Chekhov's WARD Closes Central Works' Season

Central Works 2018 season closes with a tale of madness, alienation and moral responsibility- Chekhov's WARD 6, adapted by Gary Graves opening Saturday Oct 13 running through Nov 11 (previews Oct 11 & 12) at the historic Berkeley City Club.

Central Works' world premiere #61, Chekhov's WARD 6, is adapted by Gary Graves from a story by the master of page and stage Anton Chekhov. Ward 6 is the ward for the insane in a provincial hospital in the backwoods of the Russian countryside. Through the "rantings" of a ward patient, the hospital's director Andrei Ragin is awakened to the suffering and corruption that surrounds him. Dr. Ragin's colleagues in the hospital become alarmed by his unconventional relationship with an inmate and they undertake a radical course of treatment for the doctor. World Premiere #61 and a Central Works Method Play, Chekhov's WARD 6 is inspired by the master storyteller himself.

"I love Chekhov's sensibility, his language, his understanding of human psychology, and his unique sense of humor," remarks director/adaptor Gary Graves. "So often in Chekhov's works, the humor derives from the lack of self-knowledge in the characters. They just don't see how self-serving or hypocritical they are. But we see it..." Graves also sees that this aspect of public life has many parallels in America today.

Chekhov's WARD 6 is the third novella by Anton Chekhov developed and presented by Central Works. The first was story,The Duel, was developed in 2004, followed by An Anonymous Story in 2010. This trilogy of "new Chekhov plays" have all been written by Gary Graves and also included actor Richard Frederick who, along the with other ensemble members, participated extensively in the development of the scripts as part of the Central Works Method of new play creation.

Directed by Gary Graves, Chekhov's WARD 6 features a cast that includes Ed Berkeley, Richard Frederick, Carolina Morones, Adam Roy, Louel Señores and Don Wood. With stage management by Alandra Hileman, the costume design is by Tammy Berlin, prop design by Debbie Shelley and sound design by Gregory Scharpen. Chekhov's WARD 6 is a Central Works Method Play, developed in collaboration with Ed Berkeley, Richard Frederick, Carolina Morones, Adam Roy, Louel Señores, Don Wood and Jan Zvaifler.

For more than 27 years Central Works has filled a special niche for theater artists in the San Francisco Bay Area, producing more new plays by local playwrights than any other company in the region. "The New Play Theater" utilizes three basic strategies: some are developed in the Central Works Writers Workshop, some are products of the Central Works Method, and some come to the company fully developed.

Central Works Method plays bring together writer, actors and director at the very outset of the playwriting process. In a supportive workshop environment, group research and collective brainstorming contribute to the entire development of the script.

The Central Works Writers Workshop is an ongoing commissioning program established in 2012. Twice a year, in 12-week sessions, 8 local playwrights are selected to develop projects through informal readings and carefully directed discussions. For more information, visit our website: www.centralworks.org

Central Works is also a member of the National New Play Network (NNPN), and has participated in two Rolling World Premieres over the past two seasons.

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