ONLY in New York can you see Tony winners Tammy Grimes and Cherry Jones, and Broadway and film legend Eli Wallach read newly translated short stories by a young Anton Chekhov – all on lunch break, and all for free!
These stars will be on hand today at 12:30 p.m. at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church along with literary translator Peter Constantine, who has unearthed a collection of short stories by the 19th-century Russian master. Chekhov is best known for his plays “The Cherry Orchard” and “Uncle Vanya.”
The collection was housed at the New York Public Library but hadn’t been translated into English until Constantine’s book, “Undiscovered Chekhov,” was published in 1998.
“The Russian collection at the New York Public Library is absolutely amazing,” says Constantine. “It has books and manuscripts you can’t even find in Russia. The libraries of the czars were put up for sale after the revolution, and luckily for us, the New York Public Library bought them.”
Constantine has translated works from some 26 languages, including Russian, German and Greek, and has written about Japanese and Serbian slang.
Since the early ’80s big-name performers have been volunteering their time for the free, public performances, produced by Toward International Peace through the Arts.
Among performers who have participated in the program in the past are Philip Seymour Hoffman, the late Jason Robards, Lynn Redgrave, Jeremy Irons and Norman Mailer.
“Chekhov’s a great storyteller,” says Wallach, whose wife of 50 years, actress Anne Jackson, will also be reading.
“I like the project because it’s free and read in church. Today everything on TV is so hotsy-totsy – and the movies have more ammo than Vietnam! This is a nice way to spend your time.”
Today’s program will include one of the pieces from Constantine’s book.
The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, 7 W. 55th St.; Call (212) 874-2225 for information.