Kicking off opening night on Friday, July 28, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” is Christopher Durang’s family comedy (with absurdist overtones) that revolves around the relationships of three middle-aged siblings, all children of noted Chekhov scholars. Vanya and Sonya have remained in their parents’ home (a country house in Bucks County, PA), ruminating on the passive inertness that is their lives; soon, however, they are visited by sister Masha, a successful but fading film actress, who descends upon the house with her current boy-toy Spike. Masha owns the home and has supported her siblings; but now, faced with the erosion of her career, she announces that she must sell the house. Spiced with Durang’s characteristically irreverent wit, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” is a hilarious and at times poignant investigation of the clash between generations, real and assumed identities, the challenges of a woman growing older in an industry that prizes youth, intrafamilial rivalries, and the hope and carelessness of youth.
“Christopher Durang has long been one of my favorite playwrights,” says Artistic Director Steve Scott, who is directing this production. “Through an idiosyncratic use of outrageous humor and biting satire Durang probes the very real hopes and fears that we all share: fractured relationships, faded hopes and dreams, and the pressures of contemporary life. His Tony Award-winning ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’ is his greatest achievement, allowing us to delight in the problems of a family in crisis while offering much needed hope that we can overcome these crises and find love and acceptance in each other. Beneath the devastating wit of his words and situations, Durang's characters are achingly, profoundly human, and their struggle to understand and accept a quickly changing world is something that we can all relate to. It's a wonderful journey through the often-confusing vagaries of 21st century life, and I am proud to be able to bring it to our Dunes audiences.”
“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” opens Friday, July 28 at Dunes Summer Theatre (located at 288 Shady Oak Dr, Michigan City, Ind.) and runs July 29-30 and August 4-6, 11-13. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST) and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. CST (3 p.m. EST). The box office opens one hour before the show. Come early and enjoy a snack or drink on our patio. Individual tickets can be purchased for $35 on DunesArts.org; special prices: $30 general; $27 senior/student tickets and $25 for group sales (four or more) are available on Eventbrite.
Cast members (left to right) Nathan Kirk as Spike; Laura Ownby as Masha; Ted Hoerl as Vanya; and Suzy Krueckeberg as Sonia. Image courtesy of Dunes Summer Theatre..
ABOUT DUNES ARTS SUMMER THEATRE
The Dunes Arts Foundation, which operates Dunes Arts Summer Theatre and Education Programs, was incorporated in the State of Indiana in 1951 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Nestled within the woodsy dunes of Michiana Shores, Dunes Summer Theatre is located at about a half mile from the Indiana Dunes and the Lake Michigan shore at 288 Shady Oak Dr, Michigan City, Ind. As northwest Indiana’s longest-running summer theater program, Dunes Summer Theatre has provided professional theater productions for more than seven decades. This one-of-a-kind experience is a highlight of Harbor Country’s cultural fabric, promoting community spirit and embracing inclusivity, diversity and accessibility in all areas of operations. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit dunesarts.org or call (219) 879-7509. Follow along on social media @dunesartsfoundation.