←Recommendations of Kirschgarten

Requiem for a small business. I grieved along with the staff, and celebrated, and at times laughed out loud. I got emotionally invested in every single character, all are strongly written and would be a treat to play.
Perhaps the highest compliment I can give this well-written script is that I am currently sad that I can't ever visit Kirschgarten Brewing. I'm sad I can't go to a fictional brewery, and I don't even like beer!

Wonderful adaptation of Chekhov here, as we're drawn into the character struggles pretty much immediately and then it just builds from there. Intricate work here in terms of developing relationships as well as the details of trying to keep a dying business running until the embers finally go out. Sharp commentary about what's become of the current economic system when it comes to small businesses. Definitely emotionally invested at the end. Pretty fine work indeed by this well-crafted play.

This intimacy of this play holds you tightly throughout. All thanks to James Kelsey Nelson's writing. Each character felt completely recognizable, both personality-wise and in terms of their wants and desires. Nelson does a fantastic job bringing Chekhov's original play into the modern, post-pandemic age, bringing up themes likes capitalism and what it means to have a dream come to an end. This play will fit in any company's season, particularly with a site-specific production.

"Kirschgarten" is a beautifully human play about the love, care, time, and ultimately grief that goes into a small business. James Kelsey Nelson has crafted genuine characters with distinct personalities. There's a warmth to every aspect of this play that makes it truly special. This is a fantastic adaptation of Chekhov's story but also a stand-alone piece that succeeds in connecting Chekhov's themes to the ever-growing, and changing audiences of today.

For anyone familiar with Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, this play which is structured similarly and explores identical themes will be a delight. Not that an extensive knowledge of Chekhov's play is needed to enjoy James Kelsey Nelson's take on it. All the characters are wonderfully drawn and their relationships are rich and a goldmine for actors to dig into. By turns funny, tender, and sad, this tale of a failing brewery and the dreams achieved and dashed therein is beautifully rendered.

“Kirschgarten” is a nuanced family drama set in the taproom of a struggling craft brewery. The brewery’s hardship mirrors the broader societal challenges faced by many small businesses in this post-pandemic era. Nelson’s richly drawn characters cling to the idea of saving the brewery, even as they acknowledge its inevitable decline. This tension between hope and resignation is one of the play’s most powerful undercurrents. While the comparison to “The Cherry Orchard” is unmistakable, “Kirschgarten” holds its own as a uniquely modern exploration of loss and resilience.