The Seagull

Chekhov's beloved 1895 tragicomedy The Seagull is presented with an adaptation by playwright in residence Élise C. Hanson, under the direction of Shea Potter. The lives and loves of the artistically inclined are explored in the setting of a Russian country estate, with themes of unrequited love, fulfillment, artistic aspirations, desires, disillusionments, and despair. The Seagull is, first and foremost, deeply human. Anton Chekhov was a humanist playwright, one of the pioneers of modern storytelling, in which the flaws and foibles of ordinary people are brought to the foreground. Here you will find no heroes and villains, but bewitching, wretched, and wonderful people. His tragicomedy on the lives and loves of artists in 19th century Russia has been treasured for over a hundred years, and it is our great joy to share it with you in a compact, intimate space, much how Chekhov saw fit to confine these characters in an effort to force confrontation with themselves and one another. Playwright Élise C. Hanson’s agile, tremendously performable adaptation of this play reverences Chekhov’s work while drawing out character enrichment and weaving in structural alterations, a creative effort in line with New World’s mission to offer classical pieces with intentionality and resonance to modern audiences. In Hanson’s refitting, the late-stage Victorian rhythms and Chekhov’s voice remain intact, but are rendered to mesmeric, vital, refreshing life and potent, vibrant color. Shea Potter makes his first foray into the world of directing, lending his acumen for comedy and a mindful deliberation to the piece. We hope you will join us.

New World Shakespeare Company began in 2012, sustaining its effortful commitment to provide truly meaningful and enriching artistic experiences to artists and audience members in the Salt Lake Valley. Each production focuses on a charitable cause that highlights a theme in the play. For The Seagull, NWSC is partnering with Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors. The Seagull is playing Fridays and Saturdays May 23rd through June 27th at the Utah Arts Alliance Sister Dottie Dixon Blackbox Theatre.