MBCT to Present an Absurdist, Bare Bones THREE SISTERS 3/18-27

MBCT; Modern But Classical Theatre's spellbinding, bare bones production of Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS begins its run at the Brooklyn Lyceum this evening running thru March 24th. Directed and adapted from seven translations by MBCT Artistic Director Miriam Tobin and fully titled THREE SISTERS: a tale of dreams and woe, this haunting new production blends elements of Taoism with Theater of the Absurd as the three titular characters remain atop three heaps of discarded personal junk, seated high above their dilapidated world where they emotionally decay before the audience's eyes. Scaled down to five characters, Sarah Hartley, Emily Davison, and Alex Vincent will star as the sisters Olga, Masha, and Irina, with Tim Gilligan as Andrei, and Charlie Wilson as the Ice Queen Natasha.

THREE SISTERS: a tale of dreams and woe explores the longing, despair, and fantasy in Anton Chekhov's famous drama: the account of a trio of sisters who dream of the wondrous city of Moscow so they can escape their dreadful, lonesome lives. This absurdly humorous adaptation transforms Chekhov's play into a dark, otherworldly fairytale where each of the five characters is based on a natural element of Taoism (Metal, Fire, Wood, Earth, Water), each representing only one part of what should be a balanced whole. In this production, each character will also have unique, highly physical and stylized movements and speech patterns, carrying through the characters' inability to communicate with one another. The production will feature an original score by Amanda Tabor based on and inspired by the music referred to in Chekhov's original play (such as Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin).

Miriam Tobin and the ensemble are alumni of the Atlantic Theater Company's Acting School, and the creative team stems from NYU. The creative includes Lauren Augareten (Assistant Director, Stage Manager), Kristian Lazzaro (Set Designer), Amanda Tabor (Composer), Hannah Senter (Costumes), and Paloma Wake (Associate Producer).

THREE SISTERS: a tale of dreams and woe will run from March 18th thru March 24th at the Brooklyn Lyceum (227 4th Avenue/R train to Union Street) with performances Fri-Sat at 8PM, Sunday at 5PM and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 8PM. Tickets, priced at $15 ($10 for students and seniors), can be bought online at www.TheaterMania.com or by phone at 212-352-3101.