*PRESS RELEASE* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 12/11/15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact: Andrew Rothman From: Chagrin Valley Little Theatre 40 River Street Chagrin Falls, OH 44122 Phone: 440-247-8955 E-mail: cvlt@cvlt.org <mailto:cvlt@cvlt.org> Website: www.cvlt.org <http://www.cvlt.org/> *CVLT to start 2016 with Durang's VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE* CHAGRIN FALLS, OH - Chagrin Valley Little Theatre's main stage starts off the new year with laughter, as Christopher Durang's award-winning VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE opens on January 15 and plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM through February 6. Tickets, which are $18 ($4 discount for students/seniors - not recommended for children), can be purchased at CVLT.org or by calling 440-427-8955 between 1-6 p.m. Monday - Saturday. Chagrin Valley Little Theatre is located at 40 River Street in historic Chagrin Falls. Robert McCoy directs the six-member cast, telling the story of three middle-aged siblings; Vanya (Eric Oswald) and Sonia (Sue Cohen) have remained at home to care for their parents (artsy types, who named their kids after Chekov characters), while their sister Masha (Theresa Dean) has traveled the world as a B-list movie star. Now their parents are gone and the siblings are living quiet, insular lives at their parents' estate, when Masha returns for a visit, bringing her boy-toy Spike (Whit Lowell). After inviting them all to the neighbor's costume party, Masha announces her intentions to sell the house. Needless to say, Vanya and Sonia aren't on board with her plans. Soon the resident cleaning woman, Cassandra (Lisa Freebairn), and the neighbor's pretty niece, Nina (Alex Marzullo), also become tangled up in the craziness. Although the playwright riffs on themes from Chekov, one need not be familiar with the 19th Century Russian playwright to laugh heartily at this hilarious romp. Christopher Durang, who is one of the most widely produced contemporary American playwrights, is the recipient of multiple awards, including the 2013 "Best Play" Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play for VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE. His mix of satire and absurdity is a hit with critics and audiences alike, and VANYA… itself was a hit when it premiered locally at the Cleveland Play House in 2015. CVLT is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and supported by the Ohio Arts Council. CVLT is a proud member of the Ohio Community Theater Association and the American Association of Community Theatre. ###