Astonishing New Adaptations of Two Russian Classics

Will Pomerantz is one of the most intelligent, creative, and hardworking people you will ever encounter. He also possesses an astounding amount of knowledge concerning all things theatrical. Mr. Pomerantz put his superhuman skills to good use when he took on the herculean task of adapting and directing two plays in rotating repertory theatre tradition, a system of play production where two or more different plays alternate performances. If that weren't a hard enough challenge, he chose to adapt Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, and a novella, First Love, by Ivan Turgenev, two classic works by two Russian playwrights and authors considered to be among the greatest writers of all times. Adding an original jazz score by the acclaimed composer and lyricist Nancy Harrow to these amazing and accessible adaptations was another stroke of pure genius.

Sadly, I did not get to see First Love, but I did read Mr. Pomerantz's brilliant adaptation. With that said, I will never forget this smart, new adaptation of Chekhov's full-length drama, Three Sisters, presented by Blueprint Production.

The stellar cast brought heart, soul, intelligence, and boundless energy to their roles, and under Mr. Pomerantz's astute direction, the entire ensemble aced their roles.

Olga, the oldest of the three Prozorov sisters, is not married and has a stressful job teaching at a girls' school. Elizabeth Ramos brought a likable maternal energy to the part. With every word she uttered and gesture she made, Ms. Ramos was able to reveal the anguish, remorse, and regret Olga feels about her life and her life circumstances.

Amanda Kristin Nichols gave a tour-de-force performance as Masha, the middle sister, and bored housewife, who is married to Kulygin, a pedantic high school Latin teacher. Her facial expressions and body language revealed the deep love she felt for Vershinin, a military officer who was also trapped in an unhappy marriage. When he is transferred away, Masha is devastated, and Ms. Nichols's heartrending performance at the end of the play brought me to tears. Masha also has some of the funniest and most biting lines in the show, and Ms. Nichols delivered her dialogue with expert timing. Tommy Schrider was believable as Kulygin, and his comedic skills were apparent at the end of the play, as he tries to make his wife laugh in an effort to win her back and get her to return home with him. Nehal Joshi was exceptional in his role as Vershinin, a charming, charismatic, but troubled man, who is torn between his duty to his wife and country, and his love for Masha.

Essence Brown gave a nuanced performance as Irina, the youngest of the sisters. Irina is a passionate woman, who wonders whether she should wait to find true love or settle for a marriage of convenience. Ms. Brown delivered some of her lines with naïve innocence, and others with fierce determination, revealing Irina’s fiery nature and desire to live an authentic life.

The part of Solyony, the sometimes repellent, sometimes sympathetic soldier, who is painfully sarcastic, often drunk, and in love with Irina, calls for a strong, well-trained actor, and Harrison Bryan was sensational in this challenging and demanding role.

Baron Tuzenbach, a reluctant soldier from a privileged background, is also in love with Irina. Tom Patterson gave a bittersweet performance as Tuzenbach, a man who likes to philosophize about the state of the world. Mr. Patterson's expressive body language and facial expressions revealed the Baron's determination to win Irina's love. Later, they also showed the deep sorrow he felt knowing that Irina would never love him the way he loved her.

The three sisters' arrogant, harsh, judgmental, and control freak of a sister-in-law, Natasha, was played to perfection by the talented Silvia Bond. Miles G. Jackson gave a memorable performance as Andrei, the older brother of the three sisters and Natasha's intellectual husband, with a gambling problem.

Chebutykin is the likable, although eccentric uncle to the Prozorov siblings. He was once a doctor, but now, he mostly reads the newspaper, and, on occasion, he is known to fall off the wagon and get obnoxiously drunk. John Ahlin gave a riveting performance as the often funny, sometimes wise, Chebutykin.

Jean Tafler’s heartfelt portrayal of Anfisa made me fall in love with this character. Anfisa has worked for the Prozorov family for decades, but she is getting too old to do any real work. Ms. Tafler brings warmth, humor, and humanity to this stock character, making you sympathize with her plight, and rejoice at her "Happily Ever After" ending, thanks to the kind-hearted and compassionate Olga.

Mr. Pomerantz's adaptation of Three Sisters features a live jazz quartet with music director Misha Josephs on guitar, Frederika Krier on violin, Jared Engel on bass, and Steve Picataggio on drums.

The masterful set design is by Brian Staton, and the white birch trees, strategically placed around the stage, were a nice touch. Allen Hahn's clever lighting design helped create the melancholic mood of the play. Appropriate period costume designs by the very talented Whitney Locher and the realistic sound design by Sean Haggerty, including hoofbeats, wintry winds, and a gunshot off in the distance, added to the overall believability of the piece.

An excellent adaptation, brilliant directing, sensational acting, and live music make this a must-see production.

Both plays run now through June 5 at The Sheen Center (18 Bleecker Street at the corner of Elizabeth Street, NYC) in The Frank Shiner Theater. Tickets are available online at SheenCenter.org, by phone at 212-219-3132, or at The Sheen Center box office from Monday to Friday from noon to 5 PM and one hour before performances, or simply click on this link: https://www.aboutlove-3sisters...

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Long Island Authors Group. She is the author of Grant Me a Higher Love, Why Good People Can't Leave Bad Relationships, and Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.