Pride. Prejudice. And pregnancy.
While “Regency Girls” isn’t a Jane Austen sequel, her famed novel of manners set in the early 1800s has inspired a world-premiere musical comedy at the Old Globe about a woman of that era who finds herself pregnant and sets out to do something about it.
“It’s really a road trip,” said Gabrielle Allan, who with her longtime writing partner Jennifer Crittenden created the book for “Regency Girls.” “We call it sort of ‘Bridesmaids’ meets Jane Austen. But it’s a little like ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ There are these four women (heroine Elinor Benton, her sister, her best friend and her maid) who go on this journey for reproductive healthcare.”
Their “wizard” is Madam Restell, a character based on a real-life woman in the 19th century who d herself as a physician to women with “female trouble.”
“All these women need something from her,” Allan explained. “The show’s about body autonomy, about so many things that women, especially back then, were not discussing or were not in touch with. The whole thing is buried in humor.”
In music, too. Besides the script from the Hollywood-based Crittenden and Allan who have collaborated on television shows, films and theater, the “Regency Girls” team includes musical composer Curtis Moore (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and lyricist Amanda Green (“Bring It On: The Musical)”.
It was Green who initially had the idea for what would become “Regency Girls.”
“Gaby and I were working on ‘Veep,’” recalled Crittenden, “and one of the executive producers was (columnist/critic) Frank Rich. He knew Amanda and she was asking him if he knew any book writers. He set us up on a blind creative date.
“As soon as we heard the idea we wanted in on it. It seemed like so up our alley. It was also a great excuse to read a lot of Jane Austen.”
Though Crittenden and Allan began working on a script in 2018, the project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic years. Also in the interim between the start of work and its resumption, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion.
“We were ionate about this (subject),” said Crittenden, “but I did not see it coming that we would be in the position that we’re in today.”
The writers stress that “Regency Girls” is not a preachy affair.
“We’re hoping,” Crittenden said, “that after seeing the show people can have a conversation about autonomy and about women knowing what’s best for them.”
The teams of Crittenden-Allan and Moore-Green have been working as a unit all the while.
Tony-nominated San Diego costume designer calls ‘Regency Girls’ assignment a full-circle moment
“We’ve had a very collaborative process with Amanda and Curtis,” said Allan. “They came to us and we had lots of discussions about the story and the structure and how it unfolded. Then Jen and I would go off and write, and they’d go off and write. Then we’d come back together and make sure it all gelled. We gave them notes; they gave us notes.”
Added Crittenden: “I would say we all have the same impulse, so sometimes we’ll say something in a scene and then Amanda will say it in song and we’ll be like ‘Wait. We can’t say it twice.’ There’s a give and take between the scenes and the songs.”
Key to bringing “Regency Girls” to the stage, of course, is director/choreographer Josh Rhodes, who did the same thing two years ago in the Globe’s production of “Cabaret.”
“I was taken by this show right away,” Rhodes said, of “Regency Girls.” “Not very often do you see something that is such an elaborate adventure musical that actually sticks the landing. Comedy has to have heart. You have to have a beautiful emotional epiphany at the end, and this show has it.”
Isabelle McCalla is starring as Elinor at the Globe, with Janine LaManna as Madame Restell. The cast also includes, among others, Krystina Alabado, Kate Rockwell, Ryann Redmond, Gabe Gibbs, Sav Souza, Benjamin Howes and Nik Walker.
Crittenden and Allan believe the entire cast is in good hands.
“Josh will make the scenes move, and it’ll be fast paced,” said Crittenden. “He’s got a real gift for knowing how to highlight the story through emotions as opposed to just the jokes and some witty banter and the songs.”
Rhodes said he likes to think of “Regency Girls” as “Melissa McCarthy goes to ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ I have to keep the speed going. I have to keep the characters zooming along and helping them each land all their emotional beats along the way.”
“Being a choreographer first, then becoming a director, the physicality of a show comes more easily to me than maybe other directors. ‘Baskerville (Ken Ludwig’s manic ‘Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,’ which Rhodes directed 10 years ago at the Globe) taught me a lot of tricks. I’ve had these great lessons in comedy through different shows that I’ve been able to do.”
That includes recent Kennedy Center and Broadway productions of the zany musical “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”
It was while choreographing and directing “Spamalot” on Broadway that Rhodes met Crittenden and Allan through producer Robyn Goodman.
“They understand not only humor,” he said, “but also rhythm and color.”
Part of the color of “Regency Girls” is being created by San Diego-based costume designer David I. Reynoso.
“We go to so many different locations in this show,” said Rhodes. “The one person who’s going to ground us in the Regency era is David. His beautiful eye for detail and character is going to really allow that to come through. He makes us feel as if we’re in a world that’s all our own and yet historically accurate. He also has his finger in a little bit of the comedy here and there.”
Reynoso has designed costumes for more than a dozen Globe productions and recently earned a Tony nomination for his work on PigPen Theatre Co.’s Broadway musical adaptation of “Water for Elephants.”
“David has an incredible eye and incredible taste,” said Rhodes. “You live and die off of designers and collaborators with taste. David is one of those people.”
Like all the cast and creatives working on “Regency Girls” as it approaches its opening night, writers Crittenden and Allan have been on the scene, in San Diego, away from the Hollywood in which they’ve written together. Their credits as a team include “Veep” for television and feature films like “What’s Your Number?” starring Anna Faris. On their own: Crittenden wrote for “Seinfeld,” among others and Allan for “Scrubs,” among others.
“So many people are a part of this now,” said Allan. “Everyone’s bringing their stuff to it. It’s like this giant organism that’s moving and we’re trying to shape that.”
For now, it’s “Regency Girls” and this world premiere in San Diego. Down the road? Broadway perhaps?
“I try not to think about it because just being here and doing this production is so fulfilling and exciting,” Crittenden said.
Allan grew up in New York and said she went to the theater there every weekend. Broadway would be “a full circle, dream-come-true moment. It’d blow my mind. I’d faint — I wouldn’t even be able to watch it.”
‘Regency Girls’
When: Now in previews through Wednesday. Opens Thursday and runs through May 4. 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays
Where: Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego
Tickets: $45 and up
Phone: 619-234-5623
Online: theoldglobe.org
