Throughline Theatre brings “fun and funky” Chekhov show to Carnegie
Throughline Theatre, an ensemble production company with a mission to bridge generations by featuring a variety of plays from disparate time periods, is showing Uncle Vanya from June 19 through July 1. Artistic Director for Throughline Theatre Company J. Cody Spellman says he’s thrilled for audiences to see the theater’s adaptation of the show.
“I’m excited about audiences experiencing this play in a way they probably have never experienced before,” Spellman says. “It’s going to be really fun and funky and different and break the shape of what their experience of [Russian playwright] Chekhov is.”
The production company will be performing the adaptation of Uncle Vanya by Annie Baker. The show is a comedy about a Russian family trying to survive the hopelessness of country life in Russia during the late 19th century and shows themes of love and rejection throughout the plot line.
Known for his themes of death, disease, disillusionment, and failed ideals, Spellman says many people are “turned off” by Chekhov’s work. He’s trying to change that.
“I’ve always wanted to do Chekhov, I feel like his plays aren’t really done in Pittsburgh,” Spellman says. “But I feel like, for me, those plays in the past have always been really leading into tragedy and everything so I’m really excited for the chance to show the Pittsburgh region just how funny this can be.”
He has many different reasons why he picked out the show for Throughline to perform. One of them is the show's similarities to today’s world.
“Uncle Vanya is a really relevant and timeless play that deals with so many topics that we’re still battling with today,” Spellman says. “On our purposes in life, boredom and how dangerous boredom can be, and global warming and climate change which is pretty wild that he was talking about those things at that time.”
Another reason why he picked the Chekhov play is because it allows for a large ensemble cast.
“This year, we have transitioned to being an ensemble theatre company where my intention is that each year, we kind of add more and more ensemble members to the team where they feel that this is definitely their artistic home,” Spellman says. “I wanted to kind of find something that would work for them as well as challenge them and landed on Chekhov.”
Uncle Vanya will be performed at the Carnegie Stage from Mon., June 19 through Sat., July 1 and is directed by J. Cody Spellman. For more information, visit throughlinetheatre.org or purchase tickets at this link.