Ellen Burstyn Leads THE CHERRY ORCHARD at The Actors Studio, Beginning Tonight

The Actors Studio previously announced that Academy Award, Emmy and Tony Award winner Ellen Burstyn will lead the cast in a new staging of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard (translated by Jean-Claude van Itallie) at The Actors Studio (432 West 44th Street) today, July 10-21, 2014, Thursdays-Mondays only. John Gould Rubin, former co-Artistic Director with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz of LAByrinth Theater, directs. The Cherry Orchard will be presented for 10 performances only. Performances are free to the public and require reservations made through reservations@theactorsstudio.org.

The last public presentation at The Actors Studio was the critically-acclaimed 2003 staging of Oscar Wilde's SALOME starring Al Pacino, David Straitharn, and Marisa Tomei. For more information on The Actors Studio and The Cherry Orchard, visit http://theactorsstudio.org.

In a statement, Ellen Burstyn, who serves as co-President and Artistic Director of The Actors Studio, said: "When The Cherry Orchard was first performed at the Moscow Art Theater, the director Stanislavsky called it a 'great tragedy.' Chekhov insisted it was a 'comedy.' The Actors Studio finds it is both. We look forward to sharing our vision of this great classic work with the supporters of The Actors Studio."

Founded in 1947 by Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg, The Actors Studio continues to dedicate its efforts to the service and development of theatre artists -- actors, directors and playwrights -- through programs that facilitate a safe haven for the creation of new works and the exploration and nurturing of the artist's craft. Hollywood icons Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel, & Al Pacino continue to serve as co-Presidents.

Burstyn will be joined on stage in The Cherry Orchard by Actors Studio members: Robert Adrian, Patrik Baldauff, Lash Dooley, Gabriel Furman, Gabriel Fazio, Beau Gravitte, Timothy Doyle, Sam Hamill, Conn Horgan, Joe Maruzzo, Mihaela Mihut, Sarah Anne Miles, Evgeniya Radilova, and Dena Tyler.

The design team for The Cherry Orchard includes scenic and costume design by Andreea Mincic, lighting by Isabella Byrd, sound by Iggy Hung, choreography by Katherine Crockett, and musical compositions by Andrea Fratto. Additional company members include production manager Libby Jensen, production stage manager Catherine Beckett, stage managers Emily Ballou & Katy Moore, prop manager Liana Jackson, and technical interns Anita Clay, James Lentini, and Paul Lehrman.

In addition to its year-round commitment to working artists, The Actors Studio also devotes its efforts to the cultivation of the next generation of artists through the famed Actors Studio Drama School, a three year MFA program at Pace University, which includes Bravo's Emmy winning "Inside the Actors Studio" television show as the craft seminar for the MFA program. For further information, click here.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride