Lumina Studio Theatre is presenting Chekhov’s Three Sisters this weekend at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, in Silver Spring, MD. Three Sisters follows the dreams of Moscow-bred, Olga, Masha & Irina Prosorov in the time following their father’s death. Olga, the teacher, seeing her dream married life fading and being replaced by the hope of returning to Moscow. Masha, married to a man considerably older than herself and saddened that her dream of a happy life isn’t working out. The youngest, Irina, dreams of finding love & happiness in Moscow. Their brother, Andrey, is in love with a villager, Natasha.
Executive & Artistic Director David Minton invites you to come see Three Sisters: “Thanks for your interest in the Three Sisters performed by our Ensemble Company that will be performed this weekend. We don’t use the term kids anymore around Lumina – especially with the Ensemble Group. Most of these actors have performed in over 20 productions of Shakespeare, Dickens, Fielding, etc. from a very young age and have become remarkably gifted and mature young adults – mostly 18 and on their way to college in the Fall.
Three Sisters, as one of the true flowers of Chekhov’s incredible realism, in particular, and early 20th century theatre, in general, meets what I would consider the flowering of Lumina’s particular focus: a specific group of young actors who have worked in the rich vineyards of classical theatre for over a decade. Verse technique is second nature for these young professionals (if I could apply that term to their training at least); analysis of themes and ideas in Shakespeare’s world are a joy for them. But taking on a masterwork of the father of realism is new for them, and the results should prove both surprising and unique.
I have played the role of Tusenbach as a young actor in Dallas theatre years ago, and I can attest that our Tusenbach goes quite beyond my ability at that time – as I would say about so many of the young actors in this production.
As our world – culturally at least – seems to be growing “younger” in feel as the years roll on, and if young actors DO have anything truly promising to add to the future of classical theatre in this country, then this production will provide a significant lens on what that future might look like.
I truly hope you can come and see these fine performers in their final production in this area.
Best,
David (Minton)
Three Sisters plays tonight Friday, March 23rd at 7 PM, tomorrow, March 24th at 2 and 6 PM, and Sunday, March 25th at 2 PM at The Silver Spring Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center -7995 Georgia Avenue, in Silver Spring, MD. For tickets, purchase them online.
