Masha Masha Masha

O to be on stage again! O to perform Chekhov! O to be Masha!

Being in Three Sisters this past spring was a dream come true. April saw me reunited with a few NYC actors (and crew) I’d previously worked with, as well as some familiar (and some new-to-me) local professional talent. It was an incredible, unforgettable ensemble. I felt thrilled to be employed back in the theatre for a two month reminder of why I do what I do/the sacrifices I’ve made to make an artistic life possible.

I told my brother, I think Masha is my favourite role I’ve played to date. It was so challenging, so full of both joy and despair–so much like “real” life.

During the rehearsal process, another “sister” loaned me a book of letters between Chekhov and Olga Knipper, one of Stanislavski’s actors and Chekhov’s lover-turned-wife. Their correspondence began not long before he wrote Three Sisters, and indeed Chekhov wrote the role of “Masha” for Olga to play. It was completely fascinating to read their discussions about the character and the play while I was grappling with the same questions in real time. Separated by 120 years, my experiences barely differed from this original Masha, a 19th century actor in Russia.

This is what is so beautiful about theatre and literature to me. The study of the human condition and opportunity to connect with other humans across time and space. To feel something and learn something about yourself through art. To heal or be forced to think and feel and examine the world.

And the clothes! Chekhov specifies in the script that Masha is always in black. I felt she is in perpetual mourning for a life she knows she is not going to be able to have. The original emo goth girl. I had the great pleasure of working again with with the most wonderful costume designer Charlie Barnett (IG @cbarnettiv), who crafted four different black looks to correspond with Masha’s emotional journey across the four acts of the play.

Another thing I loved about this particular play and role is the opportunity to exist on stage as your character for long periods of time. You’re not always necessarily a part of the immediate action but still living in your character’s body, experiencing life as it happens. It’s a beautiful luxury of the theatre actor that the film actor might not experience.

It was very painful to play Masha. She broke my heart all over again. But she also helped me to feel, to open back up to life and the world. I love her dearly and will carry her in my heart for the rest of my life.

Many more production photos can be viewed in my Actor Gallery …. and many more words could be said here in this post. But for now, I’ll leave you with this reasonable overview of my formative experience from this spring.

Love and light and sarcasm and rage,

Masha