UNCLE VANYA at Pear Theatre, Feb 26 - Mar 13

Pear Theatre continues its 2015/2016 season with Anton Chekhov's classic UNCLE VANYA, in a world premiere translation by Bay Area writer, actor, and director Dave Sikula. Frustrated love, misguided impulses, and hope abound in this witty yet heartbreaking take on human experience, directed by Jeffrey Lo. One of Chekhov's "Big Four," UNCLE VANYA joins previous Pear productions of THE SEAGULL, THREE SISTERS, and THE CHERRY ORCHARD. Preview night is February 25th; Press and Opening Night is February 26th, with a champagne gala following the show. The run continues through March 13. All performances are held at the Pear Theatre's new space at 1110 La Avenida St., Mountain View. For tickets ($10-$35) and information the public may visit www.thepear.org or call (650) 254-1148.

Bay Area writer Dave Sikula has been translating Chekhov's works for more than 30 years, with the intention of preserving Chekhov's viewpoints and sensibilities, subtleties, and especially humor; while simultaneously producing a script that is workable for actors and accessible to American audiences. "My goal with this production - or any production I do of the canon - is to fit the language to the actors," says Sikula. "Despite Chekhov's plays being written a world away and more than a century ago, they're living texts to me, and the more organic I can make the script for the actors, the more natural it will feel and the more Chekhov's language and intentions can be appreciated by a 21st century audience in Mountain View."

In addition to writing, Sikula has directed approximately 50 shows, from A LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT to RUN FOR YOUR WIFE, to THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION. As an actor, he is a company member at Custom Made Theatre, and will play Samuel Beckett in the world premiere of SAM AND DEDE, OR MY DINNER WITH ANDRE THE GIANT in February and March of 2016. Having worked in high tech since 1999, Sikula has been at his current job, at a startup, for almost two years.

Director Jeffrey Lo has directed EURYDICE at Palo Alto Players, DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE at Los Altos Stage Company, SOME GIRL(S) at Dragon Productions and THE DRUNKEN CITY at Renegade Theatre Experiment. A playwright as well, Lo is the recipient of the 2014 Leigh Weimers Emerging Arist Award, the 2012 Emerging Artist Laureate by Arts Council Silicon Valley, and Theatre Bay Area Director's TITAN Award. His plays have been produced and workshopped at The BindleStiff Studio, City Lights Theatre Company, Custom Made Theatre Company, and the Orange County Playwrights Alliance. Jeffrey has also worked with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, TheatreWorks, and San Jose Repertory Theatre. He is the Casting Associate and Company Manager at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, a graduate of the Multicultural Arts Leadership Institue and a proud alumnus of the UC Irvine Drama Department.

The cast for this production includes Stephen Muterspaugh as Uncle Vanya, Steve Lambert as his brother-in-law Serebryakov, Monique Hafen as Serebryakov's young and beautiful wife Yelena, Jeffrey Bracco as Doctor Astrov, and April Culver as Vanya's niece Sonya. Other cast members include Judith Miller as Maria, Carolyn Ford Compton as Marina, Wes Gabrillo as Telyegin (Waffles), and Daniel Stahlnecker as Yakov/The Watchman.

The production team includes: Nicole Meñez, Assistant Director; Holly Elizabeth Dayton, research dramaturg; Jeff Grafton, sound design; Janny Cote, scenic design; Sara Sparks, lighting design; Tanya Finkelstein, costume design; Ting Na Wang, props design; and Kelly Weber Barraza, stage management.

Pear Theatre began as the Pear Avenue Theatre in June 2002, under the leadership of Artistic Director Diane Tasca, by a group of theatre artists who believe that audiences are eager for plays that challenge as well as delight and move them. Pear Theatre produces intimate theatre by passionate artists, whether classic works or cutting-edge plays. Now in its fourteenth season, The Pear attracts theatre artists and audience from all over the Bay Area for its award-winning and high-quality productions; and this year The Pear's ongoing commitment to excellence has been recognized by the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle with the Paine Knickerbocker Award, an annual special award for a Bay Area company contributing to the high quality of theatre in the region.

Pear Theatre moved this summer from its original 40-seat warehouse space to a new, state-of-the-art black box theatre mere blocks away, with capacity of 75-99 seats depending on the configuration of the production. This exciting move allows The Pear to continue its tradition of intimate theatre while taking on new challenges and opportunities.

TICKETS: $10 (Previews) - $35; savings available for seniors & students.

For information, or to order tickets, visit www.thepear.org or

call (650) 254-1148.

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