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Commedia Chekhov

Commedia Chekhov

adapted by Lindsay Price 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.

Comedy Classical Adaptation

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Running Time
About 70 minutes (for the full collection)
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
10 Characters
3 M7 F
Set
Simple set
Length
70 pages
Free Excerpt

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.

1 M, 3 F · Approx. 20 minutes

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.

1 M, 2 F · Approx. 30 minutes

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.

1 M, 2 F · Approx. 20 minutes

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 M, 7 F

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
SHIPUCHIN [M] 74 lines
Chairman of the Norvik Joint Stock Bank.
TATIANA ALEXEYEVNA [W] 41 lines
His wife.
KHIRIN [W] 64 lines
The bank’s bookkeeper.
MERCHUTKINA [W] 51 lines
A persistent woman.
SHAREHOLDERS [A] 2 lines
Extremely satisfied with the bank.

The Proposal
CHUBUKOV [W] 68 lines
A landowning widow.
NATALYA STEPANOVNA [W] 115 lines
Her daughter.
LOMOV [M] 117 lines
A nervous neighbour of Chubukov.

The Bear
POPOVA [W] 152 lines
A landowning widow.
LUDMILLA [W] 102 lines
Popova’s housekeeper.
SMIRNOV [M] 129 lines
A landowner.

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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

Theatrefolk Featured Play - Commedia Chekhov
Featured Plays

Theatrefolk Featured Play - Commedia Chekhov

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Dive into Commedia Chekhov! This lively adaptation by Lindsay Price introduces your students to Anton Chekhov through the vibrant, over-the-top world of...
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