A director's approach to Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull".

Abstract

This thesis examines the production process of the 2010 Baylor University Theatre production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull from the perspective of the director. This production highlighted the themes of art, love, and longing for fulfillment within the play. The study is broken into five chapters providing an overview of the production process. Chapter one provides a biographical overview of Chekhov's life, a brief production history of The Seagull, and a literary review of critical material about the play. Chapter two contains a detailed analysis of The Seagull, examining the given circumstances, structure, themes, and characters of the play. Chapter three follows the conceptual and design process of the production. Chapter four details the rehearsal process of The Seagull, focusing on the director's work with actors. Finally, chapter five provides a critical reflection of the final production and an analytical discussion of the director's work throughout the process.