“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”: Streaming Play

The Mass Music and Arts Society (MMAS) of Mansfield, MA presents “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” — online for a limited time.

Streams Friday, Oct 16, Saturday, Oct 17 and Sunday, Oct 18
Tickets: $15 for a 48-hour viewing pass
Note: Due to licensing restrictions, all rentals expire at midnight on October 18.

Written by Christopher Durang and directed by Katia Greene, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike offers a glimpse into the hilarious lives of Vanya (Ken Carberry, Foxboro) and his adopted sister Sonia (Michelle Monti, Mansfield), who have lived quietly on 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 (Sheila Kelleher, Plymouth), who is accompanied by her 20-something boy-toy, Spike (Michael Eckenreiter, Fairhaven). Laughter, tears, love, and dread ensue.

After starting rehearsals in January of this year, this community theater production was forced to move to online practices once the pandemic broke out in March. When it became clear that they could not reopen by April, the cast and crew pivoted, recorded the show remotely, and spent nearly 200 hours editing the video footage into an entertaining and professional production.

The script offers an outrageously funny yet thoughtful look at an American family faced with the travails of aging siblings who must consider giving up their childhood home. With its nod to Chekhov characters, the play’s themes of ennui, grief, and mourning over wasted lives are presented with razor-sharp dialogue and wackiness (and even some voodoo!)