The Valley Repertory Theater Company will bring comedy and family drama to the stage in their upcoming production of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” at the Denair Gaslight Theater.

Director Claudia Linares said that this particular show was chosen “because not only is it comedy and dark humor, but it’s also a sense of finding your true self, which people struggle with.”

The play, written by Christopher Durang, is set in the present day in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in a farm house Vanya and his step-sister Sonia have lived in all their lives. They jointly took care of their ailing parents for many years while their movie star sister Masha was gallivanting around the world, having a life. The play takes place on a weekend when Masha shows up with a new 20-something boy toy named Spike.

Vanya, Masha and Sonia were named after Chekhov characters by their college professor parents. And the play, which is a mix of comedy and drama, takes Chekhovian characters and themes, mixes them up and puts them in a blender, according to Durang’s official website.

“It’s like an up and down roller coaster of emotions that families go through. There’s always somebody who is bigger than life, and then the other two who are timid and not really having lived a life…I personally like this show because not only do I lean into both the humor and the honesty, but the comedy being big and playful, but it’s still grounded with the characters in something real and recognizable,” said Linares.

This is Linares’ first shot at directing, but she is not new to the local theatre scene. She has performed in shows with Prospect Theatre Project and most recently was in “Noises Off” with the Modesto Junior College Theatre Department.

“This has been a really neat experience in being behind the scenes versus on stage like I’m used to,” said Linares.

Starring in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” are Kirk Sorensen as Yanya, Erin Day as Sonia, Shelby Baker as Masha, Adam Lincoln Lane as Spike, Oliver Jackson as Cassandra and Makena Early as Nina.

Also making this production possible is Casey Aviles Chavez as the artistic director and Daniel Aviles Chavez as the stage manager.

​Show times are 7 p.m. April 17 and 18 and 2 p.m. April 19 at the Denair Gaslight Theatre, 3908 N. Gratton Rd., Denair. For tickets, visit denairgaslight.com.