Director: Lana Sugarman

Stage Manager: Aidan Sumrall

Production Managers: Ally Hasselback & Richard Haug

Costume Designer: Kambrea Blu

Assistant Costume Designer: Alexis Qiao

Costume Dramaturg & Stitcher: Emmett Squier

Wardrobe Supervisor: Theresa Banks

The Prozorov Sisters

Olga – Sophia Larish

Masha – Gwen Daretany

Irina – Melina White

Andrei (their brother) – Adrian Dickson

Natasha (his wife) – Caroline Jameson

Kulygin (Masha’s husband) – Sarah Schoeneman

Vershinin (a colonel) – Bolaji Idowu

Solyony  (an staff captain) – Juno Hunter

Chebutykin (an army doctor) – Jo Yanko

Tuzenbach (a baron and lieutenant) – Alex Fawkes

Anfisa (a nurse, 80 years old) – Hummyra Rahimi

Fedotik (second lieutenant) – Dax Bartlett

Ferapont (an old watchman) / Rodé (second lieutenant) – Alexis Qiao

Swing – Wisteria Jones

Setting and Time:

A small city in Russia, late 1800s. The play spans the course of 3-4 years.

“Well, after we’re gone, people will most likely fly in balloons,
wear a different cut of coat and discover a sixth sense.
But life will essentially be just the same.
It’s difficult, and happy, and full of mystery.
A thousand years from now, people will still be sighing, just as we do:
Oh, life is hard!
All the same, they will fear death. And try to avoid dying.
Just as we do now.”  ~Tuzenbach

In Sarah Ruhl’s modern adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters, we see a family and those close to them navigate life, loss, and the consistent yearning to get to Moscow. I’ve been surprised and excited by how a play written over 100 years ago is resonating so deeply with our cast. It begs the question, what is your Moscow? That one dream that slips through your fingers. The one that ‘if only this happened, everything else would fall into place!’ In our current world many of us can relate to the inability to take action, to feel unseen in our relationships, to work in jobs that feel like “labour without poetry, without meaning.” The Prozorov sisters struggle to find meaning, satisfaction, love, and they fight ‘to know’ until the very end.

LANA SUGARMAN - This is Lana’s directorial debut here at UB and her first semester as Clinical Assistant Professor of Theatre! Recent directing credits include: Enemy of the People, Nothing to See Here (Rubber City Theatre), These Shining Lives, As You Like It (Malone University), and Concord Floral (University of Akron). Lana is a proud member of Seat of the Pants, a process-driven theatre company in Cleveland, and of Canadian Actor’s Equity. She is thrilled to be working on this beautiful play with such a committed, curious ensemble. http://lanasugarman.com

ADRIAN DICKSON (Andrei) is a senior pursuing a Political Science major and Theatre minor at UB. He has participated in theatre from a young age. Some of his acting credits include You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Schroeder), Guys and Dolls (Nicely), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator), The Drowsy Chaperone (George), and Peter and the Starcatcher (Black Stache). He co-wrote SW: A New(sical) Hope with Andrew Barth Feldman in middle school, which was performed in 2016 by young actors with Zneefrock Productions, and then again in 2020 with professional actors such as Gaten Matarazzo at 54 Below. He'd like to thank his parents for always supporting him and Kambrea Lagrosa for informing him about auditions back in the Spring.

ALEX FAWKES (Tuzenbach) (they/he) is a junior Theatre Performance major with (hopefully!) a minor in ASL at the University at Buffalo. They have been happy to support the SDS series since arriving at UB, and are proud to form part of the cast in this Theatre Studio Ensemble production of Three Sisters! Previous performance credits include Almost, Maine (Man), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Radio Play (Student/Sleepy Hollow Boy/Ensemble), and Puffs (Harry/Susie Bones/Clumsy.

ALEXIS QIAO (Ferapont & Rodé) (she/they) is a sophomore Theatre Performance BFA who also worked as the assistant costume designer on this show. This is the second production she has participated in at UB. Prior to that, when she was in high school in China, she co-directed and performed four original Chinese historical plays, showing China at different times. Outside of the stage, she loves watching movies and taking photos, and one of her favorite movies is Portrait of a Lady On Fire. Alexis would love to thank her director Lana, costume designer Kambrea, and all her cast members for making the show possible! Break legs.

