Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, streamed Oct. 16-18, 2020

Written by Christopher Durang; Directed by Katia Greene

Finally experience this exciting show that was postponed from last season. Prerecorded virtually and then professionally produced!

DETAILS ON VIEWING THE SHOW

NOTE: You can purchase in advance but the video will not be available until Oct. 16. Your 48-hour rental begins only after the video becomes available and you connect to it for the first time. Ticket email will be sent from “ShowTix4U.”
*Due to licensing restrictions, all tickets expire at midnight on 10/18.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL

DETAILS ON VIEWING THE SHOW

Borrowing names and themes from the plays of Anton Chekhov, Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike gives us a glimpse into the hilarious lives of Vanya and his adopted sister, Sonia, who have lived quietly in the same Pennsylvania farmhouse their entire lives. Their odd — and at times, uncomfortable — relationship is disturbed by the surprise arrival of their movie-star sister, Masha, who is accompanied by her 20-something boy toy, Spike.

Also on the scene are sassy maid Cassandra, who can predict the future, and a lovely young aspiring actress named Nina, whose prettiness somewhat worries the imperious Masha. Laughter, tears, love, and dread ensue. Don’t miss this deliriously funny Tony Award-winning show — from the comfort of your home!

ABOUT THE SHOW

The play is set in a rambling old estate in present day (circa 2013) Bucks County, Pennsylvania, an upper middle-class enclave about 25 miles north of Philadelphia. The location serves as another character in the play — the house, the views, the pond, and the wildlife all play a significant role in the everyday lives of Vanya and Sonia. Even the thought of possibly losing their family home is too much for the siblings to bear.

Christopher Durang has long been fascinated by the plays of Anton Chekhov. The first three names in the title – Vanya, Sonia and Masha – come from Chekhov plays. But, “the play is not based on Chekhov, nor is it a parody of Chekhov,” writes Durang. “It’s as if I took the characters and themes from Chekhov and put them into a blender. I wrote it so that you don’t have to know Chekhov to enjoy it.”

Durang uses razor-sharp dialog to combine wackiness with ennui — creating an outrageously funny, yet thoughtful look at an American family faced with the travails of loves lost, aging siblings, and leaking roofs.

BACKSTORY

This production started rehearsals at MMAS’s Black Box Theater in Mansfield last winter, but when the pandemic forced the theater to close, the cast worked all summer long — spending nearly 200 hours of professional editing time — to turn the play into a hysterical video presentation!

Many challenges were encountered during the editing process, but the cast and crew persevered, each contributing their skills in video production, digital editing, and audio engineering to produce this transformational project on behalf of MMAS.

PRESS: Interviews with cast and crew are available: 401-368-9258

CAST

• Ken Carberry (Vanya) — Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is Ken’s first production with MMAS. Recent credits include The Lion in Winter (King Henry II), Dial M for Murder (Max Halliday), Inherit the Wind (Henry Drummond) and The Diary of Anne Frank (Otto Frank) with the Milton Players, The Sisters Rosensweig (Merv Kant) with The Footlight Club, and Almost Maine (East and Dave) with Walpole Footlighters. Ken has also recently appeared with the Cohasset Dramatic Club, and Theatre One Productions in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
  
• Michael Eckenreiter (Spike) — Michael is an actor, director, musician and sound designer based out of Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Bridgewater State University in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and minor in Musical Theatre Performance. In 2018, he was selected to participate in a Directing Intensive at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., where he worked as an Assistant Director focusing on the development of new works. He recently was part of a digital reading of COVID Unfolding, a documentary play produced by Birch Tree Productions. For more, visit: michaeleckenreiter.com.
  
• Alyssa Germaine (Nina) — Alyssa is a recent graduate of Bridgewater State University with a B.A. in Theater Arts. Favorite acting credits include Sabina in The Skin of Our Teeth, Monteen in Parade, and Inga in Young Frankenstein. She also enjoys stage managing and directing, having directed Hand to God during her time at BSU. She has been keeping busy during quarantine, filming this production of Vanya and also taking part in a Zoom workshop of COVID Unfolding – A Documentary Play on Lives in the Pandemic with Birch Tree Productions. Most recently, she stage-managed her first-ever Zoom play, Richard II, with Visions Theatre/Film Productions and ROKKEE productions. She is looking forward to stage managing ONWARD – Votes for Women, a documentary play to honor the fight for women’s suffrage, commissioned by the Associates of the Boston Public Library as part of their Pierce Performance Series. 
  
