Photo Flash: Sneak Peek at The Instigators' New Translation of THE SEAGULL; Film to Follow!

The Instigators follow up their acclaimed 2016 revival of Odets's Golden Boy with an immersive and intimate staging of Chekhov's THE SEAGULL. Lillian Meredith (Golden Boy) directs this imaginative, daring production using an agile and spirited adaptation of the text by Fergus Scully and Taylor Petracek, accompanied by a live soundscape that blends actor-created sound effects with original music composed by Sylvana Joyce. Performances run through June 18 at Access Theater. The production will be a precursor to a new indie film version of the play set to begin shooting in mid June with the same actors, incorporating elements of the live staging. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

The first of Chekhov's four major plays, THE SEAGULL is about a family of theater artists and the month-long sojourn in the country that transforms their lives forever. Konstantin, a young and idealistic playwright, dreams of creating new art forms, but a visit from his famous-actress-mother and her famous-writer-boyfriend overwhelms and demoralizes him. He feels more and more suffocated as his love for the star-struck neighbor grows increasingly unrequited. With humor and keen insight, THE SEAGULL exposes the absurdity of the human condition and the poignancy of the need to live an extraordinary life.

The production stars Kristen Vaughan, Todd Licea, Taylor Petracek, Siena D'Addario, Emmanuel Elpenord, Jeanette Dilone, Fergus Scully, Deborah Unger, Peter Feliz, Roger Rathburn and Kazuhiro Imafuku. The production team also includes Lindsey Hurley (stage manager), Chika Shimizu (set), Caitlin Rapoport (lighting), and Dana Saffran (production manager/house manager).

THE SEAGULL runs through June 18. Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 7:30 PM. Access Theater is located at 380 Broadway at White Street -- accessible from the A/C/E/N/Q/R/6 trains at Canal Street or the 1 train at Franklin. Tickets range from $7.50 - $30, available at www.instigators.eventbrite.com.

Fergus Scully (Trigorin) and Kristen Vaughan (Arkadina) in The Seagull. Photo by Lisa Renee Jordan.
Fergus Scully (Trigorin) and Jeanette Dilone (Nina) in The Seagull. Photo by Lisa Renee Jordan.
Taylor Petracek (Konstantin) and Jeanette Dilone (Nina) in The Seagull. Photo by Lisa Renee Jordan.
Fergus Scully (Trigorin) and Siena D'Addario (Masha) in The Seagull. Photo by Lisa Renee Jordan.
Kristen Vaughan (Arkadina) and Taylor Petracek (Konstantin) in The Seagull. Photo by Lisa Renee Jordan.