The Artistic Home has announced its cast for their production of Anton Chekhov's classic comedy of unrequited love and unrealized dreams, The Seagull.
Company Artistic Director
Kathy Scambiatterra will take the role of Madame Arkadina, the fading actress in love with a younger man, Trigorin.
Scot West, previously seen at The Artistic Home in Watch on the Rhine, Interrogation and Miracle on 34th Street and in Griffin's Men Should Weep, will play the writer Trigorin.
Brookelyn Hebert , of AH's Macbeth and Cut to the Chase, will play the young actress Nina, who is a rival to Arkadina for Trigorin's affections. In the role of Arkadina's son Konstantin, who competes with Trigorin for Nina's love, is AH ensemble member Julian Hester (below right), a Jeff nominee for The Late Henry Moss.
Also in the cast are Laura Lapidus as Masha, Kaiser Ahmed (Founding Artistic Director of Jackalope Theatre Company who appeared in AH's Modigliani) as Medvendenko, Barbara Figgins (Irish Theatre of Chicago's My Brilliant Divorce) as Polina, Kevin Gladish, (AH's A Touch of the Poet) as Shamrayev, Brian McKnight as Dorn and Larry Baldacci (West Side Story and Oklahoma! at Paramount) as Sorin.
Director
Cody Estle, who has previously directed Watch on the Rhine for The Artistic Home and most recently directed A Loss of Roses at Raven Theatre, says this production will offer audiences an unusually intimate viewing of this classic. "The 38-seat Artistic Home will be arranged alley-style for our Seagull," he explains. No one will be more than a few feet away from the actors. And though we're playing it in period, the set will be minimal, allowing us to focus on the text."
The design team includes Scenic Designer Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Jeff Nomination for Artistic Home's Watch on the Rhine), Lighting Designer Claire Sangster,
Sound Designer Chris LaPorte, Costume Designer Sarah Jo White and Properties Designer Mary O'Dowd. The Stage Manager is Wendye Clarendon and the dramaturg is Michael Conroy.
CODY ESTLE (Director) Cody's directing credits include Watch on the Rhine at The Artistic Home; A Loss of Roses, Dividing the Estate, Vieux Carré, Good Boys and True, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Boy Gets Girl and the world premiere of Dating Walter Dante at Raven Theatre, where he is Associate Artistic Director; Don't Go Gentle at Haven Theatre; Uncle Bob at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company and Hospitality Suite at Citadel Theatre Company. He's had the pleasure of assistant directing at
Northlight Theatre,
Goodspeed Musicals, Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Next Theatre and Strawdog Theatre. Estle serves on the faculty of Cherubs at
Northwestern University and is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago.
