Private Project

Adams' Apples

A New Vision of a Classic Work
John Strasberg - actor, director, author, teacher - has created an unconventional reimagining of one of Chekhov's greatest romantic comedies, "The Cherry Orchard." It's an unexpected combination of his strengths: A Moscow Theater-influenced black-box studio performance... and a wildly colorful and sensual auteur film style. It's a mashup that dances effortlessly between these worlds, making every moment surprising and revealing.

  • John Strasberg
    Director
    Numerous theatrical productions in France, Spain, Montreal & New York: The Mirror Repertory Company, The Accidental Repertory Theater
  • John Strasberg
    Writer
    Accidentally on Purpose: A Memoir on Life, Acting, and the Nine Natural Laws of Creativity; Playing House, a modern play inspired by Ibsen's A Doll's House, and Adams' Apples, a modern play inspired by Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard
  • Julia Cook
    Producer
    John Strasberg Accidentally on Purpose Documentary; Raising Flagg featuring Alan Arkin; A Place Apart Narrated by Hal Holbrook; Sony Music Video John Mayer Trio "Who did you think I was" directed by Gus Van Sant; The Torchbearers Documentary featuring Andrea Marcovicci, Michael Feinstein & numerous
  • Cheryl E Grant
    Producer
    Director, Producer & Actor: John Strasberg Accidentally on Purpose Documentary; Director & Producer, The Torchbearers Documentary featuring Andrea Marcovicci, Michael Feinstein & numerous
  • John Strasberg
    Producer
    The Actors Studio, Director; The Mirror Repertory Company, John Strasberg Studios, The Accidental Repertory Theater
  • Howard Clark Kee
    Producer
    Accidental Rep, Administrative Director; Producer: Adams' Apples stage version. Director & Producer: Theater for the New City, IRT, West-Park Theater. Asst. Director: Williamstown Theater Festival Second Company
  • John Strasberg
    Key Cast
    "Johnny "Duke" Adams"
    Five Evenings, Marathon '33, TV&Film
  • Cheryl E Grant
    Key Cast
    "Elizabeth Adams"
    Jane Anne from Des Moines with Jane Edith Wilson, Raising Flagg with Glenne Headly, Adams' Apples stage version
  • Dennis Davies
    Key Cast
    "Donald Wolfkowitz"
    A Rogue in Londinium, Rockabilly Vampire, How to be a Hong Kong SuperstarAdams' Apples stage version
  • Virginia Armitage Rowe
    Key Cast
    "Amy Adams"
    Adams' Apples stage version
  • Judy Krause
    Key Cast
    "Vanessa Adams"
    Adams' Apples stage version
  • Audrey Lavine
    Key Cast
    "Charlotte"
    Broadway/Off-Broadway/Regional Theater: Carrie, Rags, Moony Shapiro Songbook, Pirates of Penzance, Nunsense, Carmilla, Annie Warbucks, Pump Boys & Dinettes, Tintypes, Adams' Apples stage version
  • James Wirt
    Key Cast
    "Peter Hearst"
    Billy Bates, Phoenix at the Cherry Lane Theater starring opposite Julia Stiles, Staged reading of Collateral Damage opposite William Hurt, Adams' Apples stage version
  • Robert Leslie Rowe
    Key Cast
    "Robert Adcock-Smith"
    Adams' Apples stage version
  • Stephen Dym
    Key Cast
    "Simon Tushman"
    Film, Endless Love-Franco Zeffirelli, Mickey Blue Eyes, Louie B. / Theater: Robert Lewis Acting company, Accidental Repertory theater (ART), New York fringe festival.Adams' Apples stage version
  • Wanda Colón
    Key Cast
    "Wanda (studio)"
    Red Light, Green Card, Marie, Spencer Mondshein; Long Shadows, Ms. Perez, Lamplighter Productions; Julieta & Ramon, Isabella, M30A Films; Adams' Apples stage version
  • Ruth Guimerà
    Key Cast
    "Wanda (location)"
    Lead, “Aleppo” by Richard Vetere, selected to participate at the Festival of new works at the Actors’ Studio
  • Louis Vuolo
    Key Cast
    "Elsworth"
    Lead, American Premiere of Christopher Fry's Boy With A Cart, Cherry Lane Theater; Artaud in "Artaud Le Momo NYC Fringe Theater; Joseph K in Kafka's The Trial, Salieri Suwon In'tl Theater Festival; Salieri in Puskin's Mozart & Salieri, Alexander Puskin Festival; Adams' Apples stage version
  • Doug Friedman
    Key Cast
    "CJ"
    Adams' Apples stage version
  • Javier Machado
    Key Cast
    "Homeless person"
    Samuel's Game, Wedding in New YorkAdams' Apples stage version
  • Anne Strasberg
    Key Cast
    "Marie Helene"
    Adams' Apples stage version
  • Thomas Rowe
    Key Cast
    "Thomas Adams"
  • Charles Mayer
    Key Cast
    "Philipe"
    Act-titude, a play by Vanessa Lynn Rancourt, Lead Actor, Montreal; Supernovae, webseries, Lead actor, co-writer, co-producer, Montreal; Vicious Circles, a play by Ben Kalman, Lead actor, Montreal, Perth, Adelaide
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, romance, comedy
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 51 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 28, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital Arri Alexa
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • New Media Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    June 1, 2021
    Winner Best Feature
  • Oniros Film Awards

