Orange County's Chance Theater presents West Coast Premiere adaptation of Chekov's THE SEAGULL

ANAHEIM HILLS, CA-Chance Theater, Orange County's premiere mid-sized theater, presents the West Coast Premiere of Richard Nelson's adaptation of THE SEAGULL by Anton Chekov, which continues through October 25. The production is directed by Tony Vezner, Assistant Professor of Theatre at Irvine's Concordia University and director of the Chance's 2008 critically-acclaimed production of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol.

In a garden by a lake, old friends and family gather to watch the newest theatrical creation of Konstantin, the son of a celebrated actress past her prime. Little does anyone in attendance know that what happens this evening will set off a series of events that will change their lives forever. People will fall in and out of love, people will drink, and people will shoot birds and even themselves. Bear witness to Chekhov's tragicomedy of life and art that astonished the old century as it heralded the birth of modern drama.

Adapted by Richard Nelson, whose dramatic sensibilities were previously brought to the Chance stage with his play Goodnight Children Everywhere, Chekhov's first major play still resonates today. Along with the themes of fame, sex, love and dysfunctional families, The Seagull is one of the great plays about art. It superbly captures the struggle for new forms, the questionable value of commercial success, as well as the frustrations and fulfilments of creating "true art."

As one of the great works in the history of the theatre, The Seagull is one of the most prolifically-produced plays in the world. From the original, famed production at Konstantin Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre in 1898 to the recent landmark revival in New York's Central Park, directed by Mike Nichols and starring stage luminaries Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Goodman, and Kevin Kline, The Seagull has enchanted and engaged audiences from across the world for the last 100 years. This production promises to be just a little bit different.

The cast for The Seagull includes Dan Flapper, Karen Webster, Jennifer Ruckman, Jonathon Lamer, Glenn Koppel, John Bolen, Melanie Gable, Lewis R. Crouse II, Toni Beckman, Jara Jones, Sohina Sidhu, and Josh Aguilar.

The creative team includes Shaun Motley (Scenic Designer), Jeff Brewer (Lighting Designer), Christopher Scott Murillo (Costume Designer), JoNathan Josephson (Dramaturg), and Jeanne Valleroy (Stage Manager).

Photo Credit: Karen Webster and Dan Flapper by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio.

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Performances of THE SEAGULL continue at The Chance Theater on Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. through October 25, 2009.
Tickets are $22-$35. As part of their Stimulus Campaign, a limited amount of discounted StimTix are available for every performance.

The Chance Theater is located at 5552 E. La Palma Ave, Anaheim Hills, CA 92807. Visit www.chancetheater.com or call 714.777.3033 for tickets.

About the Chance Theater
Recently named "Outstanding Arts Organization" for the second time by Arts Orange County, the Chance is proud to be wrapping up its Mainstage Series of Season 11 as one of the leading ensemble based theatre companies in Southern California. Voted "Best Theater Group" by MyFoxLA for two years in a row and "Best Small Theater" by Orange Coast Magazine, and a recipient of the 2007 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle's (LADCC) Polly Warfield Award for Excellence, a vital component of the Chance Theater's mission has always been to intimately present personally meaningful, uniquely engaging stories that promote dialogue within our community and provide a visceral experience for theatergoers. As a constituent member of Theater Communications Group (TCG), Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET), and the Los Angeles Stage Alliance (LASA), the Chance continues to bring national attention to Southern California theater through its recent achievements, which include a 2006 GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Los Angeles Theater.

For more information or to make secure reservations, contatct www.chancetheater.com

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