This is a beautiful show and a rare opportunity to experience Chekhov as more than despair and frustrated whining. Djukic paints the human condition with a depth that is unique; sadness and joy, action and stillness, love and loss are blended in golden moments and performances that glow warmly against a dark canvas.

If you're interested, I'd recommend booking tickets in advance. The last two weekends might fill up quickly.

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"Best Chicago Production in 2009" Chicago Reader more
"Top 10 Productions of 2008." TimeOut Chicago Magazine more
"Striking. . . apt and arresting. . . fascinating." Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune (Critic’s Choice) - more
"Heartbreakingly genuine performances… timeless and universal." K. Vire, Timeout Chicago - more
"Hilarious and harrowing… at once heartbreaking and exhilarating." J. Hayford, Reader (Critic’s Choice) - more


A.P. Chekhov
UNCLE VANYA
Translated by Yasen Peyankov & Peter Christensen
Directed by Zeljko Djukic


Through July 26, 2009
Chopin Studio Theatre
1543 W. Division Street
Chicago, Illinois 60618


For tickets go to: http://www.tutato.com
For more info including reviews, photos, and video clips go to: http://www.tutato.com/production/uncle-vanya


For discounted tickets:
THURSDAYS AT 8pm and SUNDAYS at 3pm we offer $12 Industry/Student Tickets. Just show your H/R or student I.D. or business card at the door. Also, a limited number of HOT TIX half price tickets are available on-line at www.hottix.org


Cast includes:

Gary Houston (SEREBRYAKOV)
Stacie Beth Green (ELENA)
Jacqueline Stone (SONYA)
Christina Irwin (MARIA)
Trey Maclin (VANYA)
Andy Hager (ASTROV)
Christopher Popio (TELEGIN)
Joan Merlo (MARINA)

Birds. Photo by Andy Rothenberg.

Hello dear ones -

TUTA Theatre Chicago is hosting our annual benefit and I'm hoping some of you might be interested in attending. If you follow my blog then you know a bit about TUTA; about the uniqueness and integrity of our work. This really is a special group of folks who are manifesting truly special work and as you can imagine - we are struggling in this economic climate.

If you believe in art and its ability to challenge the human mind, to inspire and to bring change into the world, please support TUTA as you are able. This benefit will be a blast (and I actually mean that - we know how to throw a good party) and/or you can catch our upcoming production of Uncle Vanya by A.P. Chekhov. It's a stunning show that was heralded as the best local production in the last year by the Chicago Reader and was so popular in its first run that we have remounted it.

This ain't your momma's Chekhov and you won't see this anywhere else in town. In fact, you may want to buy your tickets now since last year's run sold out so quickly and 2009 shows are already filling.

If you can't make it to either event but would like to support us (after all, we're very lovable as well as skilled), you can go to our website and make a donation. No donation is too small, every dollar and bit of love can make a difference and because we are a 501(c)(3) your contributions are tax deductible.

And to those of you who are able to make the benefit, I'll be there, whippin up tasty finger foods in a fabulous dress and dancin' shoes. Care to cut a rug with me?

.........

TUTA Theatre Chicago is proud to announce our annual fundraising event, Worldwide TUTA: 2009 Gala, benefiting the 2009–10 season (Young & Restless Brecht) and the continuation of our training center.

Step into an international festival full of desserts, wine, music, prizes, and much more.

Guests will be treated to a non-stop evening featuring: live music by the eclectic Balkan rock band Eyes Manouche, a classical violin performance by members of the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, a wine tasting sponsored by House Red Wine, mingling with the cast and crew of Uncle Vanya, a video history of TUTA, an exclusive silent auction, access to Mars Gallery’s collection of artwork, and plenty of dancing.


For full event details, ticket purchase and auction items, please visit us at
www.tutato.com

Worldwide TUTA: 2009 Gala
Sunday, June 7, 2009
6:30 – 10:00pm

at Mars Gallery
1139 W. Fulton Ave (in the West Loop)
Ample free street parking is available.

I'll be enjoying tea and Anton this Saturday...care to join me?

Yours, A. Chekhov, May 9, 2009

“Let the sons of bitches read and find out about things that happened a long time ago.” -Anton Chekhov

Join TUTA Theatre for an afternoon salon featuring the letters of Anton Chekhov.

Complimentary Russian tea provided by Tea Gschwender

Soviet censors are gone and their Russian counterparts have come to terms. The humorless, decorous, and chaste image of one of the world’s greatest writers is exposed as a fraud. Follow the life and career of this most insightful, funny, and rather decadent man of the world through his own words drawn from letters in his own hand to his friends, family, colleagues, and lovers.

Where: Chopin Theatre lounge, 1543 W. Division St.

