Staged Readings

Firebird Theatre Co. proudly present their 2024 Staged Readings Series! Enjoy a night of classic and contemporary scripts read and brought to life live in front of an audience with local actors. The first performance of the year will be “An Evening of Chekhov.” Details below:

Come see a staged reading of 2 short, comedic plays by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov: The Proposal and The Bear!

The Proposal
When Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov comes to his longtime neighbor, Stepan Stepanovich Chubukov, to propose marriage to Stepan’s daughter Natalya, he is a nervous wreck. However, soon after Ivan begins his proposal to Natalya, both lose their tempers and the marriage proposal begins to hilariously unravel. The Proposal is a comedic play that explores the absurdity of human behavior and the complexities of relationships, a satire of the Russian aristocracy and their obsession with wealth and social status.

The Bear
Melancholy widow Elena Ivanovna Popova has walled herself up in her home, refusing heed her footman Luka’s advice to rejoin the living as she mourns her much beloved, yet faithless, husband. When Grigory Stepanovitch Smirnov arrives to collect on a debt from her late husband, desperate with urgency to make his own mortgage payment on time, she tries to put him off until her steward returns from town, pleading a lack of cash and a lack of inclination to deal with money matters on the seven-month anniversary of her loss. Smirnov, full of rage at debt dodgers in general and silly, sentimental female delicacy in particular, refuses to leave, and a battle of wills and battle of the sexes ensues. The Bear is translated from the Russian the word for “bear” which has two meanings: an animal or a rather rude, clumsy, awkward man.

The 2 short play readings will be directed by Tristan Buss and will star Jimmy Utley, Genevieve Bachman, William Spicer, Annie Flora, David Flora, and Patrick Force. Seating is limited, so make sure to reserve your ticket beforehand! Details and ticketing can be found below.

An Evening of Chekhov
Saturday, April 20th
6:30pm | $5 Gen. Ad.
Rumors Coffee and Tea House
Runtime: approx. 50-60 mins

SEATING IS LIMITED!
Advanced ticket purchase is encouraged