Photo Flash: THE SEAGULL at The Artistic Home

In The Artistic Home's production of Anton Chekhov's classic comedy of unrequited love and unrealized dreams, The Seagull, Company Artistic Director Kathy Scambiatterra (a Jeff Award nominee for The Artistic Home's Sweet Bird of Youth) plays 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 is the writer Trigorin. Brookelyn Hebert, of AH's Macbeth and Cut to the Chase, plays 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, a Jeff nominee for The Late Henry Moss.

Also in the cast are Laura Lapidus (of Theatre Wit's Bad Jews) 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 offers audiences an unusually intimate viewing of this classic. "The 38-seat Artistic Home is 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 is 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.

ABOUT THE ARTISTIC HOME

The Artistic Home is an Equity theatre company noted for their innovative and intimate presentations of rarely-produced classics as well developing new works. Audiences may know The Artistic Home best from their recent Jeff-Nominated productions of Watch on the Rhine and Macbeth or the 2013 Jeff Award winner The Goddess and the nominated The Late Henry Moss. Other Artistic Home productions include the Jeff-Award-winning production of Juno and the Paycock, which also received three After Dark Awards, the Jeff-Nominated Sweet Bird of Youth, The Tallest Man, Landscape of the Body, Natural Affection, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, After the Fall and Peer Gynt (which also received an After Dark award for Direction).
For more than 15 years, The Artistic Home has consistently produced compelling theatre in Chicago. First formed in 1998 with the belief that the actor is at the heart of great theater, the company strives to give birth to unforgettable moments; to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact; to readdress the classics and explore new works with passion.

Photo Credit: Joe Mazza at Brave Lux

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