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Theatre South Carolina will present the last play written by Russian physician and writer Anton Chekhov at Drayton Hall Theater Nov. 11–19.
The Cherry Orchard was first produced in early 1904, just months before Chekhov died of tuberculosis at the age of 44.
Like much of his writing, the play is notable for its social concerns, attention to detail, and nuances of characterization. Chekhov was a firm believer in progress and was concerned with the problems of the poor, particularly the exploitation of the poor by the powerful. He wrote about these issues from a special vantage point: he endured a childhood of poverty and suffering, and as an adult he built a successful medical career. His literary legacy lives on in his short stories and plays, which include Uncle Vanya and The Three Sisters.
The Cherry Orchard takes place in the years leading up to the Russian Revolution. The bittersweet story looks at the lives and loves of a once-wealthy family, its servants, and its neighbors. The play begins just as Madame Ranevskaya has returned to her sizable estate after a long stay in Paris and finds her finances in ruins. The sale of her beloved estate and its orchard is imminent, unless she and her family follow the recommendation of Lophakhin, a wealthy merchant. His advice? Chop down the orchard to make way for summer cottages.
“Change is an unending trial for people and society,” said Jim O’Connor, director of the Theatre South Carolina production and chair of the USC Department of Theatre, Speech, and Dance. “The present is so attractive—too attractive—but no one can keep it unchanged for long. Adapting to change, maybe even triumphing from it, was a challenge for Chekhov’s era. It remains a challenge in our own.
“Chekhov famously wrote that he thought of his plays as comedies, but they are often produced as historical costume dramas,” O’Connor continued. “I think Chekhov was right. We’re working on a lively and fast production that will present The Cherry Orchard in all its parts—satire, drama, and tragedy.”
Costumes for the Theatre South Carolina production are by MFA candidate Kelly Fitzpatrick. Lighting design is by MFA candidate Aaron Pelzek. Set design is by theatre faculty member and Obie Award winner Nic Ularu.
“The set will be abstract and beautiful, with moveable panels of lace,” Ularu said. “My set provides an opportunity for the lighting designer to use expressive colors, shadows, and movements to reflect the changes in time, in place, and in the characters’ emotions.”
Madame Ranevskaya is played by Vicky Saye Henderson, a company member at Trustus Theater and a teaching artist with the S.C. Arts Commission’s Arts in Education program. Lopakhin is played by second-year MFA candidate Tom Angland, who came to USC after more than 10 years as a professional actor. His roles in USC productions include Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
10/05
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Columbia actress Vicky Saye Henderson is Madame Ranevskaya, above, in Theatre South Carolina's production of The Cherry Orchard. Below, MFA student Marybeth Gorman is Ranevskaya's adopted daughter Varya, and MFA student Tom Angland is Lopakhin, a merchant.
