Company Workshop Yura Kordonsky: Chekhov Weekend Workshop Dates & Times Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 10:00am-6:00pm Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 10:00am-6:00pm We'll take an hour long lunch break each day. Houghton Hall, 22 East 30th Street, Jefferson Studio & Ballroom 2nd Floor This workshop is open to observers and all company members are invited to attend. About the Workshop Director, educator, and Yale faculty member, Yura Kordonsky, returns to The Actors Center for a weekend workshop devoted to the plays of Anton Chekhov. Through practical scene work, participants will examine acting as the art of active listening—to text and subtext, to a partner on stage, and to the physical world of the play. Together with Yura, participants will explore characters’ given circumstances, objectives, and dramatic conflicts in the creation of an actor’s path that leads to a truthful, authentic, and multi-layered life on stage. In particular, Yura draws on Stanislavsky’s Method of Physical Actions, an approach to rehearsal that he developed in the final years of his life but did not complete for publication before his death. At the core of this method lies the exploration of a play through the life of the human body, building the character’s complex emotions out of responses to the simple, specific physical reality of the stage world. Participants may choose any 2- or 3-person scene from any of Chekhov’s plays. Yura has shared a list of possible scenes, but participants may select others if desired. Yura has provided a copy of the Laurence Senelick translation of Chekhov’s plays, but any translation can be used. You can sign up either together with partner(s) or as an individual and you will be paired with other individual(s). Each scene will work every day. Very limited conflicts can be accommodated. If you are looking for partner(s), you may post in the comments thread, or you can also find contact information for all members in the member directory. About Yura Kordonsky Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Yura received his MFA degrees in Acting and Directing from the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Arts, Russia, under the direction of Lev Dodin. He has taught, performed, and directed internationally since 1989. He was previously a resident actor and director at the renowned Maly Drama Theatre–Theatre of Europe in St. Petersburg. His directing credits include his original play Disappearance and House of Bernarda Alba by Lorca (Maly Drama Theatre, St....

Company Workshop Yura Kordonsky: Chekhov Weekend Workshop Dates & Times Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 10:00am-6:00pm Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 10:00am-6:00pm We'll take an hour long lunch break each day. Houghton Hall, 22 East 30th Street, Jefferson Studio & Ballroom 2nd Floor This workshop is open to observers and all company members are invited to attend. About the Workshop Director, educator, and Yale faculty member, Yura Kordonsky, returns to The Actors Center for a weekend workshop devoted to the plays of Anton Chekhov. Through practical scene work, participants will examine acting as the art of active listening—to text and subtext, to a partner on stage, and to the physical world of the play. Together with Yura, participants will explore characters’ given circumstances, objectives, and dramatic conflicts in the creation of an actor’s path that leads to a truthful, authentic, and multi-layered life on stage. In particular, Yura draws on Stanislavsky’s Method of Physical Actions, an approach to rehearsal that he developed in the final years of his life but did not complete for publication before his death. At the core of this method lies the exploration of a play through the life of the human body, building the character’s complex emotions out of responses to the simple, specific physical reality of the stage world. Participants may choose any 2- or 3-person scene from any of Chekhov’s plays. Yura has shared a list of possible scenes, but participants may select others if desired. Yura has provided a copy of the Laurence Senelick translation of Chekhov’s plays, but any translation can be used. You can sign up either together with partner(s) or as an individual and you will be paired with other individual(s). Each scene will work every day. Very limited conflicts can be accommodated. If you are looking for partner(s), you may post in the comments thread, or you can also find contact information for all members in the member directory. About Yura Kordonsky Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Yura received his MFA degrees in Acting and Directing from the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Arts, Russia, under the direction of Lev Dodin. He has taught, performed, and directed internationally since 1989. He was previously a resident actor and director at the renowned Maly Drama Theatre–Theatre of Europe in St. Petersburg. His directing credits include his original play Disappearance and House of Bernarda Alba by Lorca (Maly Drama Theatre, St....