Auditions for VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE
at the Ojai Art Center Theater
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Auditions will be held on Dec. 15, from 10:30-1:00 and Dec. 16, from 5:30-8:00 in the Raymund Room
at the Ojai Art Center.
Performance dates weekends March 20 to April 12.
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(Ojai, CA – November 29, 2019)Â The Ojai Art Center Theater and director Linda Livingston announce auditions forVANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE by Christopher Durang. the second production of the 2020 theater season. The play will run weekends beginning March 20 to April 12.
Auditions will be held on Dec. 15, from 10:30-1:00 and Dec. 16, from 5:30-8:00 in the Raymund Room
at the Ojai Art Center.
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| ABOUT THE PLAY
Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play. Middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia share a home in Bucks County, PA, where they bicker and complain about the circumstances of their lives. Suddenly, their movie-star sister, Masha, swoops in with her new boy toy, Spike. Old resentments flare up, eventually leading to threats to sell the house. Also on the scene are sassy maid Cassandra, who can predict the future, and a lovely young aspiring actress named Nina, whose prettiness somewhat worries the imperious Masha. |
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CAST OF CHARACTERS
Vanya – 50s-60s, living in Bucks County. Resigned to his life. Lives with his sister Sonia, and together they cared for their aged parents until they died. Dry, sardonic, intelligent. He is the peacemaker between his sisters Sonia and Masha. Should have strong comedic skills and timing.
Masha – Vanya’s sister. She is a glamorous and successful international film actress who gallivants around the world. She has had little responsibility in the care of her parents and seems unaware of what impact her absence has had on her siblings, or the sacrifices they have made. Flamboyant, diva-ish, self-absorbed and extremely insecure about aging. She does come around somewhat at the end.
Spike – An aspiring actor, 20s and self-absorbed. Masha’s new companion /boy toy. He is sexy and gladly strips to his underwear. Very good physical condition. Flirtatious with male and females, fully aware of his physical attributes, but not particularly bright. Excellent comedic timing. Must be comfortable onstage in underwear.
Nina – Lovely, sweet and naive, but also wise. She is a sincere aspiring actress, early 20s, visiting her aunt and uncle next door to Vanya and Sonia. She is star struck by Masha. Of the cast, she is the one most like her counterpart from Chekov’s The Seagull.
Cassandra – Cleaning lady and soothsayer (occasionally correct), any age, any race. Dramatic, spirited. Strong physical comedian with excellent timing.The role of Sonia is cast.Note: While these characters are funny, they are also very real.
Audition Requirements:
Readings from the script. You may download sides prior to the audition from the OACT website at:Â https://www.ojaiact.org/auditions.html
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| About the Director:
Linda Livingston has directed at theatres across the county and in Los Angeles, including Flying H, Santa Paula Theatre Center, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, the Backlot Theatre, Elite, Transport Theatre (of which she is Artistic Director) and The Odyssey. Favorite pieces include Night Mother (Flying H); The Farndale Avenue….Christmas Carol, and  An O Henry Holiday (which she wrote and published with Eldridge Plays) at Santa Paula Theater Ctr.;  The Dumb Waiter, and Judy’s Scary Little Christmas (Transport Theatre); A Christmas Memory (Simi Valley Cultural Arts Ctr.); The Murder Room (Elite) and L’Chaim! at both the Backlot and the Odyssey in LA.
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Other directorial accomplishments include two live 1940s style radio recreations with Grand Guignol Players, and helming, along with Jeff G Rack, the first ten years of Santa Paula’s Ghostwalk. She also directed, cast, performed, and wrote for a program on the evolution of a play, from page to stage, for Ventura County Performing Arts Foundation which toured county schools.                 Â
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Linda has a Masters in Theatre Education and has taught acting for: Transport Theatre, Santa Paula Theatre Center, Focus on the Masters (Ventura), Seattle Place for Children and Northwest Actors Studio in Seattle, and Liberty Christian Academy (Thousand Oaks.) As an actor she has performed on stages from Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre to the Seattle area Shakespearean Bellevue Rep, to Ventura’s Rubicon. She received an Ovation nomination for her performance as Dr. Vivian Bearing in W;t at the Victory Theatre, and critical acclaim for her performance as Maria Callas in Master Class at the Santa Paula Theatre Center and Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. |
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About the Ojai Art Center Theater…
The Ojai Art Center is the longest continuously-operating multi-disciplinary center serving the arts in the State of California. Opened in 1939, the Center has eight branches for the various art disciplines. The Theater Branch presents a variety of dramatic productions, ranging from comedy to drama and musicals, annually. The branch has its own directors and monthly meetings to address all theater-related issues. The Artistic Director annually screens proposals for future productions and presents a tentative schedule for approval to the Center’s Board of Directors.
Ojai Art Center is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
The Ojai Art Center Theater is located inside the Art Center at:
113 South Montgomery Street
Ojai, California 93023
OjaiACT.org
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