Debuting Artist: Jasper Day

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Jasper joins the production team for the very first time with OpenStage for Pride and Prejudice!

 

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into theatre?

I began learning to sew after my parents bought me my first sewing machine for my ninth birthday. I was involved in theatre all throughout high school, but I was in the pit as a cellist instead of in the costume shop. In college, I pursued a degree in molecular biology, but ended up returning to school to study costume design at CSU years after graduating with a bachelor’s of science. Since then, I’ve been working with different theatre companies across Northern Colorado as a professional costume designer.

How did you first hear about OpenStage, and what drew you to work with us for this show?

I heard about OpenStage through the folks in the CSU costume shop. They were kind enough to make introductions!

What is your specific role or area of expertise for this show, and what excites you the most about working on this production?

I am the costume designer and head tailor for Pride and Prejudice. I’m most excited to face the challenges presented by an outdoor production. Working on this show has been a wonderful learning experience, and it’s been a blast making connections with so many talented theater makers in Fort Collins.

What is the most interesting or unique aspect of your work for this production?

Popular silhouettes in the mid to late 1800s were achieved through layers and layers of clothing. For an outdoor show, the heat and the elements make period accurate clothing impractical, to say the least. Finding ways to achieve those silhouettes with as few layers as possible was a fun challenge!

What makes pride and prejudice a unique kind of play to work on?

This retelling of Pride and Prejudice is such a lovely blend of silly and somber. There are plenty of laughs, but the issues it deals with, particularly the pressure to conform, still hit hard despite the jokes.

Why do you think pride and prejudice is significant or relevant to audiences today?

I think the message of this show is no less relevant now than it was when it was first written. Lifelong commitments, like marriage and social conformity, shouldn’t be taken lightly, but life is no fun when it’s taken too seriously. A balance between the two is crucial, and surrounding yourself with people who encourage a healthy balance is equally important.

What is your favorite moment or scene in the show, and why does it stand out to you?

I don’t think I can pick a favorite moment between the different dancing scenes. They’re all delightful and funny, but the dialogue is still so compelling.

Who is your favorite character in the show and why?

I love Mr. Bingley. His outlook on the world is so whimsical and charming.

What is your favorite Play or MUSICAL?
Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell is my favorite musical, and A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is my favorite play.
What is one of your favorite designs or technical/show achievements from your career so far, and what made it special to you?
I recently designed Dear Jack, Dear Louise for Little Theatre of the Rockies, and the dresses, coats, and accessories for Louise’s character were some of my favorite I’ve ever designed and drawn. 40s fashion is one of my favorite decades, and this was the first 40s show I’ve had the pleasure of working on.
Is there a dream role or type of production you hope to work on in the future?

As a lifelong D&D player, I’d love to design She Kills Monsters someday.

What do you like to do in your free time, when you’re not working on theatre projects?

When I’m not working on theatre projects, I love to draw, particularly illustrations of original characters, write, and work on cosplays! I also play a lot of tabletop role-playing games.

 

Pride and Prejudice

By Kate Hamill
Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen

Directed by Heather Ostberg Johnson

June 7-July 12, 2025
Playing at The Park at Columbine Health Systems

 

Come see Jasper’s work in Pride and Prejudice, June 7-July 12!

This isn’t your great-auntie’s Austen! Bold, surprising, and boisterous! The outspoken Lizzy Bennet is determined to never marry, but can she resist her enterprising mother, and society itself? Especially when that vaguely handsome, and impossibly aggravating Mr. Darcy keeps popping up at every turn! Literature’s classic romance, Pride and Prejudice, has never felt so theatrical, or so full of life as it does in this effervescent adaptation. Because what turns us into greater fools than the high-stakes game of love? In the park and under the stars! Walk in, bike in, or drive in! Featuring nightly food trucks.

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