Pride and problems: Austentatious musical brings Jane Austen to Calgary stage
Posted Apr 8, 2025 12:30 pm.
What happens when a community theatre troupe tries to stage “Pride and Prejudice” — and everything goes spectacularly sideways? You get “Austentatious,” the musical comedy by Calgary’s Forte Musical Theatre Guild, back for a 15th anniversary revival.
Originally staged in 2009, the show returns to the Beddington Theatre Arts Centre from April 8 to 19, with returning cast member Elinor Holt stepping back into the role of Jess.
“It was uproariously fun the first time around,” Holt said, noting how her 15 years of life experience since first playing the role has changed her delivery, but the show itself has changed. “The charm of it 15 years ago was we were a rinky-dink group of actors putting on a rinky-dink show about a a rinky-dink group of actors putting on a rinky-dink show.”
Holt said 15 years on, everything is a bit bigger and better — including the choreography.
At its heart, “Austentatious” is a musical about putting on a musical. Holt likens it to “Waiting for Guffman” meets “Bridgerton” meets Bob Fosse, and some Beyoncé thrown in for good measure.
Yes — Beyoncé.
“There’s a new song that starts like a proper regency ballad… and then morphs into full-on Fosse, then Hamilton-style rap, and ends up Beyoncé,” Holt laughed. “There’s something hilarious about a middle-aged woman dancing like she’s trying to be Beyoncé.”
That blend of chaos and charm is baked into the bones of the show. From clashing visions of the creative team to wildly mismatched choreography and the occasional flash dance-inspired quick-change, “Austentatious” leans hard into the beauty of backstage disaster.
“It’s a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” Holt said. “If you need a break from politics, taxes, or doom-scrolling, this is a chance to just belly laugh for two hours straight.”
Under the polish of the revival, it is still a love letter to anyone who’s ever done high school drama or community theatre — and a wink to those who love (or love to hate) Jane Austen.
One thing Holt said hasn’t changed in 15 years: the laughter.
“Austentatious” runs April 8–19 at the Beddington Theatre Arts Centre.
Tickets are available at fortemusical.ca.
