The June Project: The Wood Demon Reading Held At the Seattle Public Theatre

The June Project: The Wood Demon by Anton Chekhov At the Seattle Public Theatre at the Bathhouse on Greenlake June 13 -7 p.m.

A "green" play from 123 years ago!

In 1888, Anton Chekhov, criticized for his perceived pessimism, set out to write a play with a happy ending. The result was The Wood Demon -a "mosaic" of a play, as he described it after its first production. Though he later radically reworked aspects of it as Uncle Vanya in 1896, the original work is a lovely glimpse into Chekhov's developing style, as that "mosaic" quality was to inflect all the later masterpieces. It also is the last of his plays to have a clear hero in Michael Khrushov, the doctor and environmentalist, whose nickname gives the play its title; he's as ecologically-minded as anyone in today's Greenpeace.

MICHAEL: ... When I walk through the peasants' forest, which I saved from being cut down, or hear rustling in the wind a young tree that I have planted with these two hands, I understand that the future is to some extent within my control, and that if in a thousand years Man is better off, then I'll be in some small way responsible for that. When I plant a birch, then see the leaves bud, or watch it sway in a breeze, my heart explodes with the pride that I have helped create life!

Peter Dylan O'Connor, pictured at left, will read Michael.

Chekhov's play is filled with foible-ridden characters, some of them neurotic, some silly, some forthright; there are comic interactions and tragic ones. But running quietly through it all is a glowing hope for the future that is deeply moving.

ESP's reading, directed by Richard Ziman, will make use of Richard Nelson's brilliantly witty English adaptation. It features (in alphabetical order) Mark Anders, E. Ray Anderson, Christine Marie Brown, Ray Gonzales, Peter Jacobs, Kelly Kitchens, Dan Kremer, Peter Dylan O'Connor, Wesley Rice, Betsy Schwartz and Cynthia White.

Once again, through the kind auspices of Seattle Public Theatre, our reading will be held at their Bathhouse Theatre on Greenlake - 7312 W. Greenlake Dr. N., Seattle, WA 98103. The date is June 13; the start time is 7 p.m.; doors open at 6:30. As usual, the reading is free.

Please join us for a rare and fascinating event!

THIS MONTH'S VENUE: Seattle Public Theatre and Shaw's Arms and the Man

The Wood Demon by Anton Chekhov was written just six years before George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man; if you haven't already seen this play, now being given a full production at the Seattle Public Theatre, please call (206) 524-1300 to buy your tickets soon - it closes the night before the our next reading! Arms and the Man closes June 12!
What is the Endangered Species Project?

ESP is a loose confederation of Seattle theatre artists. We are dedicated to giving monthly readings of plays that seldom get full productions. In the present economic straits in which regional theatre now finds itself, much of the so-called established international repertoire is neglected, for various reasons: there are too many different settings, or the casts are too large, or, simply, the publicity requirements of selling a play that is both "old" and unfamiliar to general audiences may seem too daunting.

We feel that while it is an essential duty of theatres to read and develop new work, our group sees a parallel need to celebrate older or otherwise neglected plays as well. Readings of this kind give us a chance to recharge our underemployed artistic selves, of course, but also to explore the genius of playwrights such as Maxwell Anderson, George Abbott, and Harold Brighouse, to name three of our new favorites so far. For example, our reading of "Hobson's Choice" was a revelation to the actors as well as the audience: those of us who were only familiar with the 1953 movie were gobsmacked with the serious examination of life changes underlying what is too often taken to be a quaint little comedy - not that there is anything wrong with a comedy, quaint or little; but we learned a good deal by performing and hearing the play, in addition to having a rollicking good time!

Through our free, simply staged readings, we hope to lend live voices to plays that are now silent on our bookshelves.

We invite you to come on this monthly adventure with us! Upcoming this summer and fall - locations to be announced - are They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard (July 18), Trelawny of the 'Wells' by Arthur Wing Pinero (August 15), Stalag 17 by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski (September 19), and The Scarecrow by Percy MacKaye (October 17). These titles are subject to change, but that's what's planned! Among playwrights being considered for future readings are Aphra Behn, Terence Rattigan, Maxim Gorky, Lillian Hellman, Norman Krasna, Marivaux, and George S. Kaufman and his collaborators... and the list goes on.
A call for an artist list

Each of our monthly readings is headed by a curator, who edits the texts when necessary, casts the play, and directs the reading. There are two rehearsals only. We would like to create an artist base from which to draw our casts. If you would like to participate in these projects - bearing in mind that there is no compensation but your own pleasure! - please respond to this email with an electronic version of your photo and resume to be added to our list of participating artists.