Admittedly, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” is a little out of the ordinary in terms of plays Kirk Players produces.
But wanting to stretch a little, and knowing the play won copious awards in 2012 and 2013, the production company decided to stage it this summer. It opens June 8 under the direction of Gretchen Glassl.
“We do classical shows people know,” Glassl said. “But in the past five years, we’ve also been doing a newer show that might not be recognizable to a lot of people except those who follow theater.”
The play — about middle-aged siblings coming to grips with their parents’ death and their future — won a Tony Award for best play. The Kirk Players reading committee “read it and we all loved it,” Glassl said. “We said we’ve got to fit this in.”
The comedy, written by Christopher Durang, centers around two siblings who live together in the family home and took care of their parents when they were alive. The third sibling is a movie star who comes home with her young, handsome and a bit outlandish boyfriend. She has been supporting her siblings financially, and when she returns home, threatens to sell the family estate.
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“It’s well-written and it’s heartwarming,” Glassl said. Durang “is more known for his silly comedies. This is the first one I’ve read by him that’s deeper. It’s funny, but the characters are very human. They’re very real people you could know in your own life. And they’re siblings — everyone can relate to that.”
“The brother and sister led a quiet life taking care of their elderly parents,” she said. “When the elderly sister comes home with her young stud boyfriend, a lot of stuff comes out that has been pent up over the years. You see people who have been cooped up at home. Their parents are gone now and they’ve forgotten to make a life for themselves,” Glassl said. Having their sister come home is “a revelation to them.”
Meanwhile, their sister’s boyfriend meets the pretty, young next-door neighbor. “That threatens her. It brings out all her insecurities.”
Glassl said the play is a “true ensemble show,” with all the characters having large parts and lots of lines.
At each rehearsal, she takes time to discuss how relationships change during the play. “We sit around and talk about the relationships and the history of the character. We take a lot of time to do a lot of that,” she said.
Grassl said the show is suitable for ages 14 and older. “It’s a more adult show. But we tread a little lightly.”
“What’s nice about the way Christopher Durang wrote the show is that they really aren’t stereotypical. There’s the diva actress, yes, but we also get to see how incredibly insecure she really is. Whenever you think there’s a stereotype coming, it will be nullified in the next moment,” Grassl said.
“This is a unique opportunity for people to see the show done by a very good community theater group. We’re going into our 53rd season. We work really hard on our shows. I think it will be a really good experience when people come. I hope (the audience) walks away liking the characters. At their core, these are really likable people. They want each other to be happy. They just don’t know how to get there.”
‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’
When: June 8-10
Where: Kirk Players, Mundelein High School, 1350 W. Hawley St., Mundelein
Tickets: $10-$20
Information: 847-521-6192; kirkplayers.org/