BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
Following its sold-out August premiere, Anton Chekhov’s wickedly funny The Dangers of Tobacco returns to Theater 86 for a three-night encore run!
A nervous lecturer attempts to deliver a respectable talk under the watchful eye of his formidable wife—only to lose the subject, his composure, and nearly his mind.
Directed by Aleksey Burago and featuring Tom Schubert and Elena Mindlina, this bold two-actor production blends comedy, opera singing, and live violin into a hilarious and unexpectedly moving portrait of marriage, misery, and the longing to be free.
Come for the encore. Stay for the nervous breakdown.
CAST:
Elena Mindlina
Tom Schubert
Theater Lab: Workshop for Actors
With Aleksey Burago
Join us for this 8-week workshop designed to put the principles of theater-making into practice. We will explore some of Stanislavsky’s lesser-discussed ideas, including theater ethics, ensemble work, and finding the joy of acting. Led by critically acclaimed director Aleksey Burago, this workshop examines essential questions: What does it mean to be an actor today? How can we move beyond our own clichés and develop true artistry in our work?
Selected scenes will be featured in an end-of-term presentation for an invited audience.
Improv Class With Ralf Jean-Pierre
NEW CLASS!
Intro to Improv: Heart Logic
What if being funny had less to do with having the perfect idea—and more to do with being completely present with another person?
Led by actor, comedian, and longtime NYC improviser Ralf Jean-Pierre, Heart Logic is an 8-week journey into physical play, radical connection, emotional truth, and the dumbest kind of funny.
Drawing from New York and Chicago long-form improv with a strong clown sensibility, you’ll learn to trust your impulses, follow your scene partners, take big risks, and discover comedy without trying so hard to be funny.
No experience necessary. Just come ready to play.