Nelson County’s Hamner Theater is in good hands for its 10-day run of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Director Carol Pedersen also acts and teaches theater, serves on the board at Offstage Theater and on the program committee at Live Arts. She says she has loved Chekhov’s work, sometimes known as the “theater of mood,” since she first encountered it. “I really couldn’t be happier when I’m working than to be working on a Chekhov play,” says Pedersen. She adds that the “disappointments and hopes” Chekhov addresses “are as relevant today as they ever were; it’s the human condition, and it’s good to reconnect with that.” Boomie Pedersen, Carol’s daughter, has experience that runs just as wide: Her job as co-director and manager of the Hamner still can’t keep her from the stage (catch her in the role of Sonia, Vanya’s niece, in select performances). The Pedersens spoke with C-VILLE about how the historic Hamner Theater is attracting more Charlottesville actors and audiences to Nelson County.
Carol Pedersen (left) has had a long love-affair with Anton Chekhov’s work.
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C-VILLE: What do you think is most relevant about seeing Chekhov’s work today?
Boomie Pedersen: There is an environmental aspect to Uncle Vanya—Dr. Astrov and his concern about the preservation of trees and parks—that’s so relevant today, particularly in terms of what we’re doing to the world.
Carol Pedersen: Chekhov was so far ahead of his time in thinking about ecology; in his own life, he lived what he believed. He planted trees, took care of the environment and tried to get others to do that as well. It couldn’t be more current, in that respect.
The pervasiveness of loss is [also] a theme that people latch onto—they think, “Oh, dark, gloomy Chekhov”—but his first plays were farces. One of the first things I ever did onstage in New York was a production of three one-acts called “Evenings with Chekhov,” two of which are hilarious.
Why go to Nelson County for theater?
CP: The theater itself was formerly a school, and it has a sense of being part of a community enterprise there. The opening production (The Homecoming) was based on [namesake] Earl Hamner’s novella, which was the basis for “The Waltons” TV series. Earl grew up in Schuyler, so he’s a Nelson County figure. There are all kinds of local roots that the theater has really latched onto.
BP: One of the phenomena is that there’s been a different audience for every single show. In Uncle Vanya, [the actors are] almost all Charlottesville actors, and actors who are well known through Live Arts or other theaters here. Our work is about doing something for the audience and keeping it affordable—it’s a $10 ticket price.
So, besides high-quality performances, the draw is its local flavor and history?
CP: Yes, but let me qualify that because it isn’t dedicated only to nurturing Nelson County roots. We’re also interested in developing its connection to the larger world of theater. Last summer, the theater had a playwrights’ conference that involved playwrights from D.C. and Charlottesville.
BP: Developing new work is really crucial to what we’re about. The fact that this translation of Uncle Vanya is Doug Grissom’s, the head of playwriting at UVA, is also really exciting and important, because he’s right here, now, and he’s working on something that most people think of as being fusty or dated. It’s really very much alive.
The Hamner Theater presents Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, directed by Carol Pedersen, March 8-18, Tuesday-Saturday, 7:30pm; Saturday-Sunday, 2pm.
