Posted: Sun., Apr. 2, 1995, 11:00pm PT

The Three Sisters

((A Noise Within, Glendale; 99 seats; $ 25 top))

By Hoyt Hilsman

A Noise Within presents a drama by Anton Chekhov, translated by Allen Fletcher; directors, Geoff Elliott, Julia Rodriguez Elliott.

Olga ... Deborah Strang Masha ... Jenna Cole Irina ... Jill Hill Andrei ... Donald Sage Mackay Natasha ... Betsy Ferguson Vershinin ... Joel Swetow Baron Tusenbach ... Eric David Johnson Chebutykin ... Mitchell Edmonds Solyony ... Robert Pescovitz

Chekhov is a daunting challenge for modern American actors and directors, with his subtle nuances of character and his chronicling of tiny personal moments that explode into epic universal truths. But A Noise Within's ensemble, which is becoming one of the West Coast's premier classical repertory theaters, rises to the challenge, creating a gem of a production.

The emotional and historical distance between late 19th-century Russia and late 20th-century America seems vast. Chekhov's characters are the rural Russian nobility, inheritors of an immoral and oppressive feudal system, who can indulge in leisurely philosophical discussions about the meaning of life, even as society careens toward violent upheaval.

Compare this to the lives of modern, middle-class Americans, who race to squeeze through the narrowing tunnel of material life, bombarded by paranoia-inducing images of violence, corruption and declining spiritual values.

While the differences may be vast, the underlying themes are the same: Human beings struggling to live their lives, even as they cope with extraordinary change. Chekhov's three sisters -- Olga (Deborah Strang), Masha (Jenna Cole) and Irina (Jill Hill) -- each confront a personal crisis at the same time as their way of life undergoes profound transformation.

Olga, the taut, overwrought oldest sister, struggles to hold their lives together. Masha has embraced a life of anxious desperation, caught in a loveless marriage by a man who adores her. And Irina dreams of finding a purpose for her life, through work or love, though she has no understanding of either.

For all the sisters, the dream of returning to Moscow represents the nostalgic hope for salvation, a salvation that never materializes.

Into their lives come a colorful, equally desperate assortment of characters: Their mother's suitor, Chebutykin (Mitchell Edmonds); the brooding, sardonic Solyony (Robert Pescovitz); the searcher Vershinin (Joel Swetow), on a quest from Moscow to nowhere; Baron Tusenbach (Eric David Johnson), Irina's constant pursuer; and Masha's hapless husband, Kulygin (Preston Maybank).

Performances are outstanding. Strang brings truth and power to the tortured Olga; Cole soars with mad, desperate passion; Hill finds the hope and vulnerability of Irina.

Edmonds nails the lovable self-loathing of Russian nobility, Swetow is powerful and heartfelt as Vershinin, Pescovitz is a menacing time bomb as Solyony and Maybank is hilarious as Kulygin.

There are fine performances also by Donald Sage Mackay, Johnson, Richard Soto , Betsy Ferguson, William Gillean, James Karr and June Claman.

Direction by Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez Elliott is key to the success of this production. Directors often fall victim to the trap of "interpreting" Chekhov; however, the Elliotts clearly have supported the text, giving the actors room to develop their roles, thus building this production from the ground up.

Sets by Rachel Hauck, costumes by Amy DiLamarra and music by Norman Henry Mamey contribute significantly to the successful tone.

For those who want to bask in the beauty and scope of Chekhov, this is a production not to be missed. And for those who want to take a peek below the surface of life, they will find that late 19th-century Russia and late 20 th-century America aren't as different as they appear.

Sets, Rachel Hauck; costumes, Amy DiLamarra; lighting, Paula J. Dinkel; music, Norman Henry Mamey; cellist, Myles M. Yamada. Opened, reviewed March 25, 1995; runs in repertory through May 20. Running time: 2 hours, 40 min.

With: Preston Maybank, Richard Soto, William Gillean, James Karr, June Claman, Sydney Slayden, James Hathcock.