Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike

[From THEATER , pg. 1]

Though they largely disregard the maids ranting, the siblings are shaken by her premonition of them losing their childhood home.

Cassandra tells Vanya and Sonia to “beware the Hootie Pie” and of “Greeks bearing gifts.” In the same breath the maid takes to deal this warning, a car is heard roaring up the driveway. Pausing, Cassandra adds to her previous that their sister Masha (Jeanne Sakata) has arrived and “she is accompanied by a man with Trojans in his back pocket.”

From the moment Masha arrives, Vanya and Sonia are forced to listen to their sister as she regales them with stories from her travels as “a world class celebrity and movie star.” With enough vanity to shame even the wicked queen from Snow White, it is ironic that Masha intends on attending a costume party later that evening dressed as the aforementioned benevolent princess. Her stallion boy toy Spike (Dylan Taylor) will attend dressed as her Prince Charming.

Tagging along is the disarming and upbeat Nina (Michelle Hallbauer) who, despite her youth, plays a brief yet pivotal role in the lives of the three siblings.

Like her five husbands before, Spike leaves Masha for her agent Hootie Pie (as forewarned by Cassandra). Yet even so, the love loss for the actress is minimal as she has come to terms with her age and position in life.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is an honest assessment of the values modern society places on wealth, fame, and youth while emphasizing what truly matters at the end of the day–family.

Heavy on the humor with a healthy peppering of reality, Durang’s comedy is a classic that anyone can relate to. Everyone knows a Sonia, Vanya, a Masha, or Spike. Some of us may even know a Greek tragedy spouting Cassandra.

It was a wonder to witness Leah Foster as Cassandra ramble in one continuous breath of all woe and discord that was to befall Vanya and Sonia. These riotously funny bursts of bad news were rivaled by the outstanding performance handed down by David Klane who, while portraying Vanya, spiraled into a breakdown repeating “and we licked stamps!” as if it were to comfort the character.

The play is a delight escape from the hubbub of the daily routine and provides a strong punch by way of wow factor. Perfectly cast, the company on stage draws the audience in leading one to assume they are watching the lives of three bitter yet strangely close siblings unfold in a most unexpected way.

Although my only parcel of advice would be to leave any children under the age of 13 at home with a babysitter. With more insinuation and stripping down to skivvies on Spikes behalf to shame a room of frat boys, this play comes with a parental advisory.

Adriana Zoppo played the baroque violin for most of the show, the instrument a slightly less refined than the violin we’re familiar with today, brought some old-school baroque tones when she played the viola d’amore. The viola d’amore is a 14-stringed instrument, similar in size to a violin.

“The [viola d’amore] was popular in the baroque and classical periods, but dies out when easier to play and easier to make

“Of all the concerts, this really falls in line beautifully with our class. We just completed the unit on baroque music, and it’s great for the students to see the music, rather than listening to or reading about it,” Bergman said.

The next concert Violinist Ji Young An and Pianist James Lent in PAB 3500 at 12:45 p.m. It’s worth it to remember, as all involved in the program would like you to, that each concert is free to all who attend.

People of Pierce

“I am trying to major in communications, I do not really know what I am doing. I think I am just one of those kids who is here, trying to find my place. I moved to the valley very early in my life around four years old. I like to spend my time at home in my backyard doing crazy art stuff. I sculpt, paint, do some paper-mache. As far as hobbies go like with surfing, I just do it to relieve stress. Sometimes I help my mother with her gardening. I grow a lot of fruits and vegetables. I feel like even after school, I am still not going to know my place in this world.”

Wednesday, Oct. 28

Alpha Gamma Sigma meets at 1 p.m. in BUS 3206. The Blatigenous Club meets at 2:30 p.m. in BEH 1300.

The Black Student Union meets at 2:30 p.m. in BUS 3203.

Club Calendar

Thursday, Oct. 29

Tuesday, April 8

The Literature Club meets at 2:30 p.m. in EB 1201. The Pre-Vet Club meets at 5:30 p.m. in CFS 91126.