Theater season at Linfield will begin with “An Evening of Chekhov’s Comic Shorts,” the theater department’s first full production of the year.
“An Evening of Chekhov’s Comic Shorts” will feature the short plays “The Proposal” and “The Bear.”
Senior Kanon Havens said that this production is different than performing longer productions in many ways.
“We’ve been rehearsing for less than three weeks,” Havens said. “We have felt rushed, but it’s also cool. The actors all bonded quickly, and we’re able to keep our excitement the whole time. With months and months of rehearsal it’s easier to get tired of it and lose that enthusiasm.”
Besides the length of the rehearsal period, this production has a cast of just six—three actors for each play.
“It’s a good cast,” Havens said. “There are three freshmen and three older students, so there’s some nice diversity.”
The cast is working with guest director Jan Powell. Powell is known for her focus in Shakespeare. She is the founding director at the Tygres Heart Shakespeare Company, and she has produced and directed most of Shakespeare’s works.
“I was nervous to have a guest director for the first show of the year, but Jan is fabulous,” sophomore Jenny Layton said. “She’s wonderful to work with. I do not have one bad thing to say about her.”
Havens shares Layton’s enthusiasm and good opinion of the guest director.
“The first time I met her, she struck me as an incredibly passionate and creative person—someone I felt like I wanted to work with,” Havens said. “She’s an inspiring speaker. She’s open for suggestions, and very flexible.”
The two plays featured in this production, “The Proposal” and “The Bear,” poke fun at love and marriage. According to Havens, the plays are both about how silly people can be when they are in love.
“There are a lot of similarities,” Havens said. “Both plays have a male and a female and one other character. They both emphasize how ridiculous three people can be when they’re in love. But the best part is, it’s real. It’s exaggerated, but it’s true. People do get blind, and things do get messy.”
Overall, Havens and Layton said they thought “An Evening of Chekhov’s Comic Shorts” will be a successful production.
“It’s going to be fun,” Layton said. “I’m excited.”
Included in the cast are Havens, freshman Nicholas Granata and junior Chris Forrer in “The Bear.” Layton and freshmen Tim Singer and Jeremy Odden make up the cast in “The Proposal.” Opening night is Sept. 21 in the Marshall Theatre at Ford Hall. The production will run until Sept. 24.
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Sharon Gollery/Culture editor
Sharon Gollery can be reached at [email protected].
