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Commedia Chekhov by Lindsay Price play script cover

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

Running Time
About 70 minutes (for the full collection)
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
10 Characters
3 M 7 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 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

  • SHIPUCHIN Male 74 lines
    Chairman of the Norvik Joint Stock Bank.
  • TATIANA ALEXEYEVNA Female 41 lines
    His wife.
  • KHIRIN Female 64 lines
    The bank’s bookkeeper.
  • MERCHUTKINA Female 51 lines
    A persistent woman.
  • SHAREHOLDERS Any gender 2 lines
    Extremely satisfied with the bank.

The Proposal

  • CHUBUKOV Female 68 lines
    A landowning widow.
  • NATALYA STEPANOVNA Female 115 lines
    Her daughter.
  • LOMOV Male 117 lines
    A nervous neighbour of Chubukov.

The Bear

  • POPOVA Female 152 lines
    A landowning widow.
  • LUDMILLA Female 102 lines
    Popova’s housekeeper.
  • SMIRNOV Male 129 lines
    A landowner.

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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

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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