Commedia Chekhov
adapted by Lindsay Price Canadian Author from Anton Chekhov
Introduce your students to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov through the vibrant lens of Commedia dell’Arte, focusing on three of his short plays: The Proposal, The Anniversary, and The Bear.
Each of these plays embodies classic Commedia traits, making them ideal for class work, competition, and culminating showcases.
Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools
At a Glance
This Book is a Collection of 3 Plays
License the entire book, or license individual plays separately. To license a single play, click its title below.
The anniversary of the Norvik Joint Stock Bank needs to be flawless. However, chaos erupts when a determined woman insists on being paid her husband's wages, despite the fact that he has no connection to the bank.
Everything has to go perfectly for Elena Ivanovna Popova's time of deep mourning, full mourning, half mourning, half-half mourning, almost out of mourning, and non mourning. However, her plans descend into chaos when a persistent landowner arrives, demanding payment from her deceased husband.
Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov's proposal to Natalya Stepanovna needs to go off without a hitch. However, things quickly spiral into chaos when Natalya insists that Lomov doesn't actually own a piece of land he claims is his. And to make matters worse, he sits in the good chair!
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Performance Royalty Fees
Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.
Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.
10 Characters
- 3 Males
- 7 Females
Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.
The Anniversary
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SHIPUCHIN Male 74 linesChairman of the Norvik Joint Stock Bank.
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TATIANA ALEXEYEVNA Female 41 linesHis wife.
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KHIRIN Female 64 linesThe bank’s bookkeeper.
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MERCHUTKINA Female 51 linesA persistent woman.
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SHAREHOLDERS Any gender 2 linesExtremely satisfied with the bank.
The Proposal
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CHUBUKOV Female 68 linesA landowning widow.
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NATALYA STEPANOVNA Female 115 linesHer daughter.
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LOMOV Male 117 linesA nervous neighbour of Chubukov.
The Bear
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POPOVA Female 152 linesA landowning widow.
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LUDMILLA Female 102 linesPopova’s housekeeper.
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SMIRNOV Male 129 linesA landowner.
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Commedia Chekhov Sample Excerpt
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