Show Info

Title 

Uncle Vanya 

Playwright 

Anton Chekhov, adapted by Annie Baker 

Director 

Kayla Adams 

Stage Manager 

Abbie Talken 

Category 

Mainstage 

First Rehearsal 

March 2 

Load In/Tech /Dress 

April 10-16 

Performances 

April 17-19 and 22-25 

Roles to be cast 

Age (Presentation) 

Gender (Presentation) 

Description 

Astrov 

30s 

Male 

The family doctor. A freethinker. Charismatic, intelligent, an environmentalist and an alcoholic.  

Vanya 

40s 

Male 

The steward of his dead sister’s home. Never been married or made anything of himself. Having a mid-life crisis and making it everyone else’s problem. 

Yelena 

20s 

Female 

The professor’s young, beautiful wife. Annoyed that she’s always described as young, beautiful and a wife.  

Sonya 

Teens - 20s 

Female 

The professor’s daughter from his first marriage and Vanya’s niece. Does all the real work around here. Clumsy, caring, and naive.  

Serebryakov “The Professor” 

50s - 60s 

Male 

Used to be kind of a big-deal writer. Retirement age but can’t afford to retire. Has chronic pain and is a selective listener.  

Marina 

50s  - 70s 

Female 

Sonya’s nanny and now the housekeeper. Kind and a creature of habit. Big on prayer. 

Maria 

60s  - 70s 

Female 

Vanya’s mother, widowed. Disappointed with how Vanya turned out. Big on reading.  

Telegin “Waffles” 

20s+ 

Male 

Helps out in exchange for room and board. Well-meaning and irritating. Plays the guitar.  

Yefim 

Open 

Open 

Hired Man/Night Watchman 

Synopsis 

A family’s marooned at its rural estate, where culture is only a rumor. A visiting popinjay academic from the city arrives accompanied by his second wife, both sowing chaos. 

Notices 

Content Advisory: This play contains suicidal ideation and attempted suicide, alcohol abuse, nonconsensual sexual touching, and a gun is fired onstage.

Fight Choreography Breakdown

Page 

Stage Directions/ Planned Action 

Character(s) 

87 

Yelena and Voinitsky struggle in the doorway. 

Yelena, Voinitsky 

87 

([Yelena] attempting to take his [Voinitsky] revolver away) 

Yelena, Voinitsky 

88 

He [Voinitsky] shoots as Serebryakov. 

Voinitsky,  

Serebryakov 

 

Intimacy Choreography Breakdown

Page 

Stage Directions/ Planned Action 

Character(s) 

9 

(he [Astrov] kisses her [Marina] on the head) 

Marina, Astrov 

36 

(she [Marina] kisses Serebryakov on the shoulder) 

Marina, Serebryakov 

45 

(he [Voinitsky] kisses her [Sonya] face and hands hungrily) 

Voinitsky, Sonya 

56 

(she [Yelena] kisses Sonya) 

Yelena, Sonya 

57 

([Sonya] embracing her [Yelena]) 

Sonya, Yelena 

61 

([Sonya] embraces her [Yelena]) 

Sonya, Yelena 

62 

(he [Voinitsky] kisses her [Yelena] hand) 

Voinitsky, Yelena 

63 

She [Sonya] lays her head on Yelena’s chest. 

Sonya, Yelena 

63 

(she [Yelena] strokes Sonya’s hair) 

Yelena, Sonya 

73 

He [Astrov] kisses her [Yelena] hands.  

Astrov, Yelena 

74 

(he [Astrov] takes her [Yelena] by the waist) 

Astrov, Yelena 

74 

He [Astrov] kisses her [Yelena]. 

Astrov, Yelena 

74 

She [Yelena] gives in for a second and presses her head against Astrov’s chest, breathing him in… 

Astrov, Yelena 

74 

([Astrov] holding her [Yelena] by the waist) 

Astrov, Yelena 

83 

([Telegin] kisses him [Voinitsky]) 

Telegin, Voinitsky 

86 

([Sonya] pressing herself to Nanny [Marina]) 

Sonya, Marina 

87 

([Marina] stroking her [Sonya] head) 

Marina, Sonya 

98 

([Sonya] kisses his [Voinitsky] hands) 

Sonya, Voinitsky 

101 

He [Astrov] kisses her [Yelena] on the cheek. 

Astrov, Yelena 

101 

She [Yelena] embraces him [Astrov] fully, impulsively, and then they both immediately walk away from each other.  

Yelena, Astrov 

104 

He [Serebryakov] kisses Voinitsky three times. 

Serebryakov, Voinitsky 

104 

Yelena Andreyevna embraces Sonya. 

Yelena, Sonya 

104 

([Serebryakov] kissing Maria Vasilyevna’s hands) 

Serebryakov, Maria Vasilyevna 

104 

([Maria Vasilyevna] kissing him [Serebryakov]) 

Serebryakov, Maria Vasilyevna 

105 

([Serebryakov] kisses his daughter [Sonya]) 

Serebryakov, Sonya 

105 

([Voinitsky] kissing the hand of Yelena Andreyevna) 

Voinitsky, Yelena 

105 

She [Yelena] kisses him [Voinitsky] on the head and exits.  

Yelena, Voinitsky 

110 

He [Astrov] walks over to Nanny [Marina] and kisses her head. 

Astrov, Marina 

112 

([Voinitsky] to Sonya, running his hand over her hair) 

Voinitsky, Sonya 

113 

(she [Sonya] gets before him [Voinitsky] on her knees and lays her head in his hands…) 

Sonya, Voinitsky 

113 

(she [Sonya] wipes his [Voinitsky] tears with a handkerchief) 

Sonya, Voinitsky 

114 

(she [Sonya] embraces him [Voinitsky]) 

Sonya, Voinitsky 

Important Dates/Holidays 

3/3 Magha Puja Day, 3/3 Purim*, 3/4 Holi Phagwa*, 3/7 Nuzul Quran*, 3/8 Daylight Savings Begins, 3/15-3/22 Spring Break, 3/16 Laylat al-Qadr*, 3/17 St. Patrick's Day, 3/19 Ougadi/Ugaadi, 3/20 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)*, 3/20 Equinox (Ostara), 3/26 Ram Navami, 3/29 Palm Sunday, 3/31 Mahavir Jayanti, 4/1-4/9 Passover*, 4/2 Theravada (New Year), 4/3 Good Friday,  4/5 Qing Ming Jie, 4/5 Easter, 4/10 Good Friday (Orthodox), 4/12 Easter (Orthodox) 

 

* Holidays marked with an asterisk (*) begin at sundown on the previous day. 

Callback List

The callback list will be available following Spring General Auditions on Saturday, November 15.

Cast List

The cast list will be posted following the Casting Meeting at approximately 10:30am Friday, November 21.

Contact

Questions or concerns?

Abbie Talken, Stage Manager: abbie-talken@uiowa.edu

Vivian Bonde, Assistant Stage Manager: vivian-bonde@uiowa.edu