Muhlenberg Theatre Association Presents "The Seagull"
The Muhlenberg Theatre Association presents Paul Schmidt's evocative translation of Chekhov's "The Seagull," a haunting comedy spun from the lives of artists who struggle for beauty, love and fame in a disintegrating Russia.Wednesday, April 7, 2004 01:22 PM
The Muhlenberg Theatre Association presents Paul Schmidt's evocative translation of Chekhov's "The Seagull," a haunting comedy spun from the lives of artists who struggle for beauty, love and fame in a disintegrating Russia. "The Seagull" will be presented in the Dorothy Hess Baker Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance, April 23 - May 2, 2004. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.; tickets are available by calling 484-664-3333. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
"The Seagull" exposes the tensions and yearnings of a family living on a country estate in turn-of-the-century Russia. Trouble erupts as nearly every known pair of lovers on the stage is faced with betrayal or loss of interest. Chekhov, the grand storyteller, brings us to the theatre to share the quarrels, the betrayals, the naiveté, and the longing evoked by these people.
"The Seagull" marked the beginning of Chekhov's fruitful collaboration with Konstantin Stanislavsky, the founder of the single most important theatre and conservatory for acting in the 20th century, the Moscow Art Theatre. Stanislavsky and Chekhov brought their characters to life through a collaboration that has become the benchmark for contemporary acting.
Co-directed by Muhlenberg College faculty members Charles Richter and Timothy Averill, Muhlenberg's production of "The Seagull" is visually compelling and "savors the play," says Averill. Averill, also serving as the scenic designer for the production, describes the play as being about screens and layers. People often put up screens in their everyday lives as a defense against the world, and those whose lives are the subject of this play exemplify this-things are not always as the characters would have others believe.
Averill is associate professor of scenography in the department of theatre and dance at Muhlenberg College. He has been awarded the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Medallion for his service to the mid-Atlantic region states. Tim also recently served as Festival Host for the KCACTF Region II held at Muhlenberg in January 2004. Richter is head of the department of theatre and dance at Muhlenberg College, where he has taught and directed for 22 years. He is also a founding artistic director of the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre and a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and he directed for New York City Opera Education Department, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, PA Stage, and New York's Ensemble Studio Theatre.
"The Seagull" features Muhlenberg Theatre Association performers Jamie McKittrick '04 (Arkadina), Adam Pinti '06 (Trigorin) and Goran Ivanovski '06 (Sorin), each of them most recently seen on stage in last semester's "Scenes from an Execution." McKittrick was featured as Clytemnestra in the MTA's "Electra"; was a Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival semi-finalist for her performance in David Edgar's "Pentecost"; and has performed musically in "Wonderful Town" as well as in the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre productions of "Dames at Sea" and "Crazy for You." Pinti has performed in the MTA production of "Private Eyes" and the campus and New York premieres of Mac Wellman's "Anything's Dream." For the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre, he has performed in "A Chorus Line" and "The Velveteen Rabbit" and recently performed in the ensemble of The Theatre Outlet's "Santa Land Diaries." Ivanovski has also performed in " Anything's Dream" and in "Electra" at Muhlenberg College and is the co-founder of the comedy group The Acropolis.
Tickets must be purchased at the time of reservation (Visa and Mastercard accepted). The box office is located on the lower level of the Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance on the Muhlenberg College campus. Adult/Senior tickets are $15 and Youth tickets are $8. Tickets may be requested by visiting www.muhlenberg.edu/cultural/baker and going to the calendar.
