The Story

John “Vanya” Peterson runs his family’s organic farm in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom with his niece, Sonya.  When Richard Alexander, his brother-in-law (and Sonya’s father), a famous writer from New York, comes to live at the farm with his beautiful new wife Ellen, John falls in love with her, and he finds himself questioning the choices he’s made in his life. 

Who can he turn to for answers? Not his best friend Mike Astor, a local doctor and activist who spends his days working to maintain the land’s rural character – he’s in love with Ellen, too.  Not Sonya – she’s in love - wouldn’t you know it - Mike. 

When Richard proposes to sell the farm for cash, the family erupts, relationships shatter, and everyone is forced to justify the value of the choices they’ve made in their lives.

Kate Hampton as Ellen

Kate Hampton as Ellen, Mark Nash as John, Larry Gleason as Michael

Mark Nash as John, Kathryn Blume as Sonya

Carolyn Gordon as Marina

Kathryn Blume as Sonya, Bob Nuner as Waffles

Larry Gleason as Michael

Bob Nuner as Waffles, Carolyn Gordon as Marina

Kathryn Blume as Sonya, Larry Gleason as Michael

Mark Nash as John, Wes Sanders as Richard

A smart, funny, respectful treatment of Uncle Vanya...An impressive achievement.

- Burlington Free Press

Vanya/Vermont, a take-off on Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, is a delightful piece of theater

— witty, touching, fun and sad, in that order.

- Rