Michael Shannon, Reed Birney and Maria Dizzia to Star in Uncle Vanya at Soho Rep

Michael Shannon (Mistakes Were Made) and Merritt Wever (The Illusion) will join Reed Birney in Annie Baker's previously announced new adaptation of Uncle Vanya, according to The New York Times. Directed by Sam Gold, the production will also include Tony nominee Maria Dizzia (In The Next Room), Peter Friedman (After The Revolution) and Georgia Engel (Middletown). The limited engagement is set to run June 7 through July 15 at off-Broadway's Soho Rep.

On a dilapidated, remote farm Uncle Vanya (Birney) and his niece Sonya (Wever) have worked slavishly for years to sustain an estate in decline. Now Professor Serebryakov (Friedman) and his wife Yelena (Dizzia) have returned to visit, bringing with them chaos and disruption. Constant visits from the charismatic Astrov (Shannon) are not helpful. Lunch is no longer served at lunch time—now it is procrastinated until dusk—work is forgotten and the long, cool nights have become sleepless. From this hotbed of disarray grow three consuming love affairs, each of which is destined to wither in disappointment before it has reached bloom. It is in this climate of frustration and thwarted hopes that the Professor chooses to announce a shocking plan.



The cast of Uncle Vanya will also feature Matthew Maher, Paul Thureen and Rebecca Schull.