Photo Flash: Phoenix Theatre Opens VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE

Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis will bring the 2013 Best Play Tony Award winner, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, to the Livia and Steve Russell stage - just four weeks after it closed on Broadway. Opening tonight, September 19, 2013, this show runs through October 20, 2013 and will be directed by Phoenix Theatre Producing Director Bryan Fonseca. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

"This is our ninth play by Christopher Durang to produce at the Phoenix," says Fonseca. "He fits our mission perfectly and it is fun to watch him mature as a playwright through the years. The theme of looking at new versus old is used throughout the play, new and old technology, traditions and the arts. The play looks at the notion of civility."

Vanya (Charles Goad) and his stepsister Sonia (Diane Kondrat) have lived their entire lives in their family's farmhouse. While they stayed home to take care of their ailing parents, their sister Masha (Jen Johansen) has been gallivanting around the world as a successful actress and movie star, leaving Vanya and Sonia to feel trapped and regretful. Their soothsayer/cleaning woman Cassandra (Dwanda Lampkin) keeps warning them about terrible things in the future, which include a sudden visit from Masha and her twenty-something boy toy Spike (Pete Lindblom). Aspiring actress from next door, Nina (Ashley Dillard), is thrilled to meet her favorite actress and Masha loves every minute of the attention.

Awards: 2013 Tony Award for Best Play; Outer Circle Critics 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 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play.

Phoenix audiences have seen Diane Kondrat (Vonia) in several Durang shows, including playing Mrs. Bob Cratchit, Miss Witherspoon, Bette (The Marriage of Bette and Boo, her first show at 749 North Park, during the 1989-90 season). Currently living in Portland, Oregon, Diane has come back to work with Fonseca again in this show.

Phoenix founding member Charles Goad (Vanya) comes to this role after a busy summer as King Arthur in Spamalot for Bobdirex, Doc in West Side Story for Summer Stock Stage and the IndyFringe hit Welcome to the Monkey House for ShadowApe.

Jen Johansen (Masha) most recently graced the Phoenix stage in the 2011 production This, and can be seen regularly on the Indiana Repertory Theatre stage. Ashley Dillard (Nina) and Pete Lindblom (Spike) make their Phoenix Theatre debuts in this show. Dillard lives in New York and studied theatre at Indiana State University. Lindblom has been in various productions at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre and studied at Indiana University. Dwanda Lampkin (Cassandra) is an Associate Professor of Theatre and the Director of Multicultural Theatre at Western Michigan University and was previously seen on the Phoenix stage in our production of In the Next Room - or the vibrator play.

In addition to director Bryan Fonseca, the production staff for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike includes Bernie Killian as Set Designer, Laura Glover as Lighting Designer, Ben Dobler as Sound Designer, Ashley Kiefer as Costume Design and Props Master, and Chelsey Stauffer as Stage Manager.

Tickets for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike are on sale now. The entire first weekend are CheapSeats performances, so tickets are just $18.00 per person. All performances after that are $28.00 per person. Tickets for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike may be purchased by calling the box office at 317.635.7529 or may be purchased on-line at phoenixtheatre.org.

Photo Credit: Zach Rosing

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