Hightstown High grads revive Chekhov comedy

Former Hightstown High School students produce and direct an Off Broadway production of Chekhov’s "The Seagull" at the Blue Heron Arts Center in New York City.

By: Michael Ross
   HIGHTSTOWN — Two former Hightstown High School students have revived an Off Broadway production of a play that delivers "five tons of love."
   Such is the way Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) described "The Seagull," his four-act comedy that originally debuted in St. Petersburg Russia in 1896 and now is playing at the Blue Heron Arts Center in New York City.
   "I think it’s a really excellent production," said Joshua Weiss, a 1992 HHS graduate and the play’s producer. "The show really speaks to the human condition."
   Directing "The Seagull" is Mr. Weiss’ longtime friend and 1993 HHS graduate, Michael Barakiva.
   "Our friendship and continued interest in the arts has brought us together for this new production," Mr. Weiss wrote in a recent e-mail.
   The 30-year-old former HHS Drama Club president now lives in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, 10 blocks from the 28-year-old director and former HHS Drama Club vice president. Mr. Weiss is a full-time, practicing attorney while Mr. Barakiva is a full-time director.
   The Roundtable Ensemble Ltd., a nonprofit theater company producing humanist theater in New York City, is hosting the production.
   The company’s Web site describes "The Seagull" as an opportunity to "Meet the original dysfunctional family: A young writer’s girlfriend is in love with his mother’s celebrity boyfriend, who loves them both. And then things get complicated. Romantic and artistic desires clash in Chekhov’s comedic masterpiece."
   "People should come to see ‘The Seagull’ because Chekhov is the first playwright to capture modern angst," Mr. Barakiva said, adding that the play captures everyday pain and comedy.
   Tickets are $15 for the play, which runs through Jan. 29 at the Blue Heron Arts Center, 123 East 24th St., New York, N.Y.
   For reservations, call (212) 818-9431.