February 23, 2016 | Theatre,

Lee Pelton welcomes audiences to Three Sisters and The Beckett Trilogy

Emersonians are known for learning by doing. An Emerson educa­tion brings together theory and practice with the aim of ensuring that our students thrive in the world long after they graduate. We pride our­selves on this forward-looking approach to higher education even as we are acutely aware of building on the work of others. Famed Russian playwright Anton Chekhov wrote in Three Sisters that “wisdom…comes not from age, but from education and learning.” We couldn’t agree more, and we are delighted to welcome this production of Three Sisters to our stage. Performed completely in Russian, the language in which it was originally written, and directed by Lev Dodin, one of the most renowned theatre directors of his country, this play brings to life Emerson’s lived commitment to meaningful engagement with our global society. You are in for a rare treat.

 

We get somewhat different advice from the great Irish playwright Samuel Beckett. “Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order,” he penned in his classic play Waiting for Godot. This statement evokes the kind of in-the-moment decision-making required to be an artist in the act of creation. And while the phrase “think later” locates the act of reflection in a decidedly secondary place, I like to think that strong performances inevitably compel us to appreciate them in the moment, and long after they have concluded. The three one-act plays that master Beckett interpreter Lisa Dwan will perform (Not I / Footfalls / Rockaby), directed by Beckett’s longtime friend Walter Asmus, reveal the profound rhythms of life that only Samuel Beckett could capture.

 

Boston is lucky to have both one-of-a-kind productions in our city, and I’m proud to welcome these talented creators to our campus.

 

M. Lee Pelton

President, Emerson College