The Cherry Orchard

Considered one of Chekhov’s best—if shortest—plays, The Cherry Orchard’s mix of comedy, tragedy and romance in in turn-of-the-century Russia is still relevant, given the hardships that continue to plague the country. Madame Ranevskaya leaves her no-good husband in Paris and returns to her homeland estate to tend to its beautiful orchard. She struggles with money, unable to give up her lavish habits, and soon feels the pressure of the feudal system shifting around her. In a twist of irony, the son of the peasant who used to tend the land now might buy it out from under her—taking the cherries and leaving her the pits. Chekhov masterfully juggles a huge cast of characters, each flawed and heroic in his or her own way, so the audience must suffer and sympathize equally with each one. Theater in the Round’s set—it’s round, you know—facilitates this by offering perspectives from all angles. 245 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 612-333-3010; www.theatreintheround.org