Our 2021 hit show! A hilarious, lake house-centered, Tony Award® winning comedy by Christopher Durang. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike revolves around three middle-aged single siblings, two living in their parents’ home during a visit by the third, Masha, an actress who financially supports their lives. Masha arrives with Spike, a very young man, and the antics escalate to hilarious heights! Revisiting their lives and loves, Masha threatens to sell the lake house. This dysfunctional trio of siblings’ antics deliver laughs every minute as they face the onset of middle age…
Some of the show’s elements were derived from works of Anton Chekhov, including several character names, the play’s setting in a cherry “orchard”, and the theme of the possible loss of an ancestral home. This show will surely keep you laughing out loud in your seats!
Sponsored by
David Benoit* (Vanya): is delighted to make his Deertrees Theatre debut and work with Director and friend, Gail Phaneuf, since their last show together in 1988! David has appeared in both the Broadway and National Touring productions of Les Miserables (Thenardier) w/ Colm Wilkinson, Avenue Q (Nicky/Trekkie), Jekyll and Hyde (Bishop/Spider), and Broadway production of Dance of the Vampires with Michael Crawford. Other National Tours include: Young Frankenstein (Inspector Kemp/ Blind hermit), All Shook Up (Sheriff Earl), and recently, the last 6 years in The Phantom of the Opera (Firmin). Off Broadway credits include Forever Plaid (Sparky), Forbidden Broadway(s): 10th anniversary, and Summer Shock!, The Big Bang. Favorite Regional: Olney Theatre’s Sweeney Todd (Sweeney), Virginia Rep's Fiddler on the Roof (Tevye) and D.C. Studio Theatre’s Adding Machine: a musical (Mr Zero). Thank you so much for supporting live theatre! For Mom, always. *Actor's Equity Member
Patti Hathaway (Sonia) is very happy to be returning to the stage this summer and especially excited to make a return to the beautiful Deertrees Theater stage. Patti has been performing since age 5 when she sang the only solo in her kindergarten graduation – the alphabet song. Her triumphant performance convinced her that she was meant for a life on the stage. Her parents however felt she should probably work her way through first grade before moving on the bright lights of Broadway. So began a life of juggling learning, career, and passion which she continues to this day. Patti has appeared in comedies such as “Don’t Drink the Water” (Marion), “Rumors” (Cookie), and “Noises Off” (Dotty) as well as many musicals. Some of her favorite musical roles include, Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes”, Miss Hannigan in “Annie”, Sally in “Follies” and Apathy in “Monsters! The Musical” (by Gail Phaneuf and Ernie Lijoi”. When not performing, Patti works in Market Research at a large financial services firm and plays the ukulele (sometimes in meetings). Patti would like to thank her very supportive husband and her incredibly talented friends for their encouragement and love.
Dayle Ballentine (Masha) is very happy to be making her debut at The DeerTrees Theatre and so pleased to play Masha again! She was last seen as Masha with the Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA (DASH Nominee Best Ensemble). Other favorite roles include Margie in Good People; Helsa Wenzel in Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 (Best Actress, DASH Awards) and Alexe Vere de Vere in As Bees in Honey Drown.
Antonio Harmsen Villa (Spike) graduated from the William Esper Studio in the summer of 2019 in New York. His first performance as an actor was in "Buscando Nirvana" by Enrique Mendoza in Peru. He was seen most recently in "Night of the Iguana" by Tennessee Williams, in Provincetown, Massachusetts for the Tennessee Williams Festival -2019. In 2020 he performed "The Piazza" by Barbara Anderson in Brooklyn, New York for the Black Box Festival, and then unluckily for him and the rest of human beings, Covid invaded the world. He's now appearing on stage once again at the Deertrees Theatre, where he's been having a great time rehearsing and working to get the theatre ready for the season. If you want to know more about him, you can check his website www.antonioharmsenvilla.com, or come talk to him after the show... he wont bite, unless asked and in the mood!
Madison Mayer (Nina) Madison was born and raised on Cape Cod where she has been performing live for the past 14 years. She is thrilled to be making her Maine debut at the Deertrees Theatre! Madison was last seen as Johanna in "Sweeney Todd; The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" at the Provincetown Theatre, Missy Miller in "The Marvelous Wonderettes" at the Cape Cod Theatre Company, Sandy in "Grease" at the Barnstable Comedy Club, and Dainty June in "Gypsy" at the Cotuit Center for the Arts. Madison started her own company in 2020: Cape Cod Charcuterie Co. and is very excited to be taking her small business on the road for Charcuterie and Cabaret nights! Big thanks to Gail and the whole team at Deertrees for welcoming her with open arms. Cheers to the live performing renaissance!
Barbara Stauble (Cassandra - the psychic cleaning lady!) has been active in local community theaters on stage and behind the scenes since being bitten by the theater bug at 14 years old. Her most fun and memorable role was that of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz in 2001 with Windham Center Stage Theater and again in 2017 with Lake Region Community Theater. She claims raising her seven children prepared her for the role better than anything else. Barb has served on the Deertrees Board of Directors for several years and owns the Greenwood Manor Inn with her husband Ray right here in Harrison. She is thrilled to be sharing the stage with such talented and accomplished actors, and even though she’s no Susie Pepper, she is her mother. Oh - and she LOVES Pickleball!
Gail Phaneuf (Director/Sound Design) is the Executive and Artistic Director for Deertrees Theatre. She is thrilled to direct this Tony Award Winning play with this amazing cast and crew. Gail is an award-winning playwright, composer, producer, actor and director. Her teen musical The Love Note has enjoyed an Off-Broadway run at Actors Temple Theatre in NYC, and continues to have numerous productions at schools, regional theaters and theater camps. www.thelovenote.com The Love Note Musical is now offered by Heuer Publishing and Brooklyn Publishers for production. MONSTERS! A Midlife Musical Meltdown, is a collaboration with Broadway lyricist Ernie Lijoi. The comic musical was a finalist in the Rod Parker Playwriting Competition, kicking off developmental readings in Boston and New York City. MONSTERS! had its first full production at CentAstage in Boston. It was subsequently produced at the Deertrees Theatre in Harrison Maine, and was also staged at The Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA. MONSTERS! Is also offered by Heuer Publishing, or you may visit www.monstersthemusical.com Gail's latest show is a song cycle entitled Memorize You. It was workshopped in Boston and will now premiere at Deertrees as part of the 85th Anniversary GALA on August 7th.
