Arlekin Reveals Cast of OUR CLASS Boston Engagement

Arlekin has announced a long-awaited run of Our Class in Boston. This contemporary production of Tadeusz Słobodzianek's masterpiece stars the internationally celebrated film and stage actress Chulpan Khamatova as Rachelka/Marianna, with Richard Topol as Abram and Ilia Volok as Wladek, reprising their roles from the New York premiere.

Boston favorites have just been announced to join the international cast including Deborah Martin, Gigi Watson, Jeremy Beazlie, and Arlekin company member Gene Ravvin. This cast, a mix of New York, Boston, Ukrainian, Russian, Jewish and Polish actors is rounded out by Zach Fike Hodges, Kirill Robtsov and Ryan Czerwonko from New York. Our Class is directed by Igor Golyak and produced by Sara Stackhouse. It will run at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts for 11 performances only, June 13-22.

Our Class is the story of Ten Polish classmates — five Jewish and five Catholic — who grow  up as friends and neighbors, then face the awakening of hatred, with life and death consequences. Inspired by real life events surrounding a 1941 pogrom in a small Polish village, this shocking, timely story follows their lives from childhood through eight decades. exploring themes of friendship, betrayal, and the consequences of hatred.

Our Class premiered in New York at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in January 2024, co-produced by MART Foundation & Arlekin. Nominated for Lortel, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle Awards, Our Class then transferred to Manhattan's Classic Stage Company for an 8- week run in fall 2024. It will be performed in Boston at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston  Center for the Arts. 

This celebrated Boston cast is helmed by international star of stage and screen Chulpan Khamatova (Good  Bye Lenin!, The Master and Margarita), and features Jeremy Beazlie (Tartuffe, The Gaaga), Ryan Czerwonko (TV: The Endgame, Chicago Med), Zach Fike Hodges (BEDLAM's Angels in America), Deborah Martin (The Dybbuk, Twelfth Night), Gene Ravvin (The Dybbuk, WITNESS), Kirill Rubtsov (Bovary, Kynaston), Gigi Watson (Just Tell No One, The Merchant of Venice), and, reprising their roles from the New York premiere, Richard Topol (Indecent, Our Class, The  Merchant of Venice) as Abram and Ilia Volok (Diary of a Madman, Our Class, The Gaaga) as  Wladek. The actors take on the roles of their characters starting as school children and following them throughout their lives. See full cast bios.

Chulpan Khamatova, a renowned Russian actress who has spoken out against Putin's war, brings her immense talent to the Boston stage. Says Khamatova, “I'm so happy to finally be  working with Igor Golyak on such an important play as Our Class. Especially now. I saw  the performance in New York and was quite moved by it. I want to speak loudly about what  happens to people when they are overwhelmed by hatred and war. It will be a wonderful  experience to collaborate on this play."

Directed by Golyak and adapted by Norman Allen, Our Class features scenic and prop design  by Jan Pappelbaum of the Schaubhüne, costumes by Sasha Ageeva, lighting design by Jeff Adelberg, sound design by Ben  Williams, with original music by Oscar winner Anna Drubich, projections design by Eric Dunlap & Igor Golyak with Andreea Mincic, chalk drawing design by Andreea Mincic, and choreography by Or Schraiber. Sara Stackhouse is the producer.