BYU-Idaho will be putting on the production of “The Cherry Orchard” by Anton Chekhov. This play is still recognized today because it was the last play Chekhov wrote. The characters are very human which can make the audience understand more about what they are going through and feel a connection to them.
“The Cherry Orchard” has always been one of my favorite plays from the early 20th century mostly because of the humanity of the piece,” said Richard Clifford, director of the production and the dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts at BYU-Idaho.
Clifford said he has been working on the play for over a year. Once the theatre department chose “The Cherry Orchard” as the second theatre production for the winter semester of 2020, he has worked on adapting the play from several translations to customize it for the BYU-Idaho audience. Also, Clifford really wanted to highlight the themes of humanity, agency and how we treat one another.
“Thematically that is what we wanted to play with, with the production was this idea of the choices that we make and how they impact our present, and how they impact and guide our future,” he said.
The play is set in Russia in 1904 and they decided to make the scenery of the production neutral to give the audience the freedom to use their imagination while seeing the play.
Clifford said the play has developed in a more beautiful way than what he first thought of. He has loved becoming involved in the process and how seeing the play can be such an enriching experience.
“I hope that anyone that has read the play would consider coming to see the show because the production text with the addition to all of the visual and all of the oral elements with the actors on the stage, with the props and the costumes and so on is going to be a much different experience than you could have had reading it at home,” he said
Opening night will be March 18 and the show will go through until the 21 and later from the 24 to the 28. Tickets are $6 for the general audience and $3 with student ID. You can get them at the University Store at the Manwaring Center or by clicking here.