A note from the Director...

As we gather to explore the timeless world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I am filled with excitement and gratitude. This work, first published in 1813, remains a profound reflection on human relationships, societal expectations, and the complexities of love. In directing this adaptation, my goal has been to honor Austen’s sharp wit and keen observations while bringing fresh energy to her beloved characters.

As you sit back and enjoy the unfolding drama, I invite you to reflect on the themes of love, pride, and prejudice that permeate our own lives. May you find joy in the humor, poignancy in the struggles, and perhaps a little bit of yourself in the characters you meet on this journey.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating this extraordinary tale of love and understanding. I hope you leave the theater inspired by Elizabeth’s journey and reminded of the importance of looking beyond the surface.

Warmest regards,

Lorraine VanRod 

PRODUCTION STAFF:

Director:  Lorraine VanRod

Choreographer/Pianist for Mary Bennet:  Cordelia Willis

Producers:  Ronnie Castaneda, Stephanie Kara, Layla Malacara

Sound Designer:  Robert A. Ramirez

Lighting Designer/Lighting Operator:  Arabella Rodriguez

Costume Designer:  Ronnie Castaneda

Properties Designer: Layla Malacara

Scenic Designer:  Stephanie Kara

Stage Manager:  Stephanie Kara

Assistant Stage Manager:  Sofia VanRod

Audio Technician:  Jimena Tapia

Deck Crew:  Karen Halverson, Sofia VanRod

Spot Operators:  Colin Proudfoot, Jimena Tapia

Scenic Painter: Marwa Chopan

Set Carpenters:  Max O. Chang, Thomas Nguyen, Antonio Ortiz, Joe Winkle

Set Builders:  Max O. Chang, Sharon and Sherman Hom, Layla Malacara, Cordelia Willis

CAST:

ELIZABETH BENNET - Nikki Liv Basas

MRS BENNET  - Ronnie Castaneda

MR DARCY  - Max O. Chang 

JANE BENNET - Ellie Celine

LADY LUCAS - Isabel Chavez

MR WICKHAM  - Leo Diaz

CATHERINE BENNET - Berlin Exley

MR BINGLEY - Cassian Grove 

LYDIA BENNET  - Layla Malacara

CHARLOTTE LUCAS  - Cynthia Ortiz

MARY BENNET  - Veronica Ortiz

MISS BINGLEY - Sara Rose

MR COLLINS  - Kenny Silberberg

LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH - Stefanie Suzuki

HILL - Sofia VanRod

MR BENNET  - Cordelia Willis 

Part 1

Act 1 Scene 1

The Ball

Act 2 Scene 1

Part 2

Act 2 Scene 2

Act 3 Scene 1

Act 3 Scene 2

Who's Who

CAST

Nikki Liv Basas (Elizabeth) is excited for her return to One Stage as one of her all-time favorite literary characters! Having previously performed in the company’s Beauty and the Beast as Mrs. Potts, other favorite roles include Red Rat Girl (Jekyll & Hyde), Rapunzel (Into the Woods), Edith (The Pirates of Penzance), Kitty Bennet (Pride & Prejudice), and Ensemble (Sweeney Todd). She trains in voice under Henry Torres and is coached by Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge! on Broadway). Nikki is also a performing artist with Kariktan Dance Company. She loves this cast and crew wholeheartedly, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Max O. Chang (Mr. Darcy)  is a local Bay Area Actor and has last performed in One Stage’s production of Beauty and The Beast (Beast). He also was performed in Masquer’s Playhouse’s Spring Awakening (Otto) and is currently in a production of RENT at Chabot College (Ensemble). Along with acting, also directed a full stage play production of “Yellow Face” at Chanticleers as well as writing an original stage play, “Dirty in Emotion”, with a featured staged reading at Plethos. He’d like to thank his friends, family, and the great folks of One Stage for coming to the show!

Ronnie Castaneda (Mrs. Bennet) is a freshman at Ohlone College and is excited to be acting in her first show in almost a year! She also has sound design and sound operation credits with One Stage (Little Women) as well as Newark Memorial High School Theatre (Snow White, Firebringer). She has also acted in various productions for One Stage and NMHS, including Alice in Wonderland as the Queen of Hearts, and Clue as Miss Scarlet.

