Hamilton, ON. January 8, 2024 — The smash-hit Crow’s Theatre production of Uncle Vanya opens at Theatre Aquarius on January 12, 2024, and runs until January 27, 2024. The spellbinding new adaptation by Liisa Repo-Martell, and directed by Crow’s Theatre Artistic Director Chris Abraham, breathes new life to into one of Anton Chekhov’s theatrical masterpieces. The original production played to sold-out houses at Crow’s Theatre in 2022 and is headed to Mirvish after its run at Aquarius.
“I am delighted to welcome Artistic Director Chris Abraham and his Crow’s Theatre team to Aquarius with their thrilling production of Uncle Vanya. Captivating, funny, tender and tragic, Uncle Vanya is simply a must see for theatre lovers,” said Mary Francis Moore, Artistic Director of Theatre Aquarius.
In the waning days of Czarist Russia, Ivan “Vanya” Voinitsky, and his niece, Sonya, toil ceaselessly to run their family estate. After retiring, Sonya’s father, a celebrated professor, returns to the estate with his young, glamorous wife. When he announces his plans to sell the land and evict them all, passions explode, and lives come undone.
A dazzling cast breathes new life into Chekhov’s masterpiece in a new adaptation by Liisa Repo-Martell. Brimming with emotional intensity, comedic genius, and tragic weight, this Crow’s Theatre commission and world-premiere adaptation provides an up-close encounter with a classic of world drama that every theatre lover must see.
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR THE 2022 CROW’S THEATRE PRODUCATION
“As this show, with its diverse cast, reminds us, Chekhov transcends borders and national identities. He speaks to universal human experience and, in the voice of Astrov, to our fervent hope for a better future.” – The Globe and Mail
“Uncle Vanya at Crow’s Theatre avoids those pitfalls of Chekhov in translation — dryness, aloofness, stasis. Liisa Repo-Martell’s adaptation is alluring and right at home in the mouths of director Chris Abraham’s actors; this Vanya, though set firmly in Czarist Russia, feels relatable and even startlingly contemporary, affirming the timelessness of the themes Chekhov explored in his writing.”– Intermission Magazine
“This beautifully sensitive production and deeply felt adaptation of Uncle Vanya is like a light in the world. Chris Abraham’s direction illuminates the ache of yearning, of disappointment and lost love.” – The Slotkin Letter
Cast and Creative Team
Anton Chekhov, PlaywrightChris Abraham, DirectorLiisa Repo-Martell, Adaptor
Carolyn Fe, Marinadtaborah johnson, MariaAli Kazmi, AstrovEric Peterson, AlexandreAnand Rajaram, TeleginLiisa Repo-Martell, SonyaTom Rooney, VanyaShannon Taylor, Yelena
Julie Fox, Set and Props Co-DesignerJoshua Quinlan, Set and Props Co-DesignerMing Wong, Costume DesignerKimberly Purtell, Lighting DesignerThomas Ryder Payne, Sound DesignerPaolo Santalucia, Assistant DirectorWilliam Dao, Second Assistant Director
Lisa Nighswander, Head of PropsJanet Pym, Wardrobe AssistantPolly Phokeev, Russian Translator and ConsultantMario Morello, Music Consultant
Jennifer Parr, Stage ManagerMichael Barrs, Assistant Stage Manager
A Crow’s Theatre ProductionUNCLE VANYAWritten By Anton ChekhovDirected By Chris AbrahamAdapted By Liisa Repo-Martell
January 9, 2024: Pay What You WillJanuary 10, 11, 2024: Preview PerformancesJanuary 12, 2024: Opening NightRuns Tuesday – Sunday until January 27.
About Theatre Aquarius:
Theatre Aquarius is recognized as a leader in Canadian theatre. A registered not-for-profit, Theatre Aquarius produces work of the highest quality, premieres new plays, develops the skills of professional artists, invests in youth and families, and contributes to the quality of life in this region. Now in its 50th season, Aquarius is a gathering place to create and share stories that provoke, delight, inspire, and transform.
For interviews, please contact: Neal Miller Director of Marketing & Communicationsnmiller@theatreaquarius.org
Here and in a series of digital diaries, HAMILTON CITY Magazine lifts the curtain on bringing the world premiere of Pollyanna The Musical to the stage at Theatre Aquarius. They are getting unprecedented access to the creative team, cast and production crew to show audiences what it really takes to pull off the magic of theatre.
Pollyanna The Musical coming to Theatre Aquarius in December takes a new look at the classic tale of the orphaned girl who changes hearts with her sunny outlook on life.
Emily and Athan for Pollyanna The Musical
PHOTO BY Dahlia Katz
Emily Vukovic was in Hamilton checking out four spots that are part of the Hamilton, International Village BIA.
Theatre Aquarius was her first stop, which just got a new Pride crosswalk in front, to let everyone know they are welcome and their experience in the theatre, whether in the audience or onstage, is valid. Speaking of onstage- next week Jake Epstein, from Degrassi, hits the stage with his show ‘Boy Falls From the Sky, and then the final show of the season is ‘Beautiful Scars’ by Tom Wilson. Theatre Aquarius is located at 190 King William St.
“There’s so much to do here, so many members of the community are involved in Theatre Aquarius.”
EMILY VUKOVIC
“We wanted to make sure that anybody who walks into our building, whether it’s our arts education centre or the theatre itself, from our audiences to our staff to our artists, that they knew that this was a safe place for them to be, that they are welcome here and that their experiences are important and valid to us.” – Mary Francis Moore
Hamilton’s a pretty happening town.
Contrary to the beliefs of some elected officials in Toronto, the city’s not just an annex for Torontonians priced out of the TO housing market. Hamilton’s a worthy destination all its own, with some of the best of what Ontario has to offer — show-stopping craft beer, scenic overlooks, tempting local cuisine.
But perhaps the most exciting facet of Hamilton is housed inside Theatre Aquarius, in the form of the just-launched National Centre for New Musicals (NCNM). Funded by the Hamilton-based Incite Foundation for the Arts, the Canadian musical theatre incubator will nurture new projects through their development periods, shepherding them to their eventual homes on stages around the world. It’s an ambitious project, and artistic director Mary Francis Moore and executive director Kelly Straughan have their eyes set on success well beyond the Canadian border.
“We’re building the scaffolding for the program,” Moore said in an interview. “We recognize that there are other theatres in Canada developing new musicals, and developing new work. But we’re not looking at pieces with the aim for us to produce it, necessarily. We’re not looking at pieces, saying, ‘oh, there’s 18 people in it, so we can’t afford to do it.’ We’re interested in the ideas behind these pieces — we want to create a space for those projects, and match projects with folks who can help them through their development.
“We’re interested in the ideas behind these pieces — we want to create a space for those projects, and match projects with folks who can help them through their development.”
MARY FRANCIS MOORE
“If it’s something we feel like we can produce at Theatre Aquarius, great, but if not, we can pick up the phone and call theatres in Vancouver or Edmonton or New York,” she continued. “There is a hunger for new musical theatre. There’s a need for this work.”
It’s true — the National Centre for New Musicals will fill a gap in the Canadian theatre ecology. While groups like Musical Stage Company are similar in how they escort new projects through their development process, the NCNM is unique in how it will educate the national theatre community on the financial ins and outs of producing new work.