Theatre HAN presents two short plays by Anton Chekhov, "Swan Song" and "The Bear."
December 1 - 20 at Theatre 54
More info HERE
“As a rule, little things are much better to write than big ones: they are less pretentious, but still successful... what more does anyone need?” -- Anton Chekhov
Theatre HAN follows up its acclaimed New York Premiere of Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian’s The Bus Stop, with LIGHT IN THE DARK: CHEKHOV SHORTS. This evening is comprised of two short plays by Anton Chekhov, “Swan Song” and “The Bear” (both translated by Paul Schmidt) and two unique entr’actes. Directed by Frederick Waggoner, previews begin December 1st at Theatre 54 with opening night slated for December 4th.
East and West meet in LIGHT IN THE DARK: CHEKHOV SHORTS. The evening begins with “Swan Song” (1887), about an alcoholic actor and a prompter who get locked into a theater overnight. The prompter is left to ease the actor’s woes about a life wasted in pursuit of art. This piece is accompanied by “The Bear” (1888), in which a widow in mourning is visited by a persistent bill collector. Rounding out the evening are two short interludes: Salpuri, a traditional Korean dance of mourning, and Pamina’s aria from The Magic Flute by Mozart.
The cast of LIGHT IN THE DARK: CHEKHOV SHORTS includes actors LB Williams, Mark Thomas, Ivan De Leon, Alice Oh, and Frederico Trigo; vocalists Seung Hee Lee and Insuk Kim; and renowned dancer Sue-Yeon Park (a 2008 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow). The production features piano accompaniment by Moon Young Yang, costumes by Rami Seo, and stage management by Debra Stunich.
Frederick Waggoner trained at The Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago where he was Amy Morton’s assistant director on her acclaimed 2001 revival of Glengarry Glen Ross (starring Tracy Letts). He has worked frequently with Common Basis Theater Company in New York. On TV, he has appeared on One Life to Live and As The World Turns (as Dr. Randall Adams).
Theatre HAN is under the artistic direction of Alice Oh. It is the primary mission of Theatre HAN to be the bridge that connects diverse cultures on the stage. In Korean, “HAN” means “one”, “wide and all-encompassing”, and “sorrow.” Theatre HAN sees theatre as a place where strangers can meet and commiserate. Theatre HAN will present rarely seen foreign plays and re-examine Western classics from a multi-cultural perspective. Their inaugural production was presented earlier this season, an acclaimed New York Premiere of Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian’s The Bus Stop. For more information visit www.theatrehan.com.
LIGHT IN THE DARK: CHEKHOV SHORTS runs December 1 - 20, Wednesday - Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 5pm. (Note: 1st performance is Tuesday at 8pm.) Theatre 54 is located at 244 West 54th Street, between Broadway & 8th Aves -- accessible from the B/D trains at 7th Ave., N/R at 57th Street or the A,C,D,1,9 at Columbus Circle. Tickets are $18, available at 212-352-3101 or www.TheaterMania.com.