Dean Productions Presents “The Chekhov Comedies, 5 Short Plays by Anton Chekhov.” Translated by Julius West. Directed by Rebecca Lynne.
Running from April 11 through April 27, Thursday through Saturday 7:30pm, also Wednesday 17 at 7:30pm
Brand Park, 1601 W. Mountain Ave, Glendale, CA 91201
I’ve come to expect quite a lot from the dedicated members of Dean Productions.
Over the last few years, they have presented some wonderful plays, Shakespeare in a mad house, The 39 Steps to name a very memorable couple. They have given me some spectacular theatrical memories tucked away in this gorgeous park under the shadow of the hills in Glendale.
Lilja Rose Michaud as Revunov and Madison Young as Nunin in “The Wedding”
So Chekhov ehy? He just happens to be one of my favorite writers. His work is absolutely hilarious and utterly sublime. It’s also mysteriously difficult to do well. It takes a certain pizazz, a very subtle thread of annoyance and a deep understanding of his delight in leaving us hanging.
On a very windy night, while the trees swayed and the dust blew and the hatstands toppled, I sat in Brand park and watched these brave actors lean in to the wind and perform five of Chekhov’s short comedic plays. And they were absolutely wonderful.
Madison Young as Tatiana, Sierra Laurin Parsons as Khirin, and Lilja Rose Michaud as Shipuchin in “The Anniversary”
The plays were “The Anniversary,” “An Unwilling Martyr,” “The Bear,” The Proposal” and “The Wedding.” Unfortunately, I was unable to see the last two plays as the wind reached 30 miles an hour and in true Chekhovian fashion, the evening remained incomplete.
But the three plays I did see were really excellent. The cast consists of four delightful actresses who take on all the roles, male and female. They do this with the energy, the nerve and the infinite sarcasm that it takes to do justice to Chekhov. His dour and awkward characters and his nonsensical and often unhinged relationships between them require an audacious approach and a fearless, comic physicality to truly translate his brilliant prose.
Sierra Laurin Parsons as Khirin in “The Anniversary”
I honestly can think of few things I would prefer than to sit in a lovely park of an evening and watch joyfully performed Chekhov…by talented women.
Dean Productions are big-hearted, brave and ambitious. They revel in adversity, whether that be the wind or the play. They take on works by writers they admire and produce performances that more than do them justice. They are well worthy of our support and the amazing work they do for children with cancer, helping them to write and then perform their own work is admirable and important.
Sierra Laurin Parsons as Lomov and Lilja Rose Michaud as Chubukov in “The Proposal”
“The Chekhov Comedies, 5 Short Plays by Anton Chekhov” at the Brand Park in Glendale is a magical and glorious production of one of the finest writers of our times.
The run is short so don’t dawdle, the tickets are free…although you really should donate!!!
Running from April 11 through April 27, Thursday through Saturday 7:30pm, also Wednesday 17 at 7:30pm
Brand Park, 1601 W. Mountain Ave, Glendale, CA 91201
Tickets are free but donations are gratefully received and reservations are necessary!
http://deanproductionstheatre.com/index.html
The Players
Cassie Clark, Lilja Rose Michaud, Sierra Laurin Parsons, Madison Young
Production Team
Rebecca Lynne – Artistic Director & Director
Madison Strasser – Managing Director
Mannette Antill – Dialect Coach
Melissa Wilson – Costume Designer
Joshua Winkler – Lighting Designer
Jeremy Leung – Sound Designer
Edward Khris Fernandez – Stage Manager
Hannah Trujillo – Stage Manager
Lisa Bigelow – House Manager
Philip Sokoloff – Publicist
Author: Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros is a Theatre and Food Writer and Filmmaker living in Los Angeles.