Preparations for the 2013 Tony Award-winning comedy, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” by Chris Durang are under way at the Butler Little Theatre as the final offering of the 76th season.

The story centers around two single, middle-aged siblings who live together and their third sibling who supports them. The action begins during a visit when the three siblings are thrown together along with a boy toy of a boyfriend. It's humorous and loosely based off the works of Anton Chekov.

The role of Vanya is being played by Rik Medic of Penn Township.

“He is a 57-year-old man who, along with his sister Sonia, has never left his childhood home in Buck's County, Pa.,” Medic said.

“They spend their days sitting, looking out the window, talking, bickering, and generally doing nothing. Sister Masha, a somewhat-famous Hollywood actress, comes for a visit with her boy-toy boyfriend, Spike,” he said.

“Vanya is a man that doesn't like change, but he hasn't had to confront it since he's been tucked safely away in his rural home,” he added.

It's anyone's guess what Masha and Spike will bring to the mix.

Medic said he has been enjoying the show and appreciates the rich language and absurd humor. Vanya's big moment falls at the end of the show.

“Vanya has a very long rant near the end of the play. He goes on for more than 10 minutes of straight dialogue in a scene that is both emotional and very funny. This scene is extremely challenging and gratifying to play as an actor,” Medic said.

Masha is being portrayed by Heidi Nicholls Bowser of Center Township.

“Played by Sigourney Weaver in the original production, Masha is a movie star reaching a certain age. She has been largely absent from the day-to-day operations in her family. While her two siblings cared for their aging parents, she pursued her successful acting career, all the while financially supporting the entire family,” she said of her character.

“She comes back to her family home with a young 'boy-toy' actor in tow. Worlds collide, and they are forced to face their own life choices and their relationships with each other,” she added.

The third sibling, Sonia, is being played by Katy Closkey Wayne of Center Township.

“Sonia has been adopted into the family,” Wayne noted.

“She has conflicting feelings about having spent many years caring for her adoptive parents. She is mostly jealous of her older sister who has lived a more worldly and exciting life,” she said.

Wayne said she is enjoying the character's self-discovery while other aspects are more work to portray.

“Conveying her various emotions in their complexity and sincerity can be challenging,” she said.

Though she may play a princess by day at One Royal Wish, Renee DiAlesandro of New Castle plays housekeeper by night for this show.

“Cassandra cleans the house for Vanya and Sonia. While she seems cold and uncaring at first, you get to see that she sees those two as family,” said DiAlesandro.

She said her character is fun to play.

“Cassandra is all over the place. There is a fine line between being believable and a caricature when you are given a character like this. I hope I stay on the believable side of the line to successfully bring Cassandra to life,” she said.

The show is not new to DiAlesandro as she stage-managed the production at the New Castle Playhouse a few years ago.

“I wanted to revisit the characters,” she said.

“This is a comedy. The world isn't always funny or pleasant, and peeking into the lives of Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike will provide a nice escape from reality,” she added.

Also appearing in the show are Kyle DePasquale as Spike and Laila Tyler as Nina.

WHO: Butler Little TheatreWHAT: “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” by Chris DurangWHEN:May 4 to 12, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundayand 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayWHERE:BLT, One Howard St.TICKETS: $13, available at www.bltgroup.org