Every November, the AHS auditorium is filled with students preparing for the fall play, this year that happens to be “Pride & Prejudice.” 

The English classic has hit the Ankeny stage, but why should you go see it? Senior Evee Gade says that theater at Ankeny High School (AHS) is more than just a two hour show. 

“It’s people that you see everyday, people you see in your classes, in your activities, and they’ve put their all into this show. Not only that, but it’s really cool,” Gade said. “It’s so cool seeing it come together. And, maybe you aren’t super into theater, but I think it’s a fun watch and it’s just enjoyable.”

Gade plays Elizabeth Bennet, if that sounds familiar, she is the main character and due to the structure and play writing, she remains on stage for almost the entire two hour run time. 

“I’m always on stage, and I feel that constant flow. It’s what I work well with, you know, I just like being on stage,” Gade said. 

But “Pride & Prejudice” is not just some romance that should be categorized into a box, when it was written in 1797 and published in 1813 Jane Austen had to be anonymous, not even putting her name on the work.  

Rock & Art, a culture-based journalism site, reports that “Pride & Prejudice” is more than just groundbreaking for the time, its content is timeless. 

“We [wanted] to choose a show that would offer students a challenge in some way. We’ve done a lot of comedies, which are really fun, but we wanted to do something with a little more drama to sink our teeth into,” English teacher and director of the AHS drama department Mollie Jo Blahunka said. “So I definitely think that the show offers that, and it’s fun seeing students kind of figure out that it’s still really funny, even though it’s from 1813. But I think there’s a lot more for students to analyze and unpack, and it’s fun seeing them figure that out.”   

While the actors memorize lines and learn their stage directions, the crew has been working to paint the set, sew the costumes, and so much more. Assistant stage manager junior Caden McGlin explains how the crew provides the basis for the story to live in. 

“Crew does everything,” McGlin explains. “They’re like the ingredients in a cake. They make costumes, the set, props, headpieces, basically everything to put the show together. Without a crew, there wouldn’t be a cast.” 

If you are interested in seeing the hard work done by both the cast and crew, but are intimidated by the ‘old’ English used at the time of the play, Blahunka says there is not a cause for concern. 

“If you feel like the older style of English is going to confuse you, you’ll probably understand a lot more than you think you will, and it’s just going to be visually really beautiful,” Blahunka said. “There is a lot to see and a lot to take away from it. And it’s a classic story that everyone should experience at least once.” 

You see “Pride & Prejudice” on Nov. 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. and on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. in the AHS auditorium, and see just how timeless it really is. 

Tickets are available online at ankenydrama.ludus.com, $12 for adults, $7 for students.