In CRASH Theater’s TaRaRaBOOM: A Three Sisters MishMash,

Olga, Masha, and Irina are stuck...

After the death of their father, they long to return to a time and place that exists only in their memory. Their world is populated with living ghosts and broken clocks, and love isn’t quite strong enough to save them. But what difference does it make? Nothing even matters, anyway...

An exploration of what makes life absurdly serious and seriously absurd, TaRaRaBOOM uses Chekhov’s text along with original scenes, music, and movement to explore the timeless themes of the classic play with a modern sensibility. TaRaRaBOOM is an explosive reworking of and playful homage to one of Chekhov’s best-loved works. SPOILER ALERT: The sisters still don’t make it to Moscow.

There’s no place like home.

THE PRESS:

Manhattan Digest:

"Those who are still mourning the unfortunate, premature death of Broadway’s Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 would be wise to trek downtown to the cute and cozy Access Theater. Though not nearly as large in scope, Tararaboom brings a similar immersive quality and vibe."

ARTS INDEPENDENT:

"What CRASH has added [to Chekhov's Three Sisters] is various sorts of absurdist fun, including several songs, a dance or two, and impressionistic staging tricks that make this an innovative meme-ification of the modern classic. . . TaRaRaBOOM adds energy and dark humor to Chekhov’s tragicomedy, as it gradually becomes clear that none of the sisters—or the collection of people who orbit around them—is likely to ever find the happiness that they crave in life."

The CAST:

Rebecca Strimaitis (Olga) - Rebecca Strimaitis is an actor, writer, and teaching artist originally from New England. Career highlights include: Broadway: The Visit in concert. International: American Sojourns with Willder (The Moscow Art Theatre). Regional:The Light Princess(A.R.T.), Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company), Pirates of Penzance (Goodspeed Opera House). Training: BFA Musical Theater, The Boston Conservatory and MFA Acting, American Repertory Theater/MXAT at Harvard University. Proud member of Actor’s Equity and founding member of CRASH Theater Co.

Rebecca

Strimaitis

as Olga

Screen Shot 2018-08-19 at 8.14.46 PM.png — Kristin Wetherington

as Masha

Kristin Wetherington most recently appeared as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday at the New Harmony Theatre. Off-Broadway: Calamity Jane, Louisiana Purchase, The Light Princess; Tour/International: Aida, Ivanov (Sarah) Melikhovo Theatre Festival, Dostoevsky’s The Idiot (Nastasya) Moscow Art Theatre; Regional: Parade (Lucille) Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival; South Pacific (Nellie)Triad Stage, The Miracle Worker (Kate Keller), Victor/Victoria (Norma), Gypsy (Louise) OSTC. Training: BFA East Carolina University, The Neighborhood Playhouse, MFA: The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. www.kristinwetherington.com

Kristen is a New York City based TV, film, and theater actress, singer, model and dancer. Earlier this year she performed with the NY Philharmonic at David Geffen Hall. Some other recent credits include Kelly Hughes in ABC's Quantico, Irina in Crash Theater Company's TaRaRaBOOM: A Three Sister's MishMash, and commercials for Simon Outlet Malls and Geico. She received a BA in Psychology and Classical Vocal Performance from Emory University and an MFA in Acting from The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University.

Screen Shot 2018-08-19 at 8.14.26 PM.png — Kristen Alyson Brown

as Irina

Danny Goodman is a co-founder of CRASH Theater. New York: Pirates of Penzance (Skirball Center), TaRaRaBOOM: A Three Sisters MishMash (CRASH Theater). Regional: HMS Pinafore (Actors Theatre of Louisville) All Our Tragic (The Hypocrites). Final Cut and The Light Princess (American Repertory Theater). He received his MFA in Acting from The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University.

Elijah Guo is a NYC-based actor, writer and musician. Selected credits include Film/TV: Patriots Day (CBS Films/Lionsgate), The Blacklist (NBC), Power (Starz), High Maintenance (HBO), StartUp (Crackle) opposite Adam Brody and Ron Perlman. Theater: The Imaginary Invalid (Moscow Art Theatre), Hansel and Gretel (American Repertory Theater), The Flu Season (A.R.T. Institute), I Dream of Chang and Eng (UC Berkeley, workshop with Philip Kan Gotanda), Fighting Mac! (Theatre Rhinoceros, S.F.). Elijah is a proud MFA graduate from The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. www.elijahguo.com

Elijah

Guo

as Tuzenbach

Credits include: first national tour of Matilda the Musical (RSC/Dodgers), The Heart of Robin Hood, Altar Boyz, Fiddler on the Roof, Bye Bye Birdie, The Light Princess, Meet Me in St. Louis, ThreePenny Opera, Macbeth, Pericles, Twelfth Night. Justin has performed professionally in 32 states, 3 countries, and two decades, but his most important roles are as Sara's husband and Audrey's dad. He received his MFA in Acting from The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University.

Billy Calder was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn Heights and went on to college at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Billy Calder graduated from the MFA Acting program at The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. He has since returned to Brooklyn to act, teach, and live. He is a founding member of CRASH Theater Co., a collective of theater artists based in New York City. Billy has worked in Film/TV, Theater, and Improv Comedy. He appeared alongside John Travolta in The Forger, on NBC’s Allegiance, and featured briefly in castmate Elijah Guo’s My Friend Will.

