Set on a lakeside estate, The Notebook of Trigorin follows Constantine, a young playwright eager to push theatrical boundaries, as he grapples with unrequited love and the need for artistic validation. His mother, famed actress Madame Arkadina, undermines his work, while Nina—the object of his affection—falls under the spell of Trigorin, Arkadina’s lover and a well-known writer. The tensions between ambition, love, and recognition intensify as their lives intersect and unravel.

This rarely performed adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull is reimagined by Tennessee Williams, whose distinct American perspective adds new layers to the original’s themes. The Irondale production is staged with a unique framing device: beginning in a sunlit, bare room that serves as both a rehearsal space and a memory. Four actors return to a play they once performed together, while younger performers join them, blurring the lines between past and present to explore how creative legacy is passed down.

Presented by Irondale, the production also marks a return to the company’s roots, revisiting The Seagull 25 years after its original staging with several of the same ensemble members. The work reflects on the evolution of the company and the world around it, using Williams’ adaptation to explore enduring questions of love, artistic ambition, and the ongoing dialogue between tradition and change.