Castle Craig Players Bring Durang's VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE To Meriden

Christopher Durang's multi-award-winning comedy, "VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE" romps across the Castle Craig Players' stage May 13-22, as the fourth show in the group's 29th Anniversary Season. Tickets are available at www.CastleCraigPlayers.org.

The story is set in Bucks County, Penn., where Vanya and Sonia share a country house and fret endlessly-and amusingly-about their hapless lives. When Masha, their self-absorbed movie-star sister, and Spike, her much, much younger boy toy, visit for the weekend, the entire household gets hilariously upended. Rivalries are rekindled, resentments rage, the housekeeper blurts out strange prophecies and then Masha announces she's selling the house. USA Today described the play as "deliciously madcap."

"One thing I love this show it how the family comes together in this house and immediately starts getting on each other's nerves," said director Oliver Kochol. "I feel like that's something we can all relate to, especially after living through a pandemic quarantine!"

"It's a hilarious play, but at the heart of the story is this family whose just trying to get along," he added. "I've been lucky to have a cast that has really quickly bonded into a family, and they've been great to work with."

The cast includes Mike Zizka as Vanya, Barbara Gallow (CCP's Blithe Spirit) as Sonia, Adrianne Giammatteo as Masha, Stephen Koehler (CCP's Next to Normal) as Spike, Elisa Albert as Nina and Lisa Carroll as Cassandra.

In addition to the Tony Award, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike also received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play, Drama League Award for Best Production of a Play, Drama Desk Award for Best Play, New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Production and the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play.

Durang is known for outrageous and often absurd comedy. He received Obie Awards for Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, The Marriage of Bette and Boo and Betty's Summer Vacation. He received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for A History of the American Film. His numerous fellowships and high-profile grants include a Guggenheim, a Rockefeller, the CBS Playwriting Fellowship, the Lecomte du Nouy Foundation grant and the Kenyon Festival Theatre Playwriting Prize. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for Miss Witherspoon. Durang was the co-director of the Lila Achenson Wallace American Playwrights Program at The Juilliard School. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild Council. He was the inaugural recipient of the Luminary Award from the New York Innovative Theatre Awards for his work off-off-Broadway and he received the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award. He is a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame.

The creative team includes Katie Kirtland, assistant director; Jennifer Del Sole, production stage manager; Dusty Rader, lighting design; and Mark Laucella & Bill Westermeyer, set design.

"VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE" runs for two weeks only - May 13-22 - at the Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse, 59 West Main Street, Meriden. Presented Cabaret Style with table seating, patrons are invited to bring their own dinner, drinks and snacks to enjoy!

All seats are $25 ($20 for Seniors ages 65+). Seating is extremely limited - so patrons are encouraged to buy in advance! Tickets are sold exclusively online at www.CastleCraigPlayers.org.

This production is made possible by season sponsors Key Bank and Express Employment Professionals.

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