THE CHERRY ORCHARD & Cherry Jubilee Mark March At Everyman

Anton Chekhov's modern classic The Cherry Orchard opens on March 18 and runs through April 26. Directed by Everyman Artistic Director Vincent M. Lancisi and translated by Michael Frayn, the production features several members of Everyman's Resident Company: Megan Anderson, Deborah Hazlett, Rosemary Knower, Wil Love, Carl Schurr, and Stan Weiman. Media Sponsor is the Jewish Times.

Chekhov wrote The Cherry Orchard during the last year of his life. The play reflects the end of an era - a wealthy family loses its beloved cherry orchard and estate to a man of the rising middle class. (The Chekhov family home was repossessed in 1876, perhaps an inspiration for the play.)

In early 20th century Russia, aristocrats and landed gentry were losing their wealth and seemed incapable of coping with their change in status. The tragedy of the situation for Mrs. Ranevsky and her family derives primarily from their inability to adapt to their reduced circumstances. No longer able to depend on the serfs who worked their land, many wealthy landowners like Mrs. Ranevsky lost their fortunes and their estates.

Audiences for more than a century have been fascinated by this play as it portrays both personal and political dilemmas...so very modern, so very relevant!

About the Author
Remembered today as the founder of modern drama and the modern short story, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born in the small seaport of Taganrog, Ukraine on January 17, 1860. The son of a grocer and the grandson of a serf who had bought his own and his son's freedom 19 years earlier, Chekhov spent his early years under the dominance of his father's religious fanaticism while working long hours in his store.

He was 16 when his father went bankrupt and moved the family to Moskow. Chekhov stayed behind, supporting himself by tutoring while attending school. He later attended Moscow University Medical School and became a doctor. While there, he began to publish comic short stories to earn money...and by 1886, he had gained acclaim as a writer. Several awards and prizes followed...as did a brief return to science.

Following several years of travel, Chekhov bought a country estate and began to write exclusively. During this time, he published some of his most memorable works. He married actress Olga Knipper in 1901, but their happiness was short lived. She played Mrs. Ranevskay in The Cherry Orchard for the first time in January, 1904 and Chekhov died just a few months later.

Widely celebrated by Russian literati at the time of his death, Chekhov remained largely unknown internationally until the years following World War I when his works were translated into English.Mmmmmm....Delicious!
Don't Miss Cherry Jubilee
Invitations will be in the mail soon for Everyman's not-to-be-missed annual gala, Cherry Jubilee, set for April 18 at the American Visionary Art Museum. Set to coincide with the production of The Cherry Orchard, the evening features cocktails and dinner, great music for dancing, and our always-popular auction...this year offering more unique and exciting items than ever. Hosted by Everyman's own Bruce R. Nelson, Cherry Jubilee has something for everyone. If you would like to receive an invitation, just send an email to marketingdirector@everymantheatre.org

Sponsorship opportunities and program ad space are still available for a limited time.

To post a comment, you must register and login.