Two Bird Pictures

May 6, 2011

Here's the famous photograph of the first reading of The Seagull at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1898:

From left to right,seated, the characters are: Polina, Dorn, Shamrayev, Trigorin (Stanislavski), Chekhov, Masha, Medvendenko, Nina, Konstantin (Meyerhold). Standing, left to right, are Nemirovich-Danchenko (Director), Sorin, Arkadina (Knipper),and two members of ther company not in the production.

Here is our 2011 version:

From left to right,seated: Polina (Barbara Summerville), Dorn (Tom Paradise), Shamrayev (Bernie Klucewski), Trigorin (Matt Mueller), Chekhov stunt double, Masha (Kate Berry), Medvendko (Dylan Mosely), Nina (Jamie Ann Romero), Konstantin (Ben Bonenfant).; standing,left to right: Sorin (Louis Schaefer), Arkadina (Jane Fromme), Cook (Craig Engle), Yakhov (Steve Wallace), Maid (Carol Sinon).

The original Seagull is of the top three time theatre travel destinations of all time (the other two are Hamlet in London in 1600 and The Oresteia in Athens in 458 BCE). The Moscow Art Theatre Production of 1898 was beyond compare. But a very strong version of this great play, with this great cast, plays through Sunday. You could see it a dozen times and it would still be talking to you.

Murray Ross

Murray Ross (1942–2017) was born in California to an English mother and an American father. He went east to study at Williams College where his love of Shakespeare blossomed. After graduate work in Rochester, New York; Berkeley, California; and London, England, he settled in Colorado Springs in 1975 to teach in the English Department at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He and his wife founded Theatreworks with a small group of fellow theatre lovers. He served as the artistic director of the organization for more the 40 years, and taught thousands of students in the University's theatre program, which he also founded. He directed, wrote, and adapted hundreds of plays at Theatreworks and across the country. In his own words, which appeared as the last line of his directing bio for years, he was married to the painter Elizabeth Ross, was the father of four splendid sons, and was regularly walked by his dog, Toby.

Murray Ross

Murray Ross (1942–2017) was born in California to an English mother and an American father. He went east to study at Williams College where his love of Shakespeare blossomed. After graduate work in Rochester, New York; Berkeley, California; and London, England, he settled in Colorado Springs in 1975 to teach in the English Department at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He and his wife founded Theatreworks with a small group of fellow theatre lovers. He served as the artistic director of the organization for more the 40 years, and taught thousands of students in the University's theatre program, which he also founded. He directed, wrote, and adapted hundreds of plays at Theatreworks and across the country. In his own words, which appeared as the last line of his directing bio for years, he was married to the painter Elizabeth Ross, was the father of four splendid sons, and was regularly walked by his dog, Toby.