This article offers a chronological list of productions directed by Konstantin Stanislavski. It does not include theatrical productions in which Stanislavski only acted.
Until he was thirty three, Stanislavski appeared only as an amateur onstage and as a director, as a result of his family's discouragement.Benedetti (1999a, 21, 24) and Carnicke (2000, 11). The prospect of becoming a professional actor was taboo for someone of Stanislavski's social class; actors had an even lower social status in Russia than in the rest of Europe, having only recently been serfs and the property of the nobility. When he was twenty five, he helped to establish a Society of Art and Literature, which aimed to unite amateur and professional actors and artists.Magarshack (1950, 52, 55–56). His professional career began in 1896 when he co-founded the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT) with Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.Benedetti (1999a, 61–64). Later in his life, he created a series of studios whose aims were primarily pedagogical but which also presented public performances.Gauss (1999). This list of productions directed by Stanislavski includes amateur, professional, and studio productions.
When the sources disagree about the exact date of a production's première, that given in the most recent biography of Stanislavski—Jean Benedetti's Stanislavski: His Life and Art (1988, revised and expanded 1999)—is listed here, with the alternative date detailed in the footnotes. Prior to 14 February 1918, the Julian calendar was in use in Russia, after which the Gregorian calendar was introduced.In the 19th century, the difference between the two calendars was twelve days; in the 20th, 13 days; see Gauss (1999, 6). The details of productions staged before that change are given in both Old Style and New Style dates.
Productions at the Society of Art and Literature
1891: The Fruits of Enlightenment by Leo Tolstoy. Opened on at the German (Nemetsky) Club.Benedetti (1999a, 385), Magarshack (1950, 78), and Worrall (1996, 27). Cast included Maria Lilina, Alexander Sanin, Alexander Artem, Vasily Luzhsky, Maria Samarova, and Vera Komissarzhevskaya; Stanislavski played Zvesdinstsev.Benedetti (1999a, 42—43, 385), Magarshack (1950, 80), and Worrall (1996, 27). Reviewing the production, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko wrote of Stanislavski's performance that "no one has ever seen such an exemplary performance on an amateur stage."Benedetti (1999a, 43), Magarshack (1950, 79), and Worrall (1996, 27). 1891: Foma by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, adapted by Stanislavski from The Village of Stepanchikovo. Opened on at the German Club. Cast included Stanislavski as Colonel Rostanev and Maria Lilina as Nastenka.Benedetti (1999a, 43, 231, 385) and Magarshack (1950, 80). 1894: The Governor by Victor Diachenko. Cast included Stanislavski as George Dorci. Opened on .Benedetti (1999a, 385). 1894: Light Without Heat by Alexander Ostrovsky and N. Y. Solovyev. Opened on . Cast included Stanislavski as RabachevBenedetti (1999a, 385). The original Russian-language title of Ostrovsky's play is Светит, да не греет. and Maria Andreyeva who made her stage debut as Olya Vasilkova.Maria Andreyeva. Biography at the Moscow Art Theatre site 1895: Uriel Acosta by Karl Gutzkow. Opened on . Cast included Stanislavski as Acosta.Benedetti (1999a, 49, 385), Magarshack (1950, 86—90), and Worrall (1996, 29). 1895: Men Above the Law by Aleksey Pisemsky. Opened on at the Solodovnikov Theatre. Cast included Stanislavski as the elderly general, Prince Imshin.Benedetti (1999a, 38, 385), Magarshack (1950, 100) and Worrall (1996, 27). Benedetti gives its opening as , while Magarshack gives it as . The title of Pisemsky's play has also been translated as A Law unto Themselves and Despots. 