The Actor's Chekhov : Interviews with Nikos Psacharopoulos and the Company of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, on the Plays of Anton Chekhov
Psacharopoulos became the artistic directior of the famed Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) in 1955. Until the time of his death in 1989, he directed some of America's greatest talents, who came to the Berkshire Mountains not to have their egos stroked but to grow in their craft. He mostly eschewed the usual light, summer stock fare for the works of Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, and Anton Chekhov. This two-part work centers on the Chekhov productions as performed by theater luminaries such as Lee Grant, Blythe Danner, and Austin Pendleton. In fact, there are 18 substantial interviews here with actors who discuss Psacharopoulos and his approach to Chekhov. That, in itself, is a wonderful treasure of material, but what follows is another little gem entitled "The Acting Notebook." Here, extensive notes on five Chekhov plays--including Psacharopoulos's synopses of specific scenes and more interviews with actors--are presented. While there are other books available on acting approaches to Chekhov, this one should not be overlooked by libraries with solid theater collections. Also, since the WTF is such a major summer theater company, this work supplies an important look into its production history.- Diane H. Albosta, Episcopal H.S. Lib., Alexandria, Va.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.