    Monthly Official Selection
  • Chicago Indie Film Awards

    Best Experimental Feature Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Broadway On Demand
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Video on Demand, Pay Per View
Director Biography - John Strasberg

John Strasberg is an American actor, director, teacher and writer, the son of Lee Strasberg, the famous Artistic Director of the Actors Studio, actor and theatre director, and Paula Strasberg, actress and coach of many famous actors, among them Marilyn Monroe, and the brother of actress, writer Susan Strasberg. John Strasberg teaching NY acting class
After graduating from the Bronx High School of Science in 1958, he spent a year at the University of Wisconsin before beginning to study acting with his father. His professional career began in 1960 as an Assistant Stage Manager at the New York City Center, and shortly after, he began his acting career off-Broadway in Five Evenings. He began teaching in 1964, when his father was ill. His career has remained multi-faceted throughout his life. He acted and stage managed during the three years of the existence of The Actors Studio Theater, acting in Marathon ’33, and stage managing Dynamite Tonight, Marathon ’33, and Blues for Mr. Charlie, during which he became one of the youngest Production Stage Managers on Broadway, and his father's production of The Three Sisters.
He taught acting at Columbia Pictures from 1966–68, and acted in several television shows and films. He returned to New York to teach at his father’s school Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in 1969. In 1971 he taught a workshop at the National Film Board of Canada. After returning to New York he acted in the Circle Repertory Company’s production of Lanford Wilson’s The Mound Builders.
He became Executive Director of The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute in 1975. After leaving the Institute in 1977 he taught privately and produced a play Slugger directed by Marshall W. Mason. In 1979 he founded John Strasberg's The Real Stage in New York City. In 1980 he began teaching and directing in Europe, primarily in France and Spain, where he directed productions of William Shakespeare, Aristophanes, Henrik Ibsen, Eugene O'Neill, Luigi Pirandello among many other writers. Several of these productions won awards. Under Founder and Producing Artistic Director Sabra Jones, he was also Co-Artistic Director of The Mirror Repertory Company, where Geraldine Page was the Artist-in-Residence. Strasberg directed The Mirror’s productions of Paradise Lost by Clifford Odets, Inheritors by Susan Glaspell, Joan of Lorraine by Maxwell Anderson, Vivat! Vivat Regina! by Robert Bolt, and Rain by John Colton.
In 1985 he began living and working in Europe. In 1996 he returned to New York upon publication of his book on acting Accidentally On Purpose: A Memoir on Life, Acting, and the Nine Natural Laws of Creativity, an award-winning documentary of the same name was also created.
He created John Strasberg Studios, an International Center for Creative Development and Theater Research. In 2005 he created The Accidental Repertory Theater, which in 2011 produced several plays which he wrote and directed: Playing House, a modern play inspired by Ibsen's A Doll's House, and Adams' Apples, a modern play inspired by Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. Strasberg is a life member of The Actors Studio.

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