Three Sisters is a play written by Anton Chekhov in 1900. It follows the lives of the Prozorov sisters as their fortune is in decline and they must seek out a happy life against the odds. The play traces various human disappointments, specifically as they concern sophisticated city folk trapped in the country.
The play premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1901, directed by Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. Stanislavski also played the role of Vershinin. The play opened to mixed reception at the time, and Chekhov disapproved of Stanislavski's direction.
Since it was first produced, the play has been widely revived throughout the world, and is considered to be one of the great works of dramatic literature. Notable productions include a 1936 production at the Queen's theater, a 1970 filmed production starring Laurence Olivier, Alan Bates, and Joan Plowright, a 1982 production at Manhattan Theatre Club starring Dianne Wiest as Masha and Sam Waterston as Vershinin, and many others.