BOLAJI IDOWU (Vershinin) is an international sophomore student at the University at Buffalo pursuing a major in Theatre. He is an aspiring actor who has made a few short acting videos in his spare time. Most recently, he performed as Old Baltus Van Tassel, Soldier 3, and Sleepy Hollow Boy 1 in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Radio Play. Apart from this, his other credits include a Nigerian summer performance course under the Pater’s Heritage Mission, and backstage work for other UB productions such as Renascence, Outrage, and Zodiaque Dance Company.     

CAROLINE JAMESON (Natasha) is delighted to be performing in her first Chekhov play. She is a junior Music Theatre major in the Honors College with a minor in Psychology. She spent this summer as a company member at Festival 56, performing in Urinetown (Soupy Sue, Little Sally u/s) and Grease (Jan). Previous credits at UB include 9 to 5: The Musical, The 39 Steps, Renascence, and R&H's Cinderella. She would like to thank Lana, Aidan, and the cast and crew for their hard work on this production. Much love to Mom, Dad, and Daniel. Enjoy the show!

DAX BARTLETT (Fedotik) is a junior Anthropology major, with a concentration in cultural anthropology. They have previously been in No Exit (Bellhop) and King Henry VI Part 2 (York/Suffolk) at UB, among many other shows. They have a background in costuming and worked on Wardrobe for Shakespeare in Delaware Park's production of Romeo and Juliet. Dax would like to thank the cast of Three Sisters for all the laughter and silliness throughout the rehearsal process, and Lana for putting up with it (and being a great director)!

GWEN DARETANY (Masha) (she/her) is a junior Music Theater major with a minor in Environmental Studies. She is excited to be in her fourth show at UB! Most recently, she was in 9 to 5: The Musical (Ensemble) and Renascence (Vincent Dance Double) at UB. She wants to give a huge thank you to family and friends for their continued support, and most importantly thanks her cat Juneau!

HUMMYRA RAHIMI (Anfisa) (she/her) is a senior double majoring in Theatre and Law. She is thrilled to make her stage debut in Three Sisters and is eager to immerse herself in the collaborative process with her talented peers and director. Hummyra believes that her journey in theatre will enrich her future career as a lawyer, allowing her to harmonize creativity with advocacy. Passionate about storytelling and the transformative power of performance, she is dedicated to leveraging her theatrical background to become a compassionate and impactful attorney. Hummyra looks forward to connecting with audiences and embracing the magic of the stage.

JO YANKO (Chebutykin) is a second-year student at the University at Buffalo pursuing a degree in Theatre. Previous favorite roles include Mrs. Bumbrake/Teacher Peter and the Starcatcher, Betty Parris in Afflicted: Daughters of Salem, a Witch in Macbeth, Hazel/Grotto in Good Still Life with Iris, Narrator 2 in The Snow, and Lendall/Shelly in Almost, Maine. They'd like to thank their mom for bringing them into existence, and Sara for bringing them joy.

JUNO HUNTER (Solyony) is a senior Theatre Performance major who is thrilled to be participating in this production of Three Sisters. Previous credits here at the University at Buffalo include Christopher in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Menocchio in Outrage, and Gibson in Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play. A lover of Chekhov, they hope to participate in more productions of his works in the future.

MELINA WHITE (Irina) (she/her) is currently a sophomore Political Science major with a minor in Theatre. She has been involved in plays and musicals since she was six years old and was recently in No Exit (Vincent Cradeau) and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (u/s Colleen/Quincy/Edna) here at UB. Melina would like to thank her fellow cast and crew of Three Sisters for being such a wonderful group of people to work with! She is super excited to perform in this play and hopes that you enjoy the show! Insta: @melinaewhite

SARAH SCHOENEMAN (Kulygin) has recently been in A Wrinkle in Time as Meg Murry (Aurora Players) and has participated in four productions at UB: Puffs, The Odd Couple, Henry VI, Part 2, and Almost, Maine. She is excited to have the opportunity to be in Three Sisters! She would like to thank her friends and family for all their support.

