Play Explores 'Variations' of Chekhov's 'Seagull'
Westmont graduating seniors Brynn Mitchell, Elaine Pazaski and James Wong present a fresh, fierce homage to the central characters of Anton Chekhov’s classic, “The Seagull,” in “The Nina Variations” by Stephen Dietz on Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m. in Porter Theatre. The play, directed by Mitchell with scenography by Wong and starring Pazaski as Nina, is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact (805) 565-7040.
“I love the nuance that Stephen Dietz explores with each alternate ending of Chekhov’s masterpiece,” Mitchell says. “Every time I read it and see it unfold as I direct, I learn something new about the characters and the symbolism that saturates the story. One of my personal interests as an artist is exploring a diverse array of perspectives, and this show provides me with 42 opportunities to do so.”
Dietz’s varying vignettes on the final scene of “The Seagull” can present a challenge to the main actress. “Simply tackling the large amount of text was transformative and rewarding for me,” Pazaski says. “But I grew the most exploring such a well-loved character from a famous play, balancing Chekhov’s original image of Nina against Dietz’s Nina, and then making her and her story my own.”
The play includes the character, Treplev (a young writer), who is performed by juniors Connor Bush, Brent Starrh, Lindsey Twigg, Grady Goff, Donald Scherschligt and Mackenzie Ellis; sophomore Kenneth Chism and first-year Anna Telfer.
Wong’s unique design began by uncovering similarities and differences in “The Nina Variations” and “The Seagull.”
“I ended up with this wasteland abstraction of Treplev’s study room through the use of chairs and paper to convey the limitless variations/explorations that could have occurred in ‘The Seagull’s’ last scene, but never did,” he says.
“You don’t have to be in love with Chekhov to understand and enjoy the play,” Mitchell says. “We’re putting our own personal touches on the show and will include a synopsis of ‘The Seagull’ in the program to give everyone all the information they might want to know.”