'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' opens Thursday

Chadron State College theatre students rehearse a scene from
Chadron State College theatre students rehearse a scene from "Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike" by Christopher Durang. The play is set to premiere February 15. Pictured, from left, are Trajan Garcia, Taylor Thies, Casey Kukowski, Mickenzi Loyd, Kori Teasley and Hannah Smith. (Photo by Daniel Binkard/Chadron State College)

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CHADRON – The Chadron State College Theatre Department will perform “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” by Christopher Durang Feb. 14-17, in Memorial Hall’s Black Box Theatre. The Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., and the Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m.

The free production is recommended for audience members 13-years-old and up. Tickets are not required but theatregoers are encouraged to reserve seats at csc.edu/theatre.

The comedy features jobless adult siblings Vanya, played by Casey Kukowski of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, and Sonia, played by Mickenzi Loyd of Big Piney, Wyoming, living in their family home. Their house cleaner, Cassandra, played by Hannah Smith of Broken Bow, Nebraska, believes she is psychic and often delivers random visions she sees.

Cassandra delivers a vision one day that something is wrong with the house. Shortly after, Vanya and Sonia’s older sister, Masha, played by Taylor Thies of Rapid City, South Dakota, arrives. The world-renowned actress, who pays the house’s bills, also brings home her younger and perhaps mischievous boyfriend, Spike, played by Trajan Garcia of Alliance, Nebraska. To add to the drama, Masha believes sweet and innocent college-aged neighbor Nina, played by Kori Teasley of Custer, South Dakota, may steal Spike from her.

Smith encourages people to see the show.

“This show has been one of my absolute favorites to work on. It’s been a fun group of people, and as an audience member you can see that when we’re on stage we have a lot of fun with each other, so I think it will be a joy to watch,” Smith said. “It’s not really a funny situation at all. It’s just how the people react in the situation that is quite funny.”

Other student contributors include Jennaya Hill of Gordon, Neb., as the stage manager, Courtney Smith of Hampton, Neb., as the assistant stage manager, Brittney Peters of Rapid City, S.D., as the sound designer, Alyssa Jensen of Whitewood, S.D., as props master, Kurtis Phillips of Custer, S.D., as a dresser, Shanie Hollenbeck of Estelline, S.D., as the assistant light designer, Autumn Hartwig of Dalton, Neb., and Will Jaeke of Arvada, Colo., as floor crew members, Caleb Twite of White River, S.D., as the sound board operator, and Kyeisha Garza of Scottsbluff, Neb., as the light board operator.

Scott Cavin, associate professor of Visual and Performing Art, is the director, and adjunct faculty member Pheobe Boynton is the costume designer.

-Kelsey R. Brummels, College Relations

Category: Campus News, Theatre