AUDITIONS: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

AUDITIONS Vanya Sonia Masha Spike 1080x1080

AUDITIONS | APR 12 & 13, 2026 | 7pm

JULY 2026
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
by Christopher Durang
Directed by James Steinmeyer

Fri & Sat 8pm | July 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25
Sun Matinee 2pm | July 19
Sat Matinee 2pm | July 25

Vanya and his adopted sister, Sonia, live a quiet life in a Pennsylvania farmhouse, while their movie star sister, Masha, travels the world. When Masha appears for an unannounced visit with her 20-something boy toy in tow, the weekend builds to a fever pitch. Will Vanya and Sonia ever find happiness? Will Masha sell the Bucks County farmhouse out from under them? And will Spike ever put his pants on?

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. dramatists.com

AUDITION INFORMATION

The Play: Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike by Christopher Durang, premiered in Princeton, NJ, in 2012, followed by a move to Broadway in 2013, winning the Tony for Best Play of 2013 and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play.

The Setting: The play, circa 2015, is set in the family’s lovely, post-war country house built in the ‘50’s in Bucks County, PA.

The Characters: The cast must be actors who can be real and yet funny. Allow their humanity, with its pain, conflict and confusion, to come through, but let the audience know that it’s ok to laugh. The show is both serious and funny at the same time.

VANYA – 54/55-ish, living in Bucks County. Resigned to his life at least compared to Sonia.

SONIA – his adopted sister, early 50’s, living with him in Bucks County. Discontent, upset, regretful.

MASHA – His sister, late 50’s, glamorous and successful actress of stage and film who goes gallivanting around the world.

SPIKE – an aspiring actor, 29 (or younger) . Masha’s new “companion”. Sexy, self-absorbed, comfortable with his body as evidenced by his stripping to his underpants in the first scene. But he is outgoing and friendly.

NINA – lovely, sincere would-be actress, early 20’s, visiting her aunt and uncle next door. She is star-struck, earnest and energetic. And is very anxious to learn to act.

CASSANDRA – Her age is “mature”, proven by her understanding of human nature and life’s contradictions. It can range anywhere from a worldly 20 something to a 40ish woman of experience. She is the cleaning lady and soothsayer. Her lines are not conversational. They must be delivered with some urgency as if being sent by the gods.

The Themes: Old vs new generations, the regression of cultural habits and the fond remembrance of the past, real vs assumed identities, the challenges of growing old, the hope and carelessness of youth, and intrafamilial rivalries, all of which create a struggle between purpose and purposelessness, connectedness and loss, and the realization that THEY CAN HOPE. ALWAYS HOPE.

The Schedule: Rehearsals will be held on Sundays from 6 PM – 8:45 PM and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 PM – 9:45 PM. Rehearsals will primarily be held in the County Players theater. First rehearsal will be TAX DAY – Thursday, April 15. During production of Something Rotten (running May 1 – 17) times and locations may vary. A detailed rehearsal schedule will be distributed at the first rehearsal/read through.

Production Week: Sunday, July 5 – Thursday, July 9. Anticipate rehearsal from 6 PM – 10 PM, though times are subject to modification. National holiday on July 4, there will be no rehearsals July 3 & 4.

Performance Schedule: Actors will be called 1 hour prior to curtain.

Pick-up Rehearsals: Wednesdays, July 15 & 22 @ 7 PM

Audition Process: We will begin with a series of “read throughs”; that is, a series of script portions selected for reading. We will be seated on stage in a circle and a group of actors will begin the section. I will call stop and a new group will be selected who will continue the reading or repeat the section. When a new section is begun we
will continue in the order of the circle. Everyone gets a turn without the choice of
character, male or female. Then we will take a break and proceed with cold readings.