Cherry Jam
Blurb: This new adaptation of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard is conceived and directed by women, and pares down the cast to six while focusing on issues of class, money, inaction as action, and impending climate disaster. It appeared in a three-week residency at IRT theatre in the West Village from September-October 2022.
Synopsis: Varya is losing her mind trying to stave off disaster, but there’s absolutely no more money left and her adoptive mother Lovey won’t stop fritting away what little they have left. To pay off the debts, will the older generation agree to sell the family orchard, or will they continue to do absolutely nothing? And when will they realize that not doing anything at all is still a choice? Burning House presents CHERRY JAM, a play on Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. Opening fall 2022, CHERRY JAM is a spirited and brisk one-act adaptation that features six actors and focuses on class conflict, problematic shared history, and the impending climate disaster.
Synopsis: Varya is losing her mind trying to stave off disaster, but there’s absolutely no more money left and her adoptive mother Lovey won’t stop fritting away what little they have left. To pay off the debts, will the older generation agree to sell the family orchard, or will they continue to do absolutely nothing? And when will they realize that not doing anything at all is still a choice? Burning House presents CHERRY JAM, a play on Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. Opening fall 2022, CHERRY JAM is a spirited and brisk one-act adaptation that features six actors and focuses on class conflict, problematic shared history, and the impending climate disaster.
Writer/Director Statement |
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"I'd seen and read a few iterations of The Cherry Orchard, but none that tapped into what I saw as an overarching theme of inaction in the face of a climate crisis. I chose to root our production in the aesthetics of the late 1970s when I read that the first attempts to curb CO2 took place at this time. It was also a time of huge political and social upheaval, plus the aesthetics were exciting and made the generational conflict really sing. Creatively, I also wanted to deviate from the original and offer new takes on well-worn ideas like the "string breaking" sound (here representing the future jutting in and interrupting their afternoon) and the Intruder (here a Metallic Man from the year 2022 who knows that money still rules and the the planet looks very different now).
All of these Chekhovian characters convince me that it's okay to acknowledge that our lives are "silly and don't mean very much at all," so we might as well try to connect while we can, make art that makes us happy, try to make each other laugh, ask (at least some of) the big questions, forgive freely and learn to admit fault. I hope you enjoy our Cherry Jam. Kisses to the cast and crew." 
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Opening Moments from Cherry JamThis montage played at the beginning of the show, signaling a journey from now back to 1979. It also demonstrates how natural disasters (and man-made ones, too) and climate change reports have been a consistent part of our media diet for decades, but we never make changes.
Preshow VideoThese home videos set the scene for our 1979 production of Cherry Jam. They're from upstate NY and frame the story as a nostalgic memory play.
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Cast
David De Almo* - Lopakhin
Joseph Franchini* - Gaev
Kelly McCready* - Varya
Megan Medley* - Anya
Kelli Ruttle* - Lovey
Connor Wilson - Peter
*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.
Joseph Franchini* - Gaev
Kelly McCready* - Varya
Megan Medley* - Anya
Kelli Ruttle* - Lovey
Connor Wilson - Peter
*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.
Crew
Kelly McCready - Writer/Director
David De Almo - Producer
Lauren Winnenberg - Production Stage Manager/Sound Designer
Kathryn Ronan - Assistant Stage Manager
Cecilia X Gutierrez - Costume Design
Natasha Rotondaro - Lighting Design
Jiaying Zhang - Scenic Design
Candice Sullivan - Movement
Alice Camarota - Intimacy Coordination
Cassandra De Almo - House Manager
David De Almo - Producer
Lauren Winnenberg - Production Stage Manager/Sound Designer
Kathryn Ronan - Assistant Stage Manager
Cecilia X Gutierrez - Costume Design
Natasha Rotondaro - Lighting Design
Jiaying Zhang - Scenic Design
Candice Sullivan - Movement
Alice Camarota - Intimacy Coordination
Cassandra De Almo - House Manager