New Muses' THE SEAGULL To Open August 9 At Tacoma's Dukesbay Theater

New Muses Theatre Company will close out their tenth season with a new production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull beginning August 9. The production will continue their residence at Tacoma's Dukesbay Theater.

Said Managing Artistic Director Niclas Olson, "We're thrilled to finally bring The Seagull to the stage. We had a quote from the play, "We need new forms, new forms are needed, and if we can't have them we had better have nothing at all," on our website for the first couple years of our existence. That quote really structured our approach to bringing classic material to contemporary audiences over the last ten seasons, and it's so exciting to finally hear it from the stage as we reach the end of our tenth season."

The production features a cast led by New Muses company members Angela Parisotto (Hamlet, Lysistrata) as Irina Nikolayevna, Joel Thomas (Tartuffe, TLT's Laura) as Konstantin Gavrilovich and newcomer Lara Dohner as Nina. They are joined by a mix of returning company members including Jazmine Herrington (New Muses' Tartuffe and Lysistrata) as Masha and Keith Ordonez (Lysistrata) as Medvedenko along with local talents Edward Medina (Screaming Butterflies' Richard II), Kristen Blegen Bouyer (TLT's Rumors) and Alex Koerger (TLT's Of Mice and Men) making their New Muses debuts. Managing artistic director Niclas Olson rounds out the cast in the role of Trigorin.

The Seagull premiered in 1896 and has since come to be regarded as the first major work of playwright Anton Chekhov. Telling the story of the fallout from aging actress Irina's decision to bring famous writer Trigorin home to her brother's country estate, the play is a moving testament to writers, actors, and those who know them. Said Olson, who also directs from his own adaptation, "I agree with Chekhov that the play is ultimately a comedy. Although it takes a tragic turn towards the end, the bulk of the action is about a loving family spending time together enjoying one another's company. It's full of romantic entanglements and unforgettable characters and makes for a great summer evening at the theater."

The Seagull will run from August 9-25 at the Dukesbay Theater (508 6th Ave, Tacoma). Performances will be Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm with Sunday matinees at 2pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchase in advance from the New Muses website (http://www.newmuses.com) or at the door. Seating is limited and advance purchase is highly recommended.

ABOUT NEW MUSES:
Now in their tenth season, New Muses Theatre Company has produced works ranging from classics like THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, HAMLET, and DOCTOR FAUSTUS to contemporary plays by Neil LaBute, Stephen Sondheim, and Michael Frayn. Dedicated to producing intelligent, thought-provoking and engaging theatre for a contemporary audience, New Muses balances their trademark re-interpretations of classic works with contemporary plays and challenging works featured in the One-Night-Only staged reading series. New Muses is excited to continue residence in Tacoma's Dukesbay Theater for the entirety of the 2018-19 mainstage season.

For more information please visit www.NewMuses.com