The applause was tepid, and the cast, sensing a lack of enthusiasm, put on brave faces above awkward bows, and scooted to the wings. As the lights came up, struggling into my coat, I turned to the couple seated behind me and asked the woman what she thought. She offered the classic New Yorker’s downcast eyes paired with a shrug of her shoulders. Then, with a disdainful nod to her date, she... Read more
Mint Theater Company will present a program of short plays adapted from stories by two of the world’s greatest authors, Anton Chekhov and Leo Tolstoy.
These dramatic adaptations come from one of Mint’s favorite playwrights, Miles Malleson. Mint introduced theatergoers to Malleson with the acclaimed, New York Times Critic’s Pick productions of Conflict and Yours Unfaithfully.
Chekhov’s “An Artist’s Story” tells the story of Nicov, a painter who encounters two very different women on a visit to the country. The flirtatious Genya flatters the artist with questions about miracles and the eternal, while her pragmatic sister Lidia ridicules the artist, questioning the necessity of landscapes in a world where people are poor and hungry. Together, they bring him to a new understanding of himself.
Tolstoy’s “What Men Live By” tells the story of a Russian peasant couple whose lives intersect with a mysterious stranger whose odd ways and brilliant smile bring them to a new understanding as well. “What Men Live By” reflects Tolstoy’s dedication to living out a Christian pacifism based on personal conscience.
(Photos by Maria Baranova)
This show has now closed. See our list of theatre tickets for shows currently on sale.
Chekhov/Tolstoy: Love Stories Image and Video Gallery

Chekhov’s “An Artist’s Story” tells the story of Nicov, a painter who encounters two very different women on a visit to the country. Tolstoy’s “What Men Live By” tells the story of a Russian peasant couple whose lives intersect with a mysterious stranger whose odd ways and brilliant smile bring them to a new understanding as well.