The Howland Company and Hart House Theatre announced today a contemporary adaptation of Chekhov’s THREE SISTERS, a co-production appearing this fall on Toronto’s historic Hart House stage. Directed and adapted by The Howland Company’s Paolo Santalucia (Casimir and Caroline, Prodigal), THREE SISTERS will have its world premiere run from October 26 to November 12, 2022 at Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON. Opening night is November 2, 2022. For tickets and more details, visit howlandcompanytheatre.com.

This contemporary adaptation of Chekhov’s THREE SISTERS explores our endless longing for acceptance and meaning in an uncertain world. “The play confronts what it means to be in love: with each other, with ourselves, and the people we choose to spend our lives with,” said Santalucia. “It highlights the tension between the bright future we all long for and the harsh realities of our current and radically changing world. It forces us to question what it was our parents tried to build for us, and whether we want to inherit it.”

In keeping with The Howland Company’s history of vibrant, award-winning acting ensembles, THREE SISTERS will feature a mix of Toronto’s most exciting young actors, alongside veterans of Canadian theatre. The three sisters will be played by Howland’s Hallie Seline (Howland’s Casimir and Caroline, The Wolves, Punk Rock, Showtime's Fellow Travelers) as Olga, Caroline Toal (Howland’s Casimir and Caroline, YPT’s Selfie, Theatre Aquarius’ Blackbird) as Masha, and Shauna Thompson (Peggy Baker Dance Project’s Beautiful Renegades, Crow’s Orphans of the Czar, Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple) as Irina, with Ben Yoganathan (Driftwood’s King Henry Five, Killing Mixtape Project’s Time, CBC Gem’s Breaking Up for the Modern Girl) as brother Andrei and Howland’s Ruth Goodwin (Netflix’s Wedding Season, Global TV’s Private Eyes, Howland’s Entrances and Exits, The Wolves) as Natasha. 

Taking on the role of Alex, Vershinin in the original, will be Christine Horne (Showtime’s Fellow Travelers, Tarragon’s Light, Why Not’s Prince Hamlet, Iceland), with Robert Persichini (Netflix/CBC’s Alias Grace, Centaur Theatre’s The Last Wife, Coal Mine’s The Nether) as Ivan, Chebutykin in the original, and Kyra Harper (Theatre Centre’s Here Are The Fragments, Soulpepper’s Copenhagen, Apple TV’s SEE) as Anfisa. 

Rounding out the cast will be Howland’s Cameron Laurie (Blyth Festival’s The Drawer Boy, Howland’s Casimir and Caroline, Punk Rock), Colin A. Doyle (Coal Mine’s The Antipodes, Outside the March/Crow’s The Flick, Apple TV’s 5 Days In Memorial), Maher Sinno (Edmonton Fringe’s The Green Line, Dauntless City Theatre’s Richard II, Shahid TV’s Shockwave), 郝邦宇 Steven Hao (Tarragon’s Cockroach, Outside the March/Factory Theatre’s Trojan Girls and Outhouse of Atreus), and Ethan Zuchkan (Toronto Metropolitan University’s Spring Awakening & Romeo and Juliet, Terra Firma Festival’s Hunger).

This co-production also marks a new partnership between Howland and Hart House Theatre that will have Howland Company Artistic Leaders take on mentorship roles with University of Toronto students, and facilitating educational programming throughout the academic year, full details to be announced.

“The Howland Company has been looking for opportunities to meaningfully expand our training and community initiatives to help support the growth of Toronto’s next generation of theatre artists and creatives. We are thrilled to work with the University of Toronto’s Hart House Theatre to connect directly with students to provide opportunities and professional connections,” said Cameron Laurie, one of The Howland Company’s Artistic Leaders. “This partnership is particularly meaningful for us, since many of our Leaders, including myself, are University of Toronto alumni and got our start on the historic Hart House stage.”

“Hart House Theatre is delighted to engage U of T students and alumni in THREE SISTERS and honour our mandate of enhancing the student experience through learning opportunities in the rehearsal hall and backstage, assisting professional creatives, and crewing performances; all of which has been foundational to the theatre since its inception,” said Doug Floyd, General Manager, Hart House Theatre.

Tickets for THREE SISTERS go on sale August 18, 2022 and run from $15 to $40, with pricing options throughout the run for students, artsworkers, and seniors, plus rush tickets. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit howlandcompanytheatre.com or harthouse.ca.

THREE SISTERS

A Co-Production by The Howland Company and Hart House Theatre

Adapted by Paolo Santalucia

After Chekhov

Directed by Paolo Santalucia

Set & Costume Design by Nancy Anne Perrin

Lighting Design by Christian Horoszczak

Stage Management by Kat Chin

October 26 to November 12, 2022

Previews: October 26-November 1, 2022

Opening Night: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at 7:30pm

Run: November 3-12, 2022

Showtimes:

Evenings at 7:30pm

After opening: Saturday matinees on November 5th and 12th at 1:30pm

Runtime:

2.5 hrs including one intermission

Location:

Hart House Theatre

7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON

Ticket Prices:

PREVIEWS, October 26 - November 1:

GA: $32.00

ARTS WORKER / SENIOR: $25.00

STUDENT: $15.00

RUN, November 2 - 12:

GA: $40.00

ARTS WORKER / SENIOR: $32.00

STUDENT: $20.00

RUSH: $15.00

For more details:

howlandcompanytheatre.com

harthouse.ca

Photo: Hallie Seline, Shauna Thompson, Caroline Toal.© 2022 Dahlia Katz.