When: Saturday, May 9th at 3:00pm

Parking: Complimentary parking ½ block west of the 90/94 Division exit at Division/Noble or paid parking at Division/Bosworth just diagonal to the theater.

For you theatre folks...working with Z is an amazing experience that I cannot recommend highly enough...

TUTA THEATRE CHICAGO

Early Spring Classes 2009
Only 3 Spots left!
MASTER CLASS: CHEKHOV SCENE STUDY with Zeljko Djukic
Mondays, March 2nd - April 20th, 2009

6:30-9:30pm
Eight weeks

This master class is focused on the exploration of an actor's movement. Using TUTA's approach to devising a unique process for each project or workshop, this class will help you learn the language of theatrical space and discover how an impulse triggers movement, and a movement expresses emotion and tension.

To Register:
Admittance by instructor approval only

For consideration please submit H/R to jackie@tutato.com
Class Size: Limited to 12 students
Price: $250 for eight weeks

ZELJKO DJUKIC is Artistic Director of TUTA, where he has staged Heiner Müller's Quartet, Peter Handke's The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other, original adaptations of Caroll's Alice books and Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince, Pushkin's Mozart and Salieri, Jean-Luc Lagarce's Rules for Good Manners in the Modern World, Aristophanes' Birds, Dawkins' Still Life In Color, Markovic's Tracks, Lagarce's It's Only The End of The World, Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, Shakespeare's The Most Excellent Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Often inspired by the aesthetics of the silent film and early American vaudeville, Djukic and his actors invent energetic movement sequences, creating poignant images where gestures and actions enhance or frame the text. Djukic taught acting at Belgrade's Drama Arts School for two years. He also conducted advanced acting classes, workshops and seminars at The Second City, University of Maryland, Missouri State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and JMU Summer Drama Program in London.

Hello All -

Since we are going into a holiday weekend, TUTA is offering a Friends and Family ticket discount offer for Uncle Vanya. This discount is only valid tonight, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this week (3/20 - 3/23).

Please contact me if you'd like tickets. Thanks! - Jen

P.S. If you come on Friday, artemis112 and I will be there.

If you're interested, reviews are starting to come in for TUTA's production of Uncle Vanya. I'll be seeing it again this Friday...

Look ~ aren't you tempted to join me?


Trey Maclin as Vanya


Stacie Beth Green as Elena


Stacie Beth Green (Elena) and Jacqueline Stone (Sonya)

( The Chicago Tribune review is here... )

( The Time Out Chicago review is here... )

Last week, they took some shots during the tech run of TUTA's Uncle Vanya.

( Peek behind the cut to see a preview of TUTA's next adventure... )

Hello All...

TUTA is opening a new show in March and I wanted to spread the word. My partner is playing "Vanya", so our household is excited about this one. I will likely see the show several times, so let me know if you'd like to make a date so that we view it together (viewing to be followed, of course, by drinks and heady, arty-farty conversation).



UNCLE VANYA
A.P. Chekhov
Translated by Yasen Peyankov and Peter Christensen
Directed by Zeljko Djukich

March 13 - April 13, 2008
Press / Media Night: March 13 at 8pm Opening night: March 14 at 8pm
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm

Tickets are $15 for previews, $25 for adults and $17 for Senior Citizens and Students for the regular run, and may be purchased at the door one hour before show time or online at www.tutato.com. $12 Industry tickets are available at every Thursday and Sunday performance with an added industry performance on Monday, March 24th at 8pm where all tickets are just $10. Group discounts are also available for the run. A special benefit performance and reception will occur on Friday, March 14th, all tickets for this event are $40.

Chopin Studio Theatre
1543 W. Division Street
Chicago, Illinois 60618

So we've only got two weekends left for It's Only the End of the World. I will be sad when the show is over, it's been a great experience.

We got another good review that I thought you might want to see from the ( Windy City Times )

....................

I love this review because it really gives credit where credit is due and recognizes TUTA member, Andy Hager, as the stand out in the show. It really is a beautiful thing to watch what he has crafted there.

In less happy news, while I still have no idea if I will be cast in our next production, my partner came home last night and pretty much dashed all of my hopes around the topic. Apparently all the company members who are in the show have been told (or at least have received a hint) from our director that they are in, and of course I've heard nothing. It seems unlikely that all the other company members would get notice and that I would not. I wish Z (the director) would just tell me I'm not in. I feel like he's putting off letting me know because I'm still running a show for TUTA and he's scared my current performace will suffer when I get the bad news. What he doesn't seem to understand is that not knowing is as bad or worse that having some closure, and at this point - I'd really like to be able to plan for the beginning of 2008 - but am hanging around for news before I can do so.

Thanks to all of you who were sending energy and prayers for me. I'll let you know when I get the official let down call.