DRAMA 494 A: Special Studies in Theatre and Drama

CHEKHOV: PAGE, STAGE, SCREEN

Though he began as a writer of crime and suspense yarns for various popular journals in 19^th-century Russia, we remember Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904) for revolutionizing literature (with such short stories as “Lady With a Lapdog”) and drama (with “Uncle Vanya” and other plays). Together with Konstantin Stanislavski, he reinvented the craft of acting, investing it with a daring naturalism. His innovations came to define much of what we mean by “modern” in fiction and theater arts. They even named a Star Trek character after him! This course takes a multi-media approach to Chekhov. We will sample fiction, nonfiction and drama from throughout his career; examine his influence on theater and cinema; and explore how his short life intersected with a tumultuous period in late Czarist Russia on the cusp of the 20^th century. Maybe we’ll even act out some scenes! All materials and readings in English.