January 16, 2026 – February 1, 2026
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE
by Christopher Durang
Directed by Christopher Nardine
Tony Award-winning playwright Christopher Durang delivers a hilariously dysfunctional family comedy with "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike." Siblings Vanya and Sonia lead quiet, unfulfilled lives in their childhood home until their glamorous movie star sister, Masha, arrives with her much younger, dim-witted boy toy, Spike. What follows is a riotous collision of Chekhovian ennui, modern anxieties, and absurd humor. This brilliant play is a witty, poignant, and wildly entertaining exploration of family, aging, and the search for happiness.
 
MEET THE CAST
 
Sean O'Bannon (Vanya) was last seen at SSR in Meteor Showers. This is his 5th show with SSR and he is delighted to be returning. He has performed at several theaters around town including ReAct, Arts West, Redwood, SIS Productions and Village Theatre. Some of his favorite shows include Joseph, The Normal Heart, Assassins, Into the Woods, School House Rock, Bye- Bye Birdie, The Seven Year Itch and Mame with Toni Tennille. 
 
Carissa Meisner Smit (Sonia) is happy to return to SSR where she has appeared in Meteor Shower (Corky), Frost / Nixon (Caroline), Alexander and the No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Day (Mother), and Chicago (Velma). She recently hung up her wimple after playing Mother Abbess in Sound of Music at Red Curtain. What a treat to dive into Durang with such a talented team! 
 
Jenifer Gillis Rifenbery (Masha) is incredibly excited to be onstage for the first time here at SSR! As an audience member the performances she has watched here have been memorable. Past favorite roles include Helen Hubbard in “Murder on the Orient Express” and Brooke/Vicki in “Noises Off, both at Tacoma Little Theater, and Don John in “Much Ado about Nothing” as well as Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” at Lakewood Playhouse. From Miss Scarlet in “Clue” at Olympia Little Theater to Blonde in “Reservoir Dogs” at Theater Arts Olympia, to Lily in “Sherlock Holmes and the Jersey Lily” at Driftwood, putting on the guise of a new character is what makes life interesting and exciting! She is thankful to Chris Nardine and all her friends and theater family who support and teach her every day, especially Rey her fluffpuppy. As Judi Dench once said as she portrayed the Vedette of the “Folies Bergere,” “It is a privilege to entertain.”
 
Somtochukwu Muo (Cassandra) is a Nigerian-born, Florida-raised actor and theater educator. Somtochukwu is thrilled to be performing in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike with SSR. Their recent credits include Sister Augusta in Drinking Habits (Driftwood), Marianne Angelle in Heart Repertory’s The Revolutionists, and Femme 3 in Theatre Off Jackson’s Women & Femmes or Females. Before that, they portrayed Kate Alterman and Rose Schneiderman in RDAC’s The Triangle Factory Fire Project, Kory in the independent production Within A Show, and developed an original short play titled Papa as part of Aspire Rep’s Creator Series. Other roles include Chel in Annex Theatre’s Tenderness, Alice in RDAC’s Dorothy, Alice, Wendy, Mary: Grown, and Coretta Scott King in a Hugo House production of The Kings Go South. As a theatre educator, their directing credits include Shrek The Musical Jr., Descendants The Musical, Encanto, Lion King Kids, and Moana Jr. Every year, they adjudicate at the regional NW Thespy’s and lead acting and empathy workshops at the WA State Thespian Festival. Somtochukwu holds a degree in Theatre and is currently pursuing self-actualization. Their long-term goal is to live a happy and fulfilling life—and look very good while doing so. (they/them)
 
Simon Dunlap (Spike) Hawai’i-born, Seattle-based actor Simon Dunlap makes his SSR debut. A performer whose work spans theater, musical theater, and commercial media, recent onstage appearances include Tom Collins in RENT, David in Company, Kenickie in Grease, and Riff in West Side Story. Dunlap is heralded for his “vocal strength” and “grounded, character-driven approach” (Big Island Music Magazine) across classic and contemporary repertoire. Beyond the stage, Simon has been featured in national commercial campaigns for PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew and Microsoft. Simon is currently represented by Big Fish NW Talent.
 
Amanda Marquis Petrowsk (Nina) is thrilled to be making her SSR debut! She has recently been seen on local stages such as Driftwood Players (Drinking Habits), The Phoenix Theatre (Move Over Mrs. Markham, Chemical Imbalance, and Skin Flick), and Red Curtain Theater (The 25th Annual… Spelling Bee). Much love to the cast, crew, and creative team - and a special thanks to her friends and family for their never ending love and support! (She/Her):
 
MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM
 
Christopher Nardine (Director) has done a lot of stuff, some of it in theater. This is the eighth production that Chris has directed at SSR. Among the others were Chicago, A Little Night Music and Man of La Mancha. He is thankful for the opportunities afforded him here, and the consistently high quality of work produced by Mark Chenovick and the SSR staff, including our joyously efficient stage manager, Annie Simonton. And as always he is thankful for this cast, the reason for the success of any show.
 
Annie Simonton (Stage Manager)
 
Mark Chenovick (Production Design)