The cast for the 2026 Australian tour of the musical comedy Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) have been announced.
The five performers who will portray the iconic roles of Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and all other characters, will be Amy Lehpamer, Zoe Ioannou, Kaori Maeda-Judge, Ruby Shannon and Teo Vergara.
Amy Lehpamer has led the cast of national tours of & Juliet as Anne Hathaway and The Sound of Music as Maria, as well as lead roles in Dusty, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Who’s Tommy, School of Rock, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Once, Rock of Ages, The Rocky Horror Show and Shane Warne the Musical.
A NIDA graduate, Zoe Ioannou most recently appeared in the Australian tour of Grease, understudying the roles of Sandy, Frenchy and Jan. Other performance credits include Hairspray, West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz and at the Hayes Theare Co, Dubbo Championship Wrestling, Bridges of Madison County and Big Fish.
Kaori Maeda-Judge’s varied career has seen her in productions of David Bowie’s Lazarus, White Pearl for Sydney Theatre Company, The Dismissal for Squabbalogic, The Hello Girls and Meg March in Little Women at the Hayes Theatre Co, and Jack Thorne’s Tony Award winning A Christmas Carol, as well as TV’s Neighbours.
A recent graduate of QUT, Ruby Shannon is making her professional debut in Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of). Since graduating, Ruby has collaborated on several independent theatre, film and development projects.
Teo Vergara is an actor, singer, dancer and a graduate of the VCA, who made their screen debut in the ABC series Crazy Fun Park and followed this by starring in the queer and gender diverse series Turn Up The Volume for the ABC. Teo was a member of the original Australian cast of Jagged Little Pill, and starred in the original Australian musical Converted! for ATYP.
Writer and original director Isobel McArthur said:
“It has been a long-held dream to undertake this tour with our take on Austen’s masterpiece. This show is a true celebration of love and romance so, now that the match-making is done, I cannot wait to watch Pride & Prejudice* (sort of) and its Australian audiences fall head over heels for each other.”
Co-Director Simon Harvey said:
“I am delighted with the stellar cast of Australian talent we have been able to assemble for this production and can’t wait to travel down under to begin rehearsals. I feel sure that the wit, physical comedy and karaoke soundtrack of Isobel MacArthur’s take on Jane Austen’s timeless classic (sort of), will chime with Aussie audiences.”
Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story. Men, money and microphones are fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance.
The show features a string of pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain. Coming to Australia for the first time, these five fearless women bring Austen’s world of love, class and chaos to life with heart, humour and unstoppable energy in this modern take on one of the world’s most adapted pieces of literature.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*sort of)
By Isobel McArthur after Jane Austen
Original production directed by Isobel McArthur
Co-Director Simon Harvey
Produced by Neil Gooding Productions and Woodward Productions
by arrangement with David Pugh Limited
SEASON DETAILS
MELBOURNE
Atheneum Theatre
Season 18 June – 12 July
SYDNEY
Presented by Sydney Opera House
Venue Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Season 16 July – 30 August
WOLLONGONG
Presented by Merrigong Theatre Company
Venue IMB Theatre, IPAC
Season 2-13 September
CANBERRA
Venue Canberra Theatre, Canberra Theatre Centre
Season 16-27 September
BRISBANE
Venue Playhouse Theatre, QPAC
Season 30 September – 18 October
More information and tickets via prideandprejudicesortof.com.au
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 