The Actors' Ensemble and GoShow Entertainment Presents Chekhovek 2/1

Chekhovek, a new comedy adapted and directed by Melania Levitsky from nine of Anton Chekhov's best known short stories, will be given its New York premiere when previews begin Wednesday, February 1, at 8:00 pm for an opening Tuesday, February 7, at 7:00pm at the ArcLight Theatre, 152 West 71st Street.

Chekhovek, with new music composed by Jonathan Talbott, brings the short fiction genius of the Russian master to the stage with nine of his most famous and theatrical stories performed by five actors and one musician. The Chekhov short stories are The Lady with the Dog, Death of a Government Clerk, The Ninny, A Blunder, The Huntsman, The Chemist's Wife, The Black Monk, Vanka, The Chorus Girl, and Gusev.

Anton Chekhov was primarily an author of brilliant short stories, he wrote hundreds, yet he is best known today as one of the world's greatest playwrights. His short stories are filled with the compassion and humor of an observer who is both uncle and journalist, critic and poet, witnessing episodes in the lives of a vast array of flawed men and women. Chekhov's stories most concisely express his sentiments about the human character: we are beautiful and ridiculous and funny and heartbreaking.

"Chekhovek" [Russian; derived from chelovek, meaning person; vek, meaning century, or life (arch.); and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, author, 1860-1904] A comedy about desire, death and foolishness, in 15 scenes.

Starring in Chekhovek, presented in this engagement by The Actors' Ensemble and GoShow Entertainment, are Eddie Allen, David Anderson, Elizabeth Fountain, Rob Leo Roy, and Celia Schaefer.

Director and adaptor Melania Levitsky, who has lived in Russia, has been working on adapting Chekhov short stories for the stage for some time. Last year, a version was performed upstate by Walking the Dog Theater, for which she is associate artistic director.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov 1860 – 1904) was born in Taganrog, Russia, the grandson of a serf. He became a physician, dramatist and author and wrote four of the world's greatest plays: Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya, The Seagull, and The Cherry Orchard. His best short stories were held in the highest esteem by writers and critics alike, among them, Vladimir Nabokov, Ernest Hemingway, and Leo Tolstoy. Raymond Carver considered him the greatest short story writer who ever lived.

Scenic design is by David L. Arsenault, lighting is by Nastassia Jimemez and costumes are by Erica E. Evans.

Chekhovek performs Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00pm with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm, February 1 through March 4. Tickets for Chekhovek are $35 and may be purchased via web at www.chekhovek.com or by phone at 866-811-4111

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