English translations of Chekhov's classic plays by a Russian-language scholar who is also a veteran Chekhovian actor. Because of Paul Schmidt's expertise in both the theater and Russia, these translations preserve the social context of Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THREE SISTERS, THE SEAGULL, UNCLE VANYA, and other works, while restoring the vitality and humor that are often lost in academic translations.These critically hailed translations of The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters and the other Chekhov plays are the only ones in English by a Russian-language scholar who is also a veteran Chekhovian actor.Without compromising the spirit of the text, Paul Schmidt accurately translates Chekhov's entire theatrical canon, rescuing the humor "lost" in most academic translations while respecting the historical context and original social climate.Schmidt's translations of Chekhov have been successfully staged all over the U.S. by such theatrical directors as Lee Strasberg, Elizabeth Swados, Peter Sellars and Robert Wilson. Critics have hailed these translations as making Chekhov fully accessible to American audiences. They are also accurate -- Schmidt has been described as "the gold standard in Russian-English translation" by Michael Holquist of the Russian department at Yale University.