Human relationships, when placed under the microscope of classic European drama, frequently oscillate between excruciating tension and laugh-out-loud absurdity. This October, the historic American Theatre of Actors (ATA) examines both sides of that coin with a brisk, compelling 80-minute double feature: August Strindberg’s The First Warning and Anton Chekhov’s The Proposal.
Directed by Sean Szak Prasso, the production pairs two giants of modern drama to dissect the volatility of domestic life—moving from the bitter exhaustion of a fractured marriage to the frenzied, hypochondriac chaos of a proposal gone completely off the rails.
Organic Rhythm and Black Comedy: Sean Szak Prasso’s Directorial Lens
Pairing Strindberg’s biting psychological insight with Chekhov’s breathless comedic pacing might seem like a collision of opposites, but for director Sean Szak Prasso, the bridge between the two works is built directly into their dramatic tensions.
“I did choose these two plays for a reason, and I think the connection will reveal itself naturally through the experience of watching them together,” Prasso notes regarding the thematic dialogue between the pieces. “I don’t necessarily want audiences to focus on any particular connective tissue between the two plays. They’ll get from the double bill what they get from it by the time it’s over.”
Rather than treating the evening as a severe drama followed by an unrelated comedy, Prasso calibrates the pacing to reveal Strindberg’s innate, biting humor.
“The First Warning is actually a black comedy, so much of the comedy comes from the tension itself,” explains Prasso. “I’m also playing the Strindberg slightly more comedically because of the pairing with Chekhov than I would if it were a standalone piece. That makes the transition into the more absurd world of The Proposal feel less like a complete shift and more like an elevation of the tensions that are already present. The comedy becomes freer as we move into The Proposal.”
Prasso’s approach to staging relies on discovery within the rehearsal room, working collaboratively with his cast to shape character dynamics: “My staging develops organically through the rehearsal process, with some pre-planned moments I bring in and then test with the actors. In terms of the character dynamics, I like to see how each actor approaches the role and then explore different behaviors to see what best serves the story.”
Physicality and Transformation: Annie Unger’s Dual Characters
Central to the connective tissue of this double bill is the shared presence of actors Dustin Pazar and Annie Unger, who tackle radically different dynamic relationships across the two texts.
In The First Warning, Axel (Pazar) and his wife Olga (Jean-Marie Stodolski) endure a 15-year marriage plagued by bickering in Germany. Axel’s desperate attempt to pack up and leave is thrown into disarray by the unwelcome flirtations of their landlady, the Baroness (Amy Losi), and her teenage daughter, Rose—played by Unger with impulsive abandon.
Minutes later, the stage resets for Chekhov’s The Proposal, in which Ivan Lomov (Jonathan Beebe) attempts to propose, only to ignite escalating arguments with his prospective bride, Natalya Stepanovna (Unger), and her exasperated father, Stepan (Pazar).
For Unger, navigating such swift tonal and relational pivots is rooted in established collaboration and precise physical work.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with Dustin on several other shows in a variety of roles and dynamics, so the reset feels pretty natural,” Unger says. “We have a solid rapport built already that allows us to easily slip into these very different relationships. For me personally, so much of the differentials between the two characters come from physicality and point of view.”
Unger delineates the contrasting energies that drive Rose and Natalya across the stage:
“Rose is a young, naive girl who tosses herself about the room with abandon, while Natalya is a determined woman who knows what she wants (but is terrified of not getting it) and has the physical reservations that come with being a woman who is viewed as ‘past her prime.’
There has also been an emphasis in our work thus far on the stylistic differences between the naturalism of Strindberg’s world versus the over-the-top farce that is The Proposal. Understanding that aspect gives us the freedom to fully explore within the forms of both pieces.”
A Heritage of Actor-Driven Theater
Staging this double bill at the American Theatre of Actors places the production in an environment devoted to the craft. Founded in 1976 by President and Artistic Director James Jennings, ATA has fostered over 2,000 new works and served as a creative incubator for more than 12,000 artists—including luminaries such as Bruce Willis, Dennis Quaid, Edie Falco, Danny Aiello, Dan Lauria, and Kathryn Hahn. Prasso’s production continues that tradition by providing a platform where rigorous character development takes precedence over commercial theatrical pressures.
Production Details & Performance Schedule
- Plays: The First Warning by August Strindberg & The Proposal by Anton Chekhov
- Director: Sean Szak Prasso
- Cast:
- The First Warning: Dustin Pazar, Jean-Marie Stodolski, Amy Losi, Annie Unger
- The Proposal: Jonathan Beebe, Annie Unger, Dustin Pazar
- Runtime: 80 minutes with a brief intermission
- Venue: American Theatre of Actors, 314 West 54th Street, New York City
Performance Dates & Times (2026):
- Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 PM
- Friday, October 23 at 7:00 PM
- Saturday, October 24 at 7:00 PM
- Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 PM
- Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 PM
- Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 PM
- Friday, October 30 at 7:00 PM
- Saturday, October 31 at 7:00 PM
- Sunday, November 1 at 3:00 PM