SOPHIA LARISH (Olga) is a sophomore Theater Major and Dance Minor. While she is usually behind the scenes or in the booth calling a show, she is delighted to perform in her first theatrical production at UB! She would like to thank all her cast mates for their support and for their ridiculous sense of humor that always made for interesting rehearsals. She will truly miss this fantastic production!

WISTERIA JONES (Swing) (she/her) is a junior, musical theater, major at The University at Buffalo. She has been in musicals consistently since the seventh grade, with her first role being Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods, jr. Her most recent role was Hope and Sandrine in Almost, Maine. Some of her favorite roles include Sandy in SpongeBob the Musical, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She is from Rochester, New York and hopes to someday work at Disney as a performer.

AIDAN SUMRALL (Stage Manager) has been a dedicated member of the department of Theatre and Dance for his entire college career. He has held numerous positions in department shows such as: Assistant Stage Manager for 9-5, Fly Captain for Rodger and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Fly Captain for Outrage, Stage Manager for the student director series No Exit, and Assistant Lighting Designer for Ride the Cyclone. He is thrilled to have the privilege of Stage Managing tonight’s performance of Three Sisters, and thanks everyone for coming to support the department!

KAMBREA BLU (Costume Designer), a Mexican-Filipino designer from Southern California, is now based in Buffalo, NY. She graduated with an MFA in Costume Design from the University of Florida in 2022, where she explored historical, cultural, and technical facets of costume. Currently a third-year PhD student in Theatre Research and Performance at the University at Buffalo, Kambrea’s designs blend her artistic skills with her cultural background for a distinct approach. Recent work includes King Henry VI Part 2, reviewed in Shakespeare, the British Shakespeare Association journal. Her upcoming projects include The Loved Ones with Irish Classical Theatre and The Secretaries in Spring 2025.

ALEXIS QIAO (Assistant Costume Designer) is a sophomore theatre performance major who is very interested in costume design. She is the helped with costume alterations and was the dresser for King Henry VI Part 2. Alexis will be assisting Kami in costume for the upcoming projects including The Loved Ones with Irish Classical Theatre during the winter, and The Secretaries at UB in the spring.

EMMET SQUIER (Costume Dramaturg & Stitcher) is a 16-year-old junior at Kenmore East High School with a strong interest in sociology, history, and archiving. He plans to pursue anthropology in college. For Three Sisters and Henry VI Part 2 (April 2024), Emmet contributed to both shows as a dramaturg and costume assistant alongside Kambrea. His work included conducting historical research and assisting in costume design, allowing him to deepen his understanding of the time periods depicted. Emmet enjoyed working on these projects, finding them valuable learning experiences that enriched his skills and broadened his perspective in many areas.

Season Graphics: Elisabetta Antonacci, Lisa Gallagher

Props Director: Alexandria Connolly

Props Warehouse Manager: Aidan Sumrall

Assistant Technical Directors: Tom Burke, Erich Frank

Interim Costume Shop Manager: Jenn Carter

Costume Technician: Judy Curtis

Asst. Costume Shop Manager/Wardrobe Supervisor: Cindy Darling

Paint & Props Mentor: Marc Quattlebaum

Sound & Technical Direction Mentor: Jon Shimon

Department Chair: Eero Laine

Associate Chair / Producing Director: Lynne Koscielniak

Production Manager: Rick Haug

Assistant Production Manager: Ally Hasselback

Department Administrator: R. Macklin Olszewski, Veronica Sedota

Senior Staff Assistant: Rob Falgiano

Administrative Assistant: Kristin Mann

The UB Department of Theatre and Dance is a proud member of the UB College of Arts and Sciences.

With a firm commitment to the advancement of creative research, experiential learning, and community engagement, the UBTHD 2024-2025 Production Season is administered by the Department of Theatre and Dance. We acknowledge our full faculty and staff for their part in preparing students for work on stage and behind the scenes.

We thank UB Center for the Arts for their support in making these productions possible.

UB Theatre and Dance wishes to acknowledge the generous continued philanthropic support of Fox Run at Orchard Park, an official contributing sponsor of the UB Theatre and Dance 2024-2025 season. 

Today’s performance is part of the Department of Theatre and Dance’s season of plays, dance concerts, and musicals. Our season of programming is also made possible by the generosity of patrons in the form of both ticket purchases and donations. If you would like to further Support Theatre and Dance, please visit our website.