Ellie Celine (Jane Bennet)  is thrilled to be making her One Stage debut as Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice! She’s incredibly grateful to be part of this talented cast and is excited to bring Jane’s warmth and kindness to life on stage. Ellie would like to thank her parents, friends, and professors for their endless support and belief in her—it truly means the world. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Isabel Chavez (Lady Lucas)  This is Isabel’s second production with onstage, and her first play! A fan of Jane Austen, she’s very excited to be apart of bringing a fan favorite story to life on stage along side her talented cast mates.

Leo Diaz (Mr. Wickham) is ecstatic  to be making his One Stage debut in such an iconic story. Previous credits include Carlos and US Warner in Legally Blonde (Tri Valley Theatre Company), Ensemble and US Rudolpho in Matilda (Berkeley Playhouse), and Eddie in Mamma Mia (Tri Valley Repertory Theatre). He thanks his family, friends and loving boyfriend for their encouragement and support. Follow for more updates on IG @leooddiaz.

Berlin Exley (Catherine Bennet) is 14 years old and is so excited to be a part of One Stage’s production of Pride and Prejudice! You may have seen her previously as Amy in Little Women (One Stage), Donkey in Shrek Jr. (One Stage), a Silly Girl in Beauty and The Beast (One Stage). She has been acting since she was 5 and she is so excited to be playing Kitty! She would like to thank her family and friends for always being supportive and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Cassian Grove (Mr. Bingley)  This is Cassian's first time working with One Stage and they are very excited to be here! They are a San Jose-based actor, writer, artist, and drama teacher. They are the Vice President of Starhouse Amateur Theatre Company, where they do a bit of everything. They most recently performed as the White Knight in Starhouse’s Queen Alice. Outside of theatre, Cassian creates a variety of visual art. They would like to shout out to their mom (who is a major fan of Pride and Prejudice) and to their partner in theatre and everything else, Rory.

Layla Malacara (Lydia Bennet) is a Freshman at San Jose State University and has been doing theatre for the past 5 years now. This year she takes a step into the spotlight as an actor in her first play, whereas she is usually behind the scenes as a Stage Manager or Directing! She has had so much fun playing Lydia Bennet, and is so happy to have met so many new people as well as seeing familiar faces! She’d like to thank all the actors, tech, and mentors for teaching her new things & creating great memories that she’ll always remember! And she wishes her fellow actors and crew to... Break A Leg!

Cynthia Ortiz (Charlotte Lucas)  This is Cynthia Ortiz’s 5th time working with One Stage Theatre. Some of her favorite previous roles include Meg March in Little Women, Baker in Into the Woods Jr with One Stage Theatre, as well as Sabine in The 3 Musketeers and Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz with John F Kennedy High School. She is very excited to be playing the character of Charlotte and is very thankful for all the support she has gotten from this amazing cast and her family. She hopes you enjoy the show.

Veronica Ortiz (Mary Bennet)  This is Veronica Ortiz's 4th time working with One Stage Theatre. You could have previously seen her in One Stage production of Beauty and the Beast as an ensemble member. Other productions you might know Veronica from are Kennedy’s production’s of The Three Musketeers as Rochefort or in their production of The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch. You may have most recently seen Veronica as Beth in One Stage's production of Little Women. Veronica is now portraying the character of Mary Bennet and hopes you enjoy the show.

Sara Rose (Miss Bingley) is thrilled to be working with One Stage for the first time ! Recently she graduated college with a major in Theater and has been excited to be diving in to what she loves. Sara Rose strives to be in and create spaces of community especially for BIPOC. She hopes you all find the joy and love in this play like she found working with all involved!

Kenny Silberberg (Mr. Collins) is delighted to rejoin One Stage with Pride and Prejudice. Past roles include Pinocchio in Pinocchio (OrSVP), Charles Guiteau in The Other Mr. Lincoln (Showcase Entertainment), Charlie Martin in On Golden Pond (SVCT), Harry Houdini in Ragtime (Lyric), Ernst Ludwig Cabaret (Chanticleers), TJ in Sister Act (Stage 1 Theatre), Stanford in Bright Star (WMT), and Daniel in Almost Maine (NDNU). Kenny works as a full time 7.5 hour Para Educator (Classroom Assistant) at Logan High School and IVC Middle School. He has had this job for 6 years and loves it. Enjoy the show!

