Spend a weekend with one of the greatest playwrights of all time. The American Theatre of Actors presents two classic works by Anton Chekhov: CHEKHOV @ ATA, January 29 — February 2. American Theatre of Actors, 314 West 54th Street, New York City

FEATURED WORKS: “A Tragedian in Spite of Himself ” & “The Anniversary”

“A Tragedian in Spite of Himself” (1889) In the play, Ivan Ivanovitch Tolkachov asks to borrow a revolver from his friend, Alexey Alexeyevitch Murashkin. Murashkin inquires to the reason, and Tolkachov complains bitterly about the bad events in his life. Murashkin expresses his sympathy, and then asks Tolkachov to take a sewing machine and a caged canary to Olga Pavlovna, a mutual acquaintance. On hearing Murashkin’s request, Tolkachov snaps and begins chasing Murashkin around the room, screaming that he wants blood.

“The Anniversary” (1891) In this funny one-act play, Anton Chekhov takes on the corporate world. The play is named after the 15th anniversary of a bank, during a celebration when everything seems to go wrong, from the annoying young wife of the chairman of the board to an intrusive woman who demands that the bank make good for a claim she made on the War Department to the snapping of the patience of the bank clerk who is preparing the chairman’s speech. The Anniversary is similar in its effect to The Wedding, another one act classic.

TICKETS

American Theatre of Actors, Inc. (ATA) was founded in 1976 by James Jennings to promote the development of new playwrights, directors and actors, and to provide them a creative atmosphere in which to work. The plays are dramas, comedies, and hybrids, dealing with the social and ethical problems of contemporary society. More than 12,000 actors have worked at ATA including Dennis Quaid, Bruce Willis, Dan Lauria, Chazz Palminteri, Danny Aielo, David Morse, Edie Falco and Kathryn Hahn. Our productions are sometimes grouped as ‘festivals,’ such as a Playwrights Festival or a Directors Festival. In 2016 we began an initiative to feature women in theatre as directors and playwrights, today this is our WIT! (Women in Theatre) program.