Photo Coverage: Opening Night on Broadway for 'The Seagull'

The Seagull, in a new version by Christopher Hampton and directed by Ian Rickson, opened last night, October 2nd at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street). The production plays a limited 14-week engagement through Sunday, December 21st. The BroadwayWorld.com camera's were there to capture every star-studded moment of the Opening Night celebration.

The Seagull stars Kristin Scott Thomas as Arkadina, Peter Sarsgaard as Trigorin and Mackenzie Crook as Konstantin, with Art Malik as Dorn, Carey Mulligan as Nina, Pearce Quigley as Medvedenko, Peter Wight as Sorin, Zoe Kazan as Masha, Ann Dowd as Polina, Julian Gamble as Shamrayev, Christopher Patrick Nolan as Yakov, Mary Rose as a Housemaid and Mark Montgomery as The Cook.

Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, written in 1895 and the first of the playwright’s masterworks, concerns the romantic entanglements and regrets of a group of actors, writers and artists gathered on a Russian estate. One of the theatre’s great plays about writing, The Seagull conveys the struggle for new forms and the frustrations and fulfillment of putting words on a page.

Director Ian Rickson originally staged this production of The Seagull as his farewell to the Royal Court Theatre, when he ended his seven-year tenure as the distinguished theatre’s Artistic Director. The limited run became a sold out smash hit and the biggest selling production in the Royal Court’s 50 year history. Ms. Scott Thomas went on the win the 2007 Olivier Award for her performance.

Ben Brantley, The New York Times, wrote, “The marvel of Ian Rickson’s rapturous interpretation of The Seagull, which quickly became a must-have and largely unhaveable ticket, is how seamlessly it captures the vital paradox that so often escapes productions of this masterwork: the bursting theatrical fullness to be found in its unfulfilled lives. Kristin Scott Thomas is in expert form. Productions like Mr. Rickson’s The Seagull are such rarities that it hardly seems fair to measure others against them.”

The Seagull is designed by Hildegard Bechtler, with lighting by Peter Mumford, sound by Ian Dickinson and music by Stephen Warbeck.

Performances will be Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 PM, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM. On Sunday, September 28 and October 5, performances will be at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM.

Tickets for The Seagull are $110 for Orchestra and Mezzanine, Rows A-F, $77 for Mezzanine Rows G-J, $41 for Balcony and $25 for Student Rush and Standing Room. Additionally, Jujamcyn Theatres offers 12 preferred orchestra aisle locations for $135 each, which may only be purchased in pairs. Tickets are available at Telecharge at 212-239-6200, online at telecharge.com and at the Walter Kerr Theatre box office.

Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Arrivals

The Walter Kerr Theatre

Olympia Dukakis and Louis Zorich

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Josh Hamilton

David Harbour

Maria Thayer and David Harbour

David Harbour

Oscar Isaac

Forbes March (One Life to Live)

Harvey Weinstein

Sam Rockwell

Steve Van Zandt

Steve Van Zandt and wife

Curtain Call

Kristin Scott Thomas

Julian Gamble, Ann Dowd, Kristin Scott Thomas, Peter Sarsgaard, Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan and Pearce Quigley

Kristin Scott Thomas

Peter Sarsgaard and Zoe Kazan

Peter Sarsgaard

Kristin Scott Thomas

Peter Sarsgaard

Julian Gamble, Ann Dowd, Kristin Scott Thomas, Peter Sarsgaard, Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan and Pearce Quigley

After Party

Mackenzie Crook

Ann Dowd

Paul Dano

Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano

Peter Wight

Christopher Patrick Nolan

Pearce Quigley

Pearce Quigley and Christopher Patrick Nolan

Mary Rose

Peter Sarsgaard

Kristin Scott Thomas

The Seagull

Leave Comments

8 DAYS TO GO - VOTING IS OPEN - CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

LIVE UPDATE:

NEWSIES, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, GODSPELL & WICKED Are in the Lead...

After his life as an ingenue in Brooklyn & Queens, Walter spent the next 25 Years in a leading role as a Photographer / Photo Researcher in Manhattan. He is currently headlining in New Jersey with his partner Richard and children Dali & Gala. As a 14 year old youth, Walter was transfixed by his first Broadway Show, the original production of "GREASE". His journey on the path to celebrity photojournalism began that fateful night. Meeting, photographing and getting to know the cast inspired him to spend his professional life doing what he loved. His photography is syndicated worldwide through Retna Ltd. and Corbis.

Past Articles by This Author:

More Articles by This Author...