M E E T T H E P L AY W R I G H T S O F
Lauren M. Gunderson and Margot Melcon seem to be a match made in heaven—especially in the hearts and minds of theatre-going Austen fans around the country. Since the birth of their first collaboration Miss Bennet:
Christmas at Pemberley premiered at MTC in the 2016 season, Lauren and Margot have been literally (and literarily) delighting audiences every holiday season. We spoke with Lauren and Margot a few weeks before launching into rehearsals for this next and final chapter of their Christmas at Pemberley trilogy.
Photo by Josh Edelson (courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle)
MTC: What was the genesis for writing a play inspired by Pride and Prejudice? And had you always intended to write a trilogy of plays?
one but a half dozen interesting and unique women all with their own wit, intelligence, and drive. It was Margot’s idea to combine the world of Pride and Prejudice with the needs of a holiday play, and the reaction of audiences around the country to our plays has proved that it was a good one. I certainly did not imagine writing a trilogy, but with so many sisters and such support for the plays nationwide, we kept coming up with new stories for these beloved characters.
Lauren: We wanted to create a theatre piece that touched on all the nostalgia and warmth of our favorite holiday plays, but add our own brand of sisterhood, comedy, and women-led romance. I’ve always loved Pride and Prejudice because it centered not
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