CCU theatre major directs Chekhov’s ‘Three Sisters’
J.P. McLaurin, a senior theatre major at CCU, directs Sarah Ruhl's contemporary adaptation of the Chekhov classic, which examines the tragic beauty of provincial life in Russia. After the death of their father, spinster schoolteacher Olga, unhappily married Marsha and idealistic Irinia suffocate in a small Russian town, longing for the sparkling city of their childhood.
"They keep complaining, 'Oh, I want to go to Moscow, the grass will be greener if I could just get out of this town,'" McLaurin explained.
McLaurin also noted the surprising similarities between provincial life in Russia and that of other areas across the world.
"A lot of us distance ourselves from plays set in other areas; we think, 'It's Russia, I'm not able to identify with this narrative,' but actually it's very identifiable. We can identify with the little nuggets of truth," said McLaurin. "It's about people having to accept the harsh realities of everyday life. This Russian town could just as easily be, say, Conway. Chekhov wrote it about us."
The CCU student cast includes Alex Barrow, Chloe Campbell, Mikayla Goetz, Rhett Hanenkratt, Ivan Jermyn, Hannah Lewis, Madison Nau, Duncan Overby, Devante Owens, Daniel Pippert, Hank Santos, Keondra Walker and Hannah Wilson as well as Thom Penn, the artistic director of Atlantic Stage. Anna Oldfield, CCU associate professor of English, led dramaturgy on the production.
McLaurin was last seen as Mr. Darcy in CCU's production of "Pride and Prejudice." Other credits include "Love's Labour's Lost" and "Titus Andronicus" (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey); "A Rehearsal for Celebrations" and "Picnic" (CCU) "Assassins" and "The Who's Tommy" (College of Charleston); and "My Name is Rachel Corrie" (Fine Arts Center). Directing credits include "Marisol" (CCU/Upstage); "Catatonic" (Atlantic Stage New Voices PlayFest); and "The Giving Tree" (Fine Arts Center/Artisphere).
General admission is $7. Senior citizens, OLLI members, CCU alumni, teens and CCU/HGTC faculty and staff are $5. CCU/HGTC students can purchase tickets for $3.
The Edwards Theatre is located in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts Building on the main campus of Coastal Carolina University, 133 Chanticleer Drive. W., Conway.
For more information, call the Wheelwright Box Office at 843-349-ARTS (2787), email culturalarts@coastal.edu or visit coastal.edu/culturalarts. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 108 Spadoni Park Circle on the Conway campus.