World Premiere of Chekhov-Inspired Man in a Case, Starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Opens at Hartford Stage

By Kenneth Jones
01 Mar 2013

Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov

Hartford Stage opens the world-premiere production of Man in a Case, a movement-friendly stage adaptation of two stories by Anton Chekhov, March 1 following previews from Feb. 21 in Connecticut. The work stars Mikhail Baryshnikov, with Jess Barbagallo, Tymberly Canale, Chris Giarmo and Aaron Mattocks, all associated with Big Dance Theater.

The staging plays to March 24. "In a tale both witty and haunting," according to Hartford Stage notes, "a reclusive man's courtship of a carefree young woman forces him to stare down his own rigid nature. Another man looks back at the love of his life, and wonders if he should have pursued her despite her marriage to another. Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar, the team behind the internationally acclaimed Big Dance Theater, bring their signature style — fusing theatre, movement, music, and video — to their world-premiere adaptation of two Anton Chekhov short stories, 'Man in a Case' and 'About Love.'"

The work is directed by Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar of Big Dance Theater and choreographed by Parson.

Actor and dance star Baryshnikov appeared on Broadway in Metamorphosis (Tony Award nomination and a Drama Critics Award) and Off-Broadway in In Paris (Ely and Edyth Broad Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Lincoln Center Festival and 2011-12 International Tour), Beckett Shorts (New York Theatre Workshop) and Forbidden Christmas or The Doctor and the Patient (Lincoln Center Festival). He has appeared in the films "White Nights," "The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez," "Company Business" and "The Turning Point" (Oscar nomination, Best Supporting Actor).

Barbagallo has performed with Big Dance Theater, Theater of a Two-Headed Calf and The Builders Association, and credits include Fiabe Italiane (John Turturro), An Oresteia (Paul Lazar/Brian Kulick) and MilkMilkLemonade (John Conkel/The Management). Canale has been a collaborator and performer with Big Dance Theater since 1995 and recently portrayed Euripides' Queen Alkestis in Big Dance Theater's Supernatural Wife. Giarmo is an artist and designer who has performed with Big Dance Theater since 2005 and recently performed in and composed choral music for Big Dance Theater's Supernatural Wife. Mattocks is an associate artist with Big Dance Theater, a puppeteer with Phantom Limb Company and has been a member of OtherShore since 2009.

The creative team includes costume designer Oana Botez (PS122, The Kitchen); sound designer Tei Blow; set designer Peter Ksander (Brooklyn Academy of Music, PS122); video designer Jeff Larson (Comme Toujours Here I Stand, Big Dance Theater); lighting designer Jennifer Tipton (Tony Awards for The Cherry Orchard and Jerome Robbins' Broadway); and production stage manager is Jenni Bowman.

Man in a Case is produced by Baryshnikov Productions in association with ArKtype/Thomas O. Kriegsmann.

For tickets and more information, visit HartfordStage.org.

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Hartford Stage, in Hartford, CT, is under the leadership of artistic director Darko Tresnjak and managing director Michael Stotts.