DIRECTOR'S NOTES
Playwright Anton Chekhov insisted he wrote comedy; Stanislavski, the director of the Moscow Art Theatre who is widely considered the father of realism and modern theatre, disagreed. However, it's their collaboration that truly made this piece a classic work of art.
After The Seagull famously flopped in its 1896 debut in St. Petersburg, Stanislavski tackled a completely reimagined version to premiere in Moscow in 1898. The director introduced sensory elements, nuanced moods, and detailed character mannerisms, completely altering the play into a smashing success when it opened in December 1898.
For our production, we have attempted to thread the needle between Chekhov's comedy and Stanislavski's naturalism, hopefully maintaining all the subtext he would have loved. Even as we laugh at the comedy that is on the surface, the deeper psychological elements explore the layered themes of love, loss, artistry, and self-perception. You will need to decide yourself if this is a tragedy, a comedy, or a bit of both.
-Hampton Rowe, Director
