'The Cherry Orchard' at Butler Next Weekend

Butler Theatre will present 'The Cherry Orchard', a play by the Russian Anton Chekhov, 24-28 February in Theater 168 of Lilly Hall Studio on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis. It is part of “The World Comes to Butler,” the theater's 2009-2010 season.

All performances take place in Lilly Hall Studio Theatre 168. They'll be at 8 p.m. 24-27 February, and 2 p.m. 27 and 28 February. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students. Call 317:940-9247 for tickets.

The play, in a translation by Paul Schmidt, will be directed by Elaina Artemiev. Written in 1903, the play was given its first production early in 1904. Chekhov viewed the work as a comedy and was deeply frustrated that Konstantin Stanislavski, directing at the Moscow Art Theatre, made it into a tragedy. Most people would have difficulty thinking of the play as a comedy because the loss of the family estate seems so poignant. Yet, as we observe the life onstage we conclude that the characters’ actions are either ridiculous or utterly inept. One might feel sorry for the family – but then surely they could have done a better job of preserving the heritage that they claim is so important to them.

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