"This was taken in rehearsals for 'The Three Sisters" at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. It was the last production of Chekhov directed by Williamstown founder Nikos Psacharapoulos before his death in 1988. Walken played Vershinin and was astonishing. Amy Irving played Masha, Roberta Maxwell was Olga, and Kate Burton was Irina. Heard played Masha's Latin-teaching husband, Kulygin, and Rob Lowe was Tusenbach. I played the sisters' brother, Andrei. It was the second time I played the part, the first having been in another all-star production in New York at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in the late 70's. I didn't understand Andrei when I played him at Brooklyn (where the three sisters were Ellen Burstyn, Rosemary Harris, and Tovah Feldshuh), but, ten years later, I better understood Andrei's sense of personal failure and his sadness. It's one of the better performances I feel I've given on stage. I didn't want to do the part again, but Nikos twisted my arm, and, as usual, he was right. He had astonishing insight into what roles were right for certain actors at certain times in their lives. I miss him terribly.

From the left: John Heard, Rob Lowe, Roberta Maxwell, Kate Burton, Amy Irving, Stephen, and Christopher Walken.