RAT THEATRE PROJECT NEWS

[Bobby Mrozek <bby@earthlink.net>]

Theatre Project (Baltimore, America)

KASHTANKA
 
Theatre Project presents the International Stanislavsky Theatre Studio's 
production of Anton Chekhov's Kashtanka March 20 through April 11, 1999; 
Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $12 ($8 for students and 
children).  THEATRE PROJECT, 45 W. PRESTON STREET  Call the Theatre 
Project Box Office at 410-752-8558.

About the production:  Kashtanka has remained in the Stanislavsky 
Theatre Studio's repertoire since its opening at The National Theatre in 
Washington DC in December of 1997.  According to Russia's ITAR-TASS News 
Agency, kashtanka  is"...a bold theatrical interpretation of the 
classical piece, harmoniously combining literature, comedy, dance, 
drama, ballet and pantomime with the music of Nino Rota and Dimitri 
Shostakovich..." The Washington Post called Kashtanka "tremendously 
delightful," while The Review stated that "...with just the right amount 
of comedy combined with  pathos, the performance is a wonderful 
experience for both adults and children." During the Theatre Project 
run, Kashtanka will be presented in concert with The Miraculous Magical 
Balloon, an original one act pantomime piece developed by the company. 
Since its premier in April of 1998, it has been presented almost one 
hundred times, including two performances at The Kennedy Center in 
Washington DC. It has been seen and enjoyed by approximately thirty 
thousand people.  Both performances are directed by STS' two artistic 
directors, Andrei Malaev-Babel and Paata Tsikurishvili, choreographed by 
STS resident choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili and designed by resident 
designer Evgeniya Luzhina-Salazar. This production of The Little 
Tragedies is produced with the help of the STS Corporate Sponsor, 
Booz€Allen & Hamilton, Inc.

About the story:  The Stanislavsky Theatre Studio's production is 
adapted from Anton Chechov's classic tale that chronicles the adventures 
of Kashtanka, a chestnut-colored dog.  Separated from his master in a 
winter storm, he is rescued by a kindly circus clown and adopted into a 
circus family.  In the dramatic finale Kashtanka is rediscovered by his 
former master while performing in the circus spotlight. He is now forced 
to choose between the two families...  Despite rather unusual animal 
characters, Kashtanka is a typical Chekhovian bitter-sweet tale of 
unconditional love and devotion.

About the author:  Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, (b. Jan. 29, 1860 - d. July 
15, 1904) was a master of the short story and one of modern literature's 
foremost playwrights.  In both fiction and drama Chekhov was an 
innovator, distinguished by a flair for extracting tension, comedy and 
pathos from superficially undramatic themes.  He skillfully exploited 
the cunningly contrived anticlimax in works that stress mood and 
atmosphere rather than plot and action.  As a master of hints, half 
statements and eloquent silence, he differed from his Russian 
predecessors Leo Tolstoi and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.  Chekhov's works 
represent a serious inquiry, relieved by humor, into the human 
condition.