• Beth Goldman (Cassandra)— Beth’s credits include Worcester’s 4^th Wall Production of Golda’s Balcony, New England Repertory Theater’s productions of Crossing Delancey (Bubbe), Doubt (Sister Aloyious), The Gin Game (Fonsia), and Over the River and Through the Woods (Aida). She has performed many roles with NERC at MMAS’ Black Box Theater, including: Harold and Maude (Maude), On Golden Pond (Ethel), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Mother Teresa), and The Glass Menagerie (Amanda) — for which she received a Best Actress nomination by Motif Magazine. She also directed while performing in Forty-Five Seconds from Broadway (Harriet). Additional MMAS roles include Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy and Lou in 1945 Radio Hour. Beth’s traveling one-woman shows include Henrietta Cooks, Tea with Emily Dickinson, Enterprising Women, Dollies and Doughnuts, and she is currently working on a scripted version of her portrayal of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Beth is an Acting Coach at Norwood High School.
  
• Sheila Kelleher (Masha) — Sheila is beyond thrilled for the opportunity to reprise her role as Masha, which she previously performed with Bay Players. Sheila has been performing all over the South Shore for the past 20 years. Last seen as Kate Jerome in Broadway Bound (Nemasket River Productions), some favorite roles include Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense (Bay Players), Jeannie in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (MMAS) and Countess Charlotte Malcolm in A Little Night Music (Curtain Call). She is thankful to the wonderful cast and amazing crew of VSMS for persevering through this pandemic to make this production available for viewing. A million thanks to Michelle, Ed and Ken C. for the endless hours of editing. Stay safe and wear your masks so we can enjoy live theatre again!
  
• Michelle Monti (Sonia/Post-production Supervisor) — Michelle has been involved with MMAS since 2006. Favorite roles include Mollie Ralston in The Mousetrap, Gwendolyn Pigeon in The Odd Couple, and Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2007, Michelle was named “Funniest Mom in Rhode Island” by Catch a Rising Star. In 2009, Motif Magazine nominated Michelle for Best Lead Actress for her role as young Lynette in Frame 312 (Attleboro Community Theater). Michelle spent her Junior year in France, where she participated in an acting workshop at the Comédie-Française. She was thrilled to be able to produce the video version of “Vanya…” so audiences could enjoy watching it as much as she enjoyed being in it. Currently, Michelle runs her own communications consulting business. She also enjoys playing guitar and singing, creative writing, and traveling with her daughter, Haley.

CREW

• Katia Greene (Director) — Katia has performed in many plays over the years, and this is her first time directing for MMAS. Little did she know how much more challenging her job would become due to the pandemic! But she quickly pivoted, leading the cast to continue rehearsing via Zoom, and then altering their direction to act for video instead of the stage. Katia is also a professional makeup artist and actor with additional experience in costuming and design, stage management, and prop fabrication. To top it all off, in July, Katia and her husband, Matt, became proud parents for the first time! One of Katia’s favorite quotes is: “It’s kinda fun to do the impossible.” – Walt Disney
  
• Teresa Kempner (Stage Manager) — This is Teresa’s first production with MMAS. She is grateful for the experience of working with such a fun and talented cast and crew. She loves community theatre and looks forward to again watching the magic happen on stage rather than on a zoom screen! Recently, she worked as a crew member on MTC productions of Chicago and Beauty and the Beast. Teresa thanks her husband and kids for their undying love and support.
  
• Ed Krasnow (Post-production/Editing) — Ed is a Video Producer/Director/Editor as well as a streaming media expert. A strong supporter of community theater, Ed has experience as an actor, producer, and technical advisor in media productions all over the South Shore. After friends invited him to get involved with “Vanya…,” he committed to helping MMAS turn the hours of footage into a professional video presentation. (He has since realized that he should have been committed for volunteering!) In his daily life, Ed is Director of the Digital Media Arts Center at Massasoit Community College.
  
• Isabella Seney (Assistant Directing Intern) — Isabella is a Bridgewater State University graduate with her Bachelors’s in Theatre Arts and a Minor in Music. She has performed in many productions including Into the Woods (the Witch), Oliver! (Mrs. Bedwin), and Macbeth (Ross). She also worked behind the scenes with lighting and costumes during her time in school. This was Isabella’s first time working with MMAS and her first time as an Assistant Director and Dramaturg. Despite the circumstances, it was still a wonderful experience with so much to learn! She is incredibly grateful for the internship and hopes to be able to work with this group more in the future!
  

Don’t miss this deliriously funny Tony Award-winning show from the comfort of your home, and support the Arts in their time of need!