This summer's cycle will consist of SEVEN classes on Tuesdays or Thursdays organized around RICHARD II (Shakespeare Tuesdays) or THREE SISTERS (Chekhov Thursdays).
The free sample classes will be given at Shetler Studios, 244 W. 54th Street, on Tuesday, June 26th and Thursday June 28th, in room 1200. The regular cycle of seven (7) classes will also be at Shetler, so that we have Shetler's muscular 2000HP air-conditioning, which causes all the summer students to wear parkas to class.
RICHARD II is apparently from the same year as ROMEO AND JULIET and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. It was apparently very popular: it went through five quarto editions before being published in the Folio. Cheap quarto editions were frequently published to make extra money by taking advantage of a play's popularity, so you can judge for yourself how the play was received.
The only advance information you need for [THE] THREE SISTERS is to know that the basis for the play is the Russian folktale Maria Morevna, which is also known as Tsarevna Maria, The Death of Koschei the Deathless, and by other titles. One version of the story begins: "Once upon a time there was a certain prince, named Ivan, who had three sisters: Maria, Olga, and Anna." In Chekhov's version the prince is named Andrei, and his sisters are named Maria, Olga and Irina. The folktale has a happy ending; unfortunately THREE SISTERS doesn't turn out to be a comedy, although it has some fine comic episodes.
TUESDAY 7-10PM
RICHARD II
SHETLER ROOM 1201
THURSDAY 7-10PM
THREE SISTERS
SHETLER ROOM 1201
July 10
July 12
July 17
July 19
July 24
July 26
July 31
Aug 2
August 7
August 9
August 14
August 16
August 21
August 23
This schedule is designed not to interfere with the fireworks nor the Labor Day barbecue.