Stefanie Suzuki (Lady Catherine) is delighted to make her debut with One Stage Theatre in this classic story! She has performed with Pinole Community Players (favorite past shows include A Grand Night for Singing, The Music Man, A Chorus Line, and She Loves Me) and Pittsburg Theatre Company (Young Frankenstein, The Addams Family). She can next be seen in B8 Theatre Company’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest in May. Love and thanks to her friends and family for always supporting her, and to you for supporting live, local theatre!

Cordelia Willis (Mr. Bennet)  has been a longtime fan of Jane Austen, and while she’s always seen herself more as Margaret in Sense & Sensibility, she’s thrilled to play Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Cordelia began working with Stage 1 Theatre in 2013’s Les Miserables and has worked both onstage and backstage in numerous productions since. She has also performed with WVLO and Lyric Theatre of San Jose and was most recently Mr. Mushnik in Milpitas Community Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors. Cordelia adores Regency dance and was excited to get to choreograph the ball. Also, in real life, she plays piano better than Mary!

Sofia VanRod (Hill)  first appeared on stage in Stage 1 Theare's production of The Little Mermaid JR in 2019. Since then she has played Scar in The Lion King JR, Silly Girl/Wolf in Beauty and the Beast, and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (Youth Edition). She is happy she has met new people in the cast!

PRODUCTION

Stephanie Kara (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be returning back to the theatre where she grew up! She has been a part of the theatre community since 2002 and celebrates 12 years this year as a Stage Manager, with credits including: Stage 1 Theatre's Youth Theatre, Stage 1 Theatre, One Stage Theatre, Aaaahz Youth Theatre, Lyric Theatre, and A.C.T. San Francisco. Many thanks to Lorraine, Robert, Layla, Ronnie, and M. www.stephaniekara.com

Robert Arturo Ramirez (Sound Designer)  is pleased to have designed Pride and Prejudice for One Stage, recent theatre designs: Civility of Albert Cashier (Colony), Home Alonely Hearts Club Band (Troubies), It's All Your Fault, Tyler Price (Hollywood Hudson Theatre). He recently Sound Designed Superman and Lois (HBOMax) for WarnerBrothers. Past Theatrical Designs: Miracle on 34th Street (ActorsCo-op's) and Lady Day (Garry Marshall Theatre) <Ovation noms>; RayBradbury’s Fahrenheit451 and Broads (ElPortal); Romeo&Juliet (Odyssey); Haunted House Party (Getty Villa); Metamorphoses (Mark Taper Forum by Mary Zimmerman); Happy Days: A New Musical (Falcon Theatre by Garry Marshall&Paul Williams). He’s received 3 Emmy/2 Ovation noms. Past TV: Manifest(Netflix), DC’s Arrow, Family Guy(Fox). Past Film: Queen and Slim, Old School. He operates Orpheus Sound Labs in NoHo. Thanks to Lorraine and Stephanie for being gracious collaborators.

Lorraine VanRod (Director) is the Director of Marketing of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley (Regional Tony Award

Recipient) and was previously the Development Director/Executive Collective member of Cutting Ball Theater in San Francisco. She has been the Board President of One Stage Theatre since 2020.

Special Thanks

NMHS Drama Department, Hanadi & Luciano Malacara, Layla Malacara, Ronnie Castaneda, Marwa Chopan, Sharon & Sherman Hom, Hannah Malacara, Grant Ewing,  Fred Rodriguez, Ethan VanRod, Heather Radovich, Moreau Catholic High School, Santa Clara Players, Plethos Productions, Jimena Tapia, Jennifer Exley, Angie Scalise, Junior Reyes Keo, Paola & Antonio Ortiz, Cordelia Willis, Nathan Cubias, Thomas Nguyen, Daniel Soohoo.

Performances to be held at Newark Memorial Theatre (located on Newark Memorial High School Campus)

39375 Cedar Blvd.

Newark, CA 94560

Friday Feb 7 @ 7:30pm

Saturday Feb. 8 @ 2pm

Sunday Feb. 9 @ 2pm