MatthewLieffChristian email.jpg — Matthew Leiff Christian

as Kulygin

Matthew Lieff Christian is a Brooklyn based actor who grew up outside of Boston and has been performing since the age of eight as an actor and singer. Off-Broadway: Anthem (Baryshnikov Arts Center). Other New York Theater: The Wife of Usher's Well (SheNYC), Our God’s Brother (Storm Theatre/Blackfriars Rep), Unbirth (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity). Regional: Lives of Reason (Two River Theater), As You Like It (A.R.T.), Futurity: A Musical by the Lisps (A.R.T.), Legally Blonde (Summer Theatre of New Canaan, BroadwayWorld nomination for Best Featured Actor). Developmental workshops with Playwrights Horizons, The New Victory Theater, Broadway Asia, and others. Film/TV: A Crime to Remember (Discovery ID), Labor Day (Paramount Pictures), Mona Lisa Smile (Columbia Pictures). BA: Harvard. MFA: The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. www.matthewlieffchristian.com

The CREATIVE Team:

Consulting Director: Max Hunter

Max Hunter is the Artistic Director of The Bridge Production Group, through which he has directed and/or performed in “The Blue Room” (WhiteBox, NYC), "Richard III" (Fourth Street Theatre), Carol Brown’s “Hedda" (world premiere commission, Robert Moss Theatre), and “Red Light Winter" (Robert Moss Theatre). The Bridge Production Group has also produced the original movement piece The Sonnets, CRASH Theater’s TaRaRaBoom: A Three Sisters MishMash (Robert Moss Theatre), and instillation pieces at the Gowanus Loft and Snug Harbor Cultural Center. New York acting and directing credits include The Pearl, Metropolitan Playhouse, 54 Below, City Centers Encores!, with readings at the NYTW, Abingdon Theatre, National Black Theatre of Harlem, and Fire This Time Festival. Regional credits include the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, New London Barn, and Opera North. Education: Dartmouth College. For more information, please visit www.maxhuntersite.com and www.bridgeproductiongroup.org.

Set Designer: Hannah Cooke

Hannah Cook is a freelance set designer, technical director, and art teacher for children. Her work in both set design and construction has been seen in such venues as the Gym at Judson, the PIT, Under St. Marks, Actors Fund Arts Center, the Connelly, Soho Rep, Rattlestick Playwrights, 3LD, Irondale, The Acorn, among others. She is the resident set designer for Brooklyn Acting Lab in Park Slope and she regularly works at Tiffany & Co.® developing window displays. Education: Muhlenberg College (BA), Queen Mary University of London. www.hannahclarecook.com

Lighting Designer: Stacey Derosier

Stacey Derosier is a NYC based lighting designer who just completed her MFA at NYU Tisch. Her recent credits include: Why is Eartha Kitt Trying to Kill Me?: A Love Story (a new opera by Jeffrey Smith), 1969: The Second Man (music by Jacob Brandt & book by Dan Giles), and upcoming new play by Jonathan Payne The Revolving Cycles Truly & Steadily Roll'd.

Costume Designer: Katja Andreiev

In addition to designing a fair bit of Chekhov, Katja has also served as a language and adaptation consultant, accent/pronunciation coach, and dramaturg on various productions thereof. Other areas of interest include new work, and educational and outreach theater. She has previously worked for the Theatre Development Fund, sharing their goal of bringing theater to a wider audience, and is a frequent collaborator with the Atlantic Theater Company. Recent Designs Theater- Uncle Vanya ( dir. Anya Saffir Atlantic Theater Company Conservatory), Dinner with Georgette ( dir. Elena Heyman, New York Theater Workshop), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ( Excellent Creatures Inc.), This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing ( Atlantic Theater for Kids) Film- VR Food ( dir. Malcolm Mills, Malcolm Mills Productions), Interpretation of Dreams (Samsung Virtual Reality/ Sensorium Inc.), The Bit Player: Claude Shannon ( dir. Mark Levinson, IEEE Productions).

Dramaturgy: Tatyana Khaikin

Tatyana has been working as an interpreter/translator for almost 30 years. Recent translations include Out of the Blue by Vladimir Zaytsev (co-translated with Robert Duffley); The Mountaintop by Katori Hall; 3 one-acts by young American playwrights for the Book Wings project at the University of Iowa (co-sponsored by the American Embassy in Moscow). Since the early 1990s she has been actively involved in many educational and theatrical projects between the US and Russia. In the 1990s she worked as an interpreter for many State Department-sponsored seminars for Russian legislators, journalists, judges and medical professionals. In the early 2000s she was a Managing Producer for V. Dolgachev's US tour of The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel and Managing Producer for the US tour of Sergey Yursky's one-man show Old Friends. She has worked with many successful directors and playwrights on both continents. In the US she has worked with Oleg Efremov, Roman Kozak, Adolf Shapiro, Marina Brusnikina, and Alla Sigalova. In Russia she has worked with Janos Szasz, John Tiffany, and Steven Hoggett. She has served as First Assistant to the Dean of the Moscow Art Theater School, overseeing international exchange programs between Russia and the US: a semester-long program with the National Theatre Institute; a graduate program with the American Repertory Theatre Institute; summer programs with Wayne State and Butler University; and a three weeks’ introductory course with Fordham University. She currently works as an interpreter for director Dmitry Krymov's master classes at Yale University and the New School.