Mise-en-séance : a director’s approach to Sarah Ruhl’s adaptation of Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov.

Chekhovian theatre is often seen as an acquired taste. Its longevity and infamy within the literary and dramatic canon have prompted scholars, artists, and audiences worldwide to have an opinion when they hear his name. To produce Chekhov for contemporary audiences is to acknowledge those experiences, memories, and beliefs within any artistic praxis. This thesis documents the director’s process in approaching, conceptualizing, analyzing, and staging Sarah Ruhl’s adaptation of Chekov’s penultimate play, Three Sisters, at Baylor University in November of 2023. It also explores the biography of Anton Chekhov, scholarly criticism of his dramatic canon, and Chekhovian dramaturgy, as well as Sarah Ruhl’s life, her body of work, and the process of adapting the play. Additionally, the thesis investigates Marvin Carlson’s theory of the haunted stage and how past productions of Three Sisters informed the understanding and ultimate direction of the script.