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| Miss Mary Bennet (Autumn Bryson) shares a special bond with Lord Arthur De Bourg (D.J. Terry) PHOTO by Paul Manoian |
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
is an imagined sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice. This charming
period piece is set in 1800s England at a time when all the English lords and
ladies would most certainly be Caucasian. In the Farmington Players
production, Lord Arthur De Bourg is played by D.J. Terry. D.J. describes his character as a “nerdy,
quirky and standoffish Lord that enters a world of conflict that he has never
imagined having to manage. What I enjoy most about playing Arthur is that he
provides a reminder that others’ (even our family’s) expectations of us are not
as important as our own decisions when creating paths for our lives.”
D.J. speaks candidly about
managing the expectations of audiences, who might not be accustomed to seeing a
black man in this role: “There is
a slight discomfort I feel when people see it for the first time, and realize
that this is set in England in the early 1800s and they must suspend disbelief
to buy into my character. It makes me proud to have even been cast in the first
place. However, it makes my mistakes shine brighter, being so easily spotted
and that adds another layer of perfection to my desired performance.” While D.J. has some trepidation that some
people may be uncomfortable with his race, “maybe being uncomfortable is where
they have to be to see the very surface of how I might feel in the culture of
this show, in the culture of this society, in the culture of this country.”
Feeling out of place is a common
theme of this show. As Autumn
Bryson says of her character Mary, “She often feels like the odd one out. Mary
feels she is bound to a life of caring for her parents and is devastated at the
thought of never experiencing the world.” But once Mary meets Arthur DeBourgh, “suddenly Mary has
someone who shares her interests. Arthur takes Mary’s breath away with how
similar they are, and Mary feels finally at home. Their connection is like no
other.” D.J. echoes this bond,
saying, “Mary seems to share Arthur’s appreciation for literature and science,
so there is much to discuss between the two of them. As discussion deepens,
true colors are revealed and an unexpected connection ensues.”
While theater still has a long
way to go to become truly colorblind, times are changing. Hamilton
broke barriers by casting people of color in historically white roles. And just last week, The Nutcracker opened at the New
York City Ballet, and for the first time, an 11 year-old Black girl (Charlotte
Nebres) will be playing the young heroine, Marie.
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
has 9 performances at the Farmington Players Barn Theater from December 6 - 21.
Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing
boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or calling the Barn box office at 248-553-2955.
