Listed as a comedy.  I beg to differ, though well worth the
price of admission.

Anton Chekhov  has never written for Monty Python, or at least I believe not,
since his death had precluded as much.  Chekhov's humor is often based in 
ironies, with an absurd character thrown in here and there for laughs. Chekhov
originally studied medicine in Moscow and chose to write stories instead of
practicing the medical arts.  He married an actress and then set about to write
plays.  Anton Pavlovich Tchekhov or Chekhov would be pleased with the
fine job done by our very own Village Players.  A few years ago much needed to 
be done, and much was done.  There is a new group of actors with some
great talent, and plenty of artistic direction from the wings.  I find this play to
be more existential, definitely timely in its trials and tribulations of life, though
oft fraught with pre-Marxist social humor.  The ironies of life, living and observing
the events around us at times requires humor.  I am not sure I would have agreed
with calling this play a “comedy” unless  the humor of having a weekend dacha 
in the Gulag would crack a smile on your frozen face. Chekhov's humor is not
Woody Allen or Jerry Seinfeld, his plays are thought provoking (and actually
are..a bit of humor...) and relevant.

Very well written and superbly acted by a cast of fine performers.  The staging 
is artistic and complements the mood of the drama nicely.  The Cherry Orchard
motif is integral to the design of the background as well as the front of the stage,
nicely thought out and executed.  This past weekend at the Lyric I sat with a
packed house for five and a quarter hours of Wagner.  Chekhov does not have
the music of Wagner, but Chekhov also does not have brothers and sisters
sleeping together.  I would encourage the 600 members of Lyric Opera who
live in Oak Park to give a visit to our fine theatre close to home.  I would also
ask my friends and party goers who have season tickets to Shakespeare on
Navy Pier to come and visit our Village Players.  A season ticket to Village Players
is often the cost of one performance in the city and the money you save on
parking will treat you to a meal in town. 

The Cast

Liubov Ranyevskaya            Cece Klinger*
Anya                                       Missy Moore
Varya                                    Naomi Buck*
Leonid Gayev                       F. W. Brent Bridgeman
Yermolai Lopakhin               R. Kenneth Whittier
Petya Trofimov                     Joseph McCauley* 
Boris Semyonov-Pishchik      Paul Slivinski
Carlotta                                 Carrie Corrigan
Semyon Yepikhodov            Michael Graham
Dunyasha                             Gina Virgallito
Firs                                          Leonard Kraft
Yasha                                      Phillip McFarlane*
Homeless Man
& Station master                    Larry Carani*

   *denotes a Village Players Resident Team Member. 

Director                      David M. Schmitz
Stage Manager          Nicole Geissal*
Assistant Director       Parrish Morgan*

Technical Director/ Master 
Carpenter & Props Designer        John T. Bell*

Set Design & Scenic Artist         Susie Mcllwain*
 

 Costume Designer                        Suzanne Mann*
 Lighting Designer                         Brian Archer*
 Assistant lighting Designer           Sandy Richko*
 Tech Board Operator                   Mike Moody*

Barn Raising Crew for 
The Great Wall of Cherry 
 

John Bell*
Lorry Caroni*
Mike Drennan
Heldi Drennan*
Michael Gelssol
Nicole Seissal*
John Lillis
Susie Mcllwain*
Mike Moody*
 Parish Morgan*
 Carl Occhipinti*

*denotes a Village Players
Resident Team Member

 The Cherry Orchard - by Anton Chekov - OPENING!

Opens November 8th 2002 and runs through December 8th 2002 at Village Players Theatre
 in Oak Park, Illinois

 The Cherry Orchard - written by Anton Chekov and directed by David M. Schmitz is a script
universally acknowledged as one of the masterpieces or world theatre. This story, perhaps even
more relevant in our current economic climate, clings to the ageless effort of a struggling family to
pay off their debts and still keep their precious home and cherry orchard. What unfolds is a
bittersweet, warmly comedic, timeless and challenging account of love and social change!
 Join us to celebrate this treasured tale as it approaches it's 100th Anniversary come 2003!!

The Cherry Orchard opens November 8th and runs every Friday, Saturday at 8:OOPM and the last 3
Sundays at 2:OOPM through December 8th 2002. Ticket prices range $8.00-$18.00. Special Group
discounts are available. Call 1-708-524-1892 - ext. 1 - for advance ticket reservations or purchase
tickets on line at www.village-players.org or 1 hour before show time at the theater located at 1010
W. Madison St. in Oak Park, IL - just North of 290 and East of Harlem Ave.

Director: David M. Schmitz / Stage Manager; Nicole Geissal / Assistant Director: Parrish Morgan/
Technical Director. Master Carpenter & Props Designer: John Bell / Set Designer: Susie Mcllwain /
Lighting Designer: Brian Archer / Costume Designer: Suzanne Mann / Light Board Operator:
Sandy Richko; Run Crew: Mike Moody

Cast: Brent Bridgeman, Naomi Buck, Larry Carani, Carrie Carrigun, Michael Graham, CeCe
Klinger, Leonard Kraft, Joe McCauley, Phillip McFarlane, Missy Moore, Paul Slivinski, Gina
Virgallito, Kenneth Whitiert,

Village Players Theatre is a non-equity professional theater company founded in 1959.
 This is the Village Players 42nd Season of quality entertainment.
 

                                                   VILLAGE PLAYERS
                       Village Players Theatre is proud to introduce their newly formed
                                             2002-2003 Resident Company!!
                  Resident Crew and Design Team:
                  Brian Archer - Technical Director & Lighting Designer
                  John Bell - Assistant Technical Director & Master Carpenter
                  Nicole Dumond - Stage Manager
                  Diane Fisher Post - Sound Designer & Managing / Artistic Director
                  Christine Grgurich - Office & Stage Manager
                  Susie Mcllwain - Scenic Designer & Builder
                  Suzanne Mann - Costume Designer
                  Sandy Richko - Crew Member
                  Resident Acting Team:
                  Naomi Buck
                  Larry Carani
                  Heidi Drennan
                  Diane Fisher Post
                  CeCe Klinger
                  Greg Lacey
                  Elizabeth Macik
                  Joseph McCauley
                  Phillip McFarlane
                  Carl Occhipinti
                  Lisa Pearson
                  Jackie Sidle
                  Alternate Actors:
                  Maria Bakalis
                  Nicole Dumond
                  Carrie Hunter
                  Keta Roth
                  Vivian Tedford
 

Special Group discounts are available. 

Call 1-708-222-0369 for ticket reservations 
and 708-524-1892 for group and/or more information.

Village Players Theatre is a non-equity professional 
theater located in Oak Park, IL at 1010 W. Madison St – 
North of 290 and East of Harlem Ave.

This is the Village Players 41st Season of quality 
entertainment.

www.village-players.org