2. Some notes about
The Sea-Gull
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Written by Anton Chekhov in
1895 and first produced in
1896
It is considered one of four of
Checkov’s popular playwrights
The opening night in October
1896, in St. Petersburg,
Russia, was a well documented
failure
It then went on to become very
popular and tour the Russian
providences
It was first translated to English
in 1909 and performed at The
Royalty Theatre
The playwright is considered a
comedy and centers around
the love interests of four
characters
3. Role of the Director
To choose the script
It must be one the director is drawn towards and feels a connection with
Find the “spine” of the play
Identify the primary objective of the scenes in the play
Pick the style of production
Determining the way the play will be presented
Develop a directorial concept
Can be based on time period, central image, or theme of the script
Cast the play
Finding actors that fit the roles of the character’s personalities
4. The Script
In this case, the work is done. I
have chosen The Seagull. I
understand the play and have
personal experience with
unrequited love. Knowing what it is
like to love someone and not have
it reciprocated is painstaking. And
sometimes, being on the other end
is just as bad. This play’s dynamics
demonstrates unrequited love
perfectly—even with one’s own
family.
5. The “spine”
The main action I would focus on
in the production is unrequited
love: characters longing for the
love of another character, who is in
love with a different character. The
actors will be directed to develop
their characters around wanting
what they cannot have.
6. Style of
Production
The style this play would be shot in
would have a realism approach.
Everyone can relate to love and
relationships; more
specifically, most people know
what it is like to love someone and
fear they do not feel the same. It
will be important for the performers
to emotionally connect with their
characters. In turn, the audience
will connect with the characters on
an emotional level.
7. Directorial Concept
The intention of this production
would be to stick to the well-written
script. Set in the late 1800s, the
set and costume design will
coincide. The time period adds to
the wrongness and excitement of
infidelity and promiscuity.
The central image of the
production will be a seagull. In Act
I, Nina says she is drawn to the
lake as if she were a seagull. In
Act II, after shooting a seagull and
giving it to Nina, Treplov tells her
he will be dead one day like the
seagull in her honor. The exact
meaning will be left unclear and up
to the audience to decide what it
symbolizes.
8. Casting
Casting comes from
the phrase “casting
a mold.”
Appropriate casting
can make or break
a production. It is
important to find
performers that can
make a character
believable.
With an unlimited
budget, this play
would be fun to
cast.
9. Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev
Treplev is Arkadina’s son, and
longs for her love and acceptance.
Masha is in love with him, but he
is madly in love with Nina. Nina
does not share his feelings.
Treplov is filled with self-doubt and
insecurity.
Jesse Eisenburg would be a good
fit. He has proven he can play a
dynamic character, who is
constantly inside his head. This
would be a good chance to show
his range as an actor. Also, his
age and appearance would fit the
role.
10. Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina
Arkadina is a well-known
Russian actress on the
backend of her career. She is
a self-absorbed woman who
puts her desires before
others. She is Trigorin’s
lover, but he has affair with
younger Nina.
Julia Roberts is an excellent
actress and would fit this role
well.
11. Nina Mikhailovna Zarechnaya
Nina is the young neighbor of
the Sorin estate. She is an
aspiring actress and the lover
of Treplev. She has an affair
with Trigorin and becomes
pregnant.
Jennifer Lawrence is a young
actress could play the
idealistic, romantic, and
smart character of Nina.
12. Boris Alexeyevich Trigorin
Trigorin is a renown Russian
writer and lover of Arkadina.
He feels he missed out on his
youth, due to his obsession
with writing, and justifies his
affair with Nina.
Leonardo DiCaprio is a
phenomenal actor and can
play nearly any role.
13. Sorin
Sorin is Arkadina’s sixty-yearold brother and uncle to
Treplev. He is wise and very
fond of his family.
Jeff Bridges is an award
winning actor and would suite
this role perfectly.
