for Tim and Jean, they have underwritten a play every season since they became SCR subscribers—that’s 15 plays, from new work to modern classics. Jean chaired the 2008 Gala and, in 2009, Tim was elected to SCR’s Honorary Board in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and service.”
Phelps then acknowledged U.S. Bank, which has a long history with the theatre as Corporate Honorary Producer. “The bank’s choices have been eclectic, from our traditional holiday show, A Christmas Carol, to family theatre, gothic comedy, an American musical and an English classic—five shows in all.” U.S. Bank is the sixth largest bank in America, with 559 California branches, over 300 of them in Southern California.
Tomei added her thanks to Pride and Prejudice Media Partners 89.3 KPCC, represented by Gregory Pierre Cox, and Season Media Partner PBS SoCal, represented by Mel Rogers and his wife Marcia, and invited everyone to the post-production Cast Party on Ela’s Terrace. There, guests enjoyed a traditional party—with a modern twist, echoing the modern “girl,” who reads Jane Austen’s novel while the audience watches the play unfold.
