June 11 marks the closing of the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. When it closes, Uncle Vanyawill have had 29 previews and 49 performances.
Starring Sir Derek Jacobi, Laura Linney, Brian Murray and Roger Rees, Vanya started previews April 6 and opened April 30.
Though the show earned several nominations, its awards were few. In all, Uncle Vanya collected the following nominations, with actual awards are listed in bold type.
Drama Desk Award Nominations:
Outstanding Revival of a Play
Derek Jacobi - Outstanding Actor in a Play
Brian Murray - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Michael Mayer - Outstanding Director of a Play
Tony Walton - Outstanding Set Design for a Play
Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations:
Outstanding Revival of a Play
Derek Jacobi - Outstanding Actor in a Play
Laura Linney - Outstanding Actress in a Play Tony Award Nominations:
Amy Ryan - Featured Actress in a Play
As reported earlier, the Roundabout Theatre Company specifically moved its production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya from the American Airlines Theatre to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in time to meet this season's Tony Award eligibility deadline. Roundabout's long-anticipated collaboration with Sir Derek Jacobi had been planned as the first production to appear at the American, which will be the nonprofit Roundabout's new home. That plan was scrapped and another theatre chosen for the show after construction delays at the American Airlines Theatre looked as though they might threaten Vanya's scheduled opening and Tony eligibility.
Michael Mayer directed Jacobi, Linney, Murray and Rees, alongside Rita Gam (A Flag is Born), David Patrick Kelly (Twelfth Night), Anne Pitoniak (Amy's View and Picnic, which earned her a Tony nomination) and the 2000 Tony nominated Amy Ryan (whose credits include Three Sisters), as well as Torben Brooks and James Coyle. The Chekhov play was translated by Mike Poulton.
Tony Award-winner Jacobi's film credits include "Hamlet," "The Secret Garden," "Breaking the Code," "Dead Again" and "Henry V." Jacobi was last seen on Broadway in the 1987 production of Breaking the Code and won his Tony for Much Ado About Nothing in 1985.
Linney appeared in Honour, Holiday, The Seagull, and Six Degrees of Separation. She received a Drama Desk nomination for her Off Broadway performance in Sight Unseen and first appeared at the Roundabout in Hedda Gabler. Her film credits include "The House of Mirth," "Congo," "Simple Twist of Fate," "Searching for Bobby Fischer" and "The Truman Show."
Last seen at the Roundabout in Misalliance, Brian Murray has performed on Broadway in Twelfth Night, The Little Foxes (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Noises Off (Drama Desk Award) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Tony Award nomination) among others. Murray's Off-Broadway credits include Ashes (Obie Award), Travels With My Aunt (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), The Merry Wives of Windsor and Hamlet.
Rees' stage credits include The End of the Day, (Obie award) Indiscretions, (Tony nomination) The Misanthrope, and Love's Labours Lost, Cymbeline, and Othello for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Rees garnered Tony and Olivier awards for his performance in Nicholas Nickelby and first appeared at the Roundabout in The Rehearsal.
Director Mayer will be helming his fourth play for the company with Uncle Vanya. His previous three productions include last year's Tony winning Best New Play, Side Man, the Tony winning revival of A View From the Bridge and The Lion in Winter starring Laurence Fishburne and Stockard Channing. Mayer's credits also include Triumph of Love, Stupid Kids, and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Tickets for Uncle Vanya at the Brooks Atkinson range $35-$65. The Brooks Atkinson is located at 256 West 47th Street. For tickets call TicketMaster at (212) 307-4100.
