This 10-week advanced class will take an enlightened look at the work of Anton Chekhov by examining the theater that has followed him. You will look at not only his original plays, but also modern adaptations, site-specific interpretations, and the works of contemporary writers who have taken a cue from Chekhov’s definitive style. The class will assume an alternating structure—one week will be devoted to traditional Chekhovian scene study, and the following will take a completely different approach to the work of the previous week and re-explore it by varying context, shifting locations, or examining new plays that ask the same questions about human interaction and relationships as Chekhov’s work. Through ensemble training, the goal of this class is to challenge your perceptions of Chekhov—and of theater as a whole—while learning to adapt quickly to frequent changes and unexpected challenges. Actors should come prepared to play, fail, explore, and above all else, keep going.

This class will culminate in a repertory-style presentation of your class work before an invited audience. For returning and advanced students only.