Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Scarborough Players
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Scarborough Players
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
by Christopher Durang
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
Directed by Katherine Turner
SHOW DATES: March 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11,15, 16, 17, 2018
All shows at 8 p.m. except March 4, 11, & 17 2 p.m.
The Play – Setting is a lovely farmhouse in Buck’s County, Pennsylvania
It is a rip roaring absurd comedy about regret and growing older in the modern age. It is also about relationships and what happens to them when the disrupters appear and choices need to be made. Vanya and Sonia live in the family home having stayed to nurse aging paren'ts who have since died. We are not sure how many years have passed since then but brother and sister have established routines of quiet desperation and regret with morning coffee, thrown mugs and waiting to see the blue heron by the pond. Into the morning arrives the other sister, Masha with her Spike disrupting everything with invitations to costume parties, kissing passionately while flaunting success, narcissism and sex. Then the lovely young Nina arrives whose mere presence threatens Masha reminding her that she is not 41. And always, Cassandra with her predictions and pronouncements warning of Hootie Pie, the house being sold and Trojans in back pockets adds to the absurd hilarious action.
Over the two days, each character makes a choice that will change their lives and confound their expectations.
As Casandra’s advises, “Beware of thinking too much.”
Characters: 2 males, 4 females
** Ages listed are a guide for how the character should appear onstage, not necessarily the age of the actor.
Vanya: 50’s He states that he is 57 and gets caught in the middle between his two sisters trying to keep the peace though he can push their buttons when he is directly, indirect. He is a dear, sweet lost soul not sure of what he would be doing if he was not living here. Vanya is struggling with the rapid changes wrought by technology, the modern age, climate change so he longs for the shared experience of everyone watching Ed Sullivan. The actor playing Vanya will know that he must go on for pages.
Sonia: early 50’s Vanya’s adopted sister living with him in Buck’s County – she is discontented, upset, regretful but also a wild turkey, Maggie Smith in California Suite, resents Masha’s life and has longed for Vanya even though it is now just a habit. She makes some very important choices as a result of choosing the party and her own costume. The actor playing Sonia will need to find her voice as Maggie Smith in California Suite.
Masha: in her 50’s though she says she is 41… a glamourous and successful actress who travels the world. Masha is famous but regrets not being a classical actress and her 5 failed marriages. She does not want to face growing older as the parts are changing from sexy killer to grandmother so she holds onto Spike for dear life. She needs to be the centre of attention and Snow White. The actor playing Masha must be comfortable kissing Spike – passionately.
Spike: 29 or younger – sexy, self-absorbed. Oh, handsome Spike who takes his clothes off and puts them on and was almost cast in Entourage 2. He tries to do the right thing by making sure Masha has a nice weekend. He has likely watched all 5 Sexy Killer movies. He does not hide his feelings; he’s not deep. A wonderful fun character. The actor playing Spike will need to be comfortable in just his underwear and kissing Masha – passionately.
Nina: early 20’s – lovely, sincere would-be actress visiting her aunt and uncle next door. She is star struck and energetic – Nina is possibilities – young but loves foreign films, the Beatles, acting and working at it. She is open but not totally naïve as she can see through Spike while appreciating receiving the contact information about his agent. She can look adorable in a Dopey costume. The actor playing Nina will need to be open and lovely without being sickly sweet.
Cassandra: the cleaning lady and soothsayer, any age – She is wonderful, the archetype of all times – the maid as in Chekhov, Coward, Shakespeare’s fool and Greek Chorus. Though she will not simply say, “Good Morning” she does care about Vanya and Sonia and finally Masha. The actor playing Cassandra will need to play some opposites- solid but open to play and mischief.
AUDITION DATES:
Sunday, December 3, 2017 7:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Monday, December 4, 2017 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
CALLBACKS: (IF NEEDED) Wednesday, December 6, 2017 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
(CALLBACKS ONLY: PLEASE BE PREPARED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FULL 3 HOURS)
Requirements: Please prepare a short monologue – less than 90 seconds – something you love and something comedic would be ideal. You may be re-directed. You will be asked to do a cold reading from the play. Please read the play.
A copy of the play will be on hold at the 5th floor Audio Desk, Toronto Reference Library.
Please bring photo (photocopy will do) and resume.
Booking Your Audition Auditions must be booked in advance
TO REQUEST AN AUDITION, SEND AN E-MAIL TO audition4sp@gmail.com OR by phone (416) 439-1104 – Please leave your name & number VERY clearly. By email or telephone please indicate your preferred audition date and time(s). Please note: Email is the most efficient way to book an audition.
We will be booking individual auditions in 10 minute slots. Please indicate the roles in which you are interested.
Auditions and Rehearsals will be held at 780 Birchmount, Unit 5 (West side of Birchmount, south of Eglinton, beside Allison’s Fine Food.
TTC accessible by #17 Bus from Warden Station or any Eglinton West bus from Kennedy Station)0
Rehearsals will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. and Sundays, 1:00 – 5 p.m. First read-through will be Tuesday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m. with rehearsals beginning Sunday, December 17 at 1:00 p.m.
There will be rehearsals December 19, 21 and 28 and back in full on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 Additional rehearsals may be added as we move closer to the production opening.
All performances are at Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Road (at Markham Road).
This production will be adjudicated for the 2017-2018 Act-Co Festival.
Scarborough Players is an inclusive community theatre company and encourages all interested individuals from all back grounds to audition. Those auditioning must be Non-Equity performers and understand that this is a non-paying production. We do not enter into any contracts or agreements with CAEA or ACTRA.
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