If You’re Seeing Uncle Vanya on Sunday…
Posted: 3/22/10 -- 5:46 pm
by Jim Leija
You’re invited to join a small informal discussion after you see Uncle Vanya on Sunday, March 28. We’ll provide light food and drinks at a restaurant near the venue immediately after the performance, you provide the conversation. No strings attached—just a chance for you to talk with others who saw the same performance. Think “book club” — but about the play.
We’ll share our reactions, ask each other questions, and talk about what was interesting. To reserve your place in advance, click here, or see a UMS Lobby representative (in a bright green shirt) at the Power Center before the performance or during intermission to get on the list. We’ll tell you the location when you make your reservation.
Jim Leija is UMS Director of Education & Community Engagement. He's an alumni of the University of Michigan College of LSA, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and School of Art & Design. Jim lives in Ann Arbor with his partner Aric and two dog-children named Olive and Maisie.
about 4 days ago 
about 7 days ago 
This is going to be great! I encourage everyone to stop by and chit-chat with us.
Maureen Stych
Agreed Mo! I am looking definitely forward to tonight!
Rachel Lum
What a great night – I'm still on that post-performance high! I loved the umsLOBBY conversation afterward, but realized I forgot to ask, what did everyone think of the lowering of the haystacks at the end? My interpretation was it represented of the return of reality, both in a crushing devastating sort of way, with that ceiling almost collapsing in onto of them and yet also it felt natural, as it just seemed to fit around them. Anyone else see it differently? The same? And also, when it first started coming down I immediately thought, Whaaaat is going on? Do you think it was effective?
Rachel Lum
Good question, Rachel; I was wondering the same thing. It was strange, because the haystacks hung above them the whole time, and then, when they lowered, it felt somehow expected and yet completely unexpected.
I feel that, in lieu of Sonya's conversation about finding salvation in the afterlife, it made me feel like they were finally going to reach that peace in the end; maybe, instead of the seeing it as the haystacks lowering, we could imagine the floor rising up to the level of the haystacks? Yet, at the same time, the haystacks symbolize all their work–perhaps it means they will need to keep working when they die, just as they continue writing even as the haystacks come to meet them?
Either way, I think it was effective, because it DEFINITELY got me thinking!
Maureen Stych
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