1896: Othello by William Shakespeare. Opened on at the Solodovnikov Theatre. Cast included Stanislavski as Othello and Khristofor Petrossyan as Iago. Vsevolod Meyerhold was greatly impressed by Stanislavski's performance, though Stanislavski was dissatisfied.Benedetti (1999a, 52, 385), Magarshack (1950, 102, 107), and Worrall (1996, 29). Benedetti and Worrall give its opening as , while Magarshack gives it as . 1896: The Assumption of Hannele by Gerhart Hauptmann. Cast included Anna Aleeva-Shteker as Hanna. Opened on at the Solodovnikov Theatre.Benedetti (1999a, 385) and Magarshack (1950, 102). 1896: The Polish Jew by Erckmann-Chatrian. Opened on .The Polish Jew () by Erckmann-Chatrian is better known in English-speaking countries under the title The Bells, a translation by Leopold David Lewis that brought Henry Irving great success when he staged it in 1871; see Benedetti (1999a, 58). Cast included Stanislavski as Matthias.Benedetti (1999a, 385) and Worrall (1996, 30). 1896: Without a Dowry by Alexander Ostrovsky. Opened on .Benedetti (1999a, 385) and Magarshack (1950, 117—118). The play's title is also translated as The Dowerless Bride, The Girl without a Dowry, and The Poor Bride. Stanislavski's acting teacher, Glikeriya Fedotova, had played the lead role, Larisa, in the play's première production in 1878. 1897: Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Opened on . Cast included Stanislavski as Benedick. 1897: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Opened on . Cast included Stanislavski as Malvolio.Benedetti (1999a, 66) and Worrall (1996, 102). 1898: The Sunken Bell by Gerhart Hauptmann. Opened on . Cast included Stanislavski as Heinrich.Benedetti (1999a, 66) and Magarshack (1950, 133—135). This was the first production on which Stanislavski worked with the scenic designer Viktor Simov.Magarshack (1950, 127—128, 131—133). Princess Elizaveta Fedorovna saw the production three times.Benedetti (1999a, 66).
Productions at the Moscow Art Theatre
1898: Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich by Alexei Tolstoy. Opened on .Benedetti (1999a, 83) and Magarshack (1950, 161—162, 176). Directed by Stanislavski and Alexander Sanin.Worrall (1996, 101). Scenic design by Viktor Simov.Braun (1982, 61—62) and Worrall (1996, 89—90). Cast included Vsevolod Meyerhold as Prince Vasili Shuysky, Olga Knipper as Princess Irina, Maria Roksanova as Princess Mstislavskaya, Alexander Vishnevsky as Boris Godunov, Vasily Luzhsky as Prince Ivan Shuysky, Mikhail Darski as Prince Andrey Shuysky,Михаил Егорович Дарский at the Moscow Art Theatre site Alexander Sanin as Lup-Kleshnin, Georgy Burdzhalov as Mikhaylo Golovin,Georgy Burdzhalov. The biography at the Moscow Art Theatre site Maria Samarova as VolokhovaRadishcheva, O. Мария Александровна Самарова. Biography at the Moscow Art Theatre site. and Alexander Artem as Kryukov; Ivan Moskvin initially played Fedor, followed by Vasily Kachalov and then Nikolai Khmelev.Worrall (1996, 90). While Worrall and Leach give Vsevolod Meyerhold's role as Prince Vasili Shuyshy, Braun gives it as Prince Ivan Shuysky, with Worrall giving Vasily Luzhsky as the actor who played the latter role; see Braun (1995, 11), Leach (1989, 3), and Worrall (1996, 90). The censor insisted on the removal of all religious characters from the production.Worrall (1996, 85). 1898: The Sunken Bell by Gerhart Hauptmann. Revival of Stanislavski's Society of Art and Literature production from January the same year.Worrall (1996, 102—103). Opened on . Scenic design by Viktor Simov. Cast included Stanislavski as Heinrich, Ekaterina Munt as the First Elf,Екатерина Михайловна Мунт. Biography at the Moscow Art Theatre site Margarita Savitskaya as MagdaМаргарита Георгиевна Савицкая. Biography at the Moscow Art Theatre site by Inna Solovyova and Georgy Burdzhalov as the Wood Demon. Just over one week and 17 performances later, protests from the Russian Orthodox Church led to the production being banned on , despite the particular translation used having been passed by the censor.Benedetti (1999a, 84), Braun (1982, 61), and Magarshack (1950, 161, 178). 1898: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. The production was re-titled Shylock.Worrall (1996, 103). Opened on .Benedetti (1999, 84). Scenic design by Viktor Simov.Braun (1982, 61). Cast included Mikhail Darski as Shylock, Alexander Vishnevsky as Antonio, Vsevolod Meyerhold as the Prince of Aragon,Benedetti (1999a, 70—71) and (1999b, 259), Braun (1995, 11), and Worrall (1996, 104). Georgy Burdzhalov as Launcelot Gobbo. This production was the first in Russia to include the fifth act of the play, after the trial scene and humiliation of Shylock, when the intrigue of Portia's ring and cross-dressing is revealed and resolved. The portrayal of Shylock prompted accusations in the press of anti-Semitism because a Jewish accent was considered inappropriate for a tragic role.Benedetti (1999a, 84) and Worrall (1996, 104). Though Stanislavski had planned to alternate the role with Darski, he decided against it for fear of exacerbating the hostility of the press.Benedetti (1999a, 84) It was played for only ten performances.Magarshack (1950, 161). 1898: Men Above the Law by Aleksey Pisemsky.The title of Pisemsky's play has also been translated as A Law unto Themselves and as Despots. Opened on . Scenic design by Viktor Simov. Cast included Stanislavski as Platon Imshin, Alexander Artyom as Devochkin, Ivan Moskvin as podyachy, Vasily Luzhsky as Sergey Imshin,Roshal, A. A. Commentaries to Самоуправцы.The Works of A.Pisemsky in 9 volumes. Vol.9. Ogonyok Library / Pravda Publishers.1959 Evgeniya Rayevskaya as Princess NatalyaЕвгения Михайловна Раевская at the Moscow Art Theatre and Georgy Burdzhalov as Kadushkin. It played for only nine performances.Benedetti (1999a, 386), Magarshack (1950, 161) and Worrall (1996, 104).
1898: The Mistress of the Inn by Carlo Goldoni. Opened on .Benedetti (1999a, 85). Scenic design by Viktor Simov. Cast included Stanislavski as Ripafratta, Vsevolod Meyerhold as the Marquis of Forlipopoli, and Sergey Tarasov as Ripafratta's servant.Benedetti (1999a, 85), Braun (1995, 11), Worrall (1996, 106). Sergey Tarasov was a member of the company between 1898 and 1899. A special performance for factory workers on 1899 provoked a summons by the Chief of Police, Dmitri Trepov, for failing to seek the approval of the censor who oversaw productions for working-class audiences; as a result, the company abandoned its original name as the "Moscow Public-Accessible Theatre" and its aim to provide an "open" theatre, settling instead on Anton Chekhov's suggestion, the "Moscow Art Theatre."Benedetti (1999a, 87) and Braun (1982, 60). 1898: The Seagull by Anton Chekhov. Opened on .Benedetti (1999a, 386), Braun (1982, 64), and Magarshack (1950, 162, 179), and Worrall (1996, 106). Directed by Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.Magarshack (1950, 162). Vasily Luzhsky also led two of the production's rehearsals. Cast included Stanislavski as Trigorin and Vsevolod Meyerhold as Konstantin, Olga Knipper as Arkadnia, Maria Lilina as Masha, Maria Roksanova as Nina, Yevgeniya Raevskaya as Polina, Ioasaf Tikhomirov as Medvedenko, Vasily Luzhsky as Sorin, Alexander Vishnevsky as Dorn, and Alexander Artem as Shamrayev.Benedetti (1999a, 85—87, 386) Gottlieb (2005, lxxxi—lxxxv, 244), Magarshack (1950, 178—179), and Senelick (2013, vii). The production ran for 57 performances in the 1898—99 season, 13 in the next, and 9 in the 1900—01 season.Magarshack (1950, 182). Chekhov disliked Roksanova's performance so intensely that he demanded that she should never be allowed to act in his plays again.Magarshack (1950, 191). For more information on this production, see the article on the MAT production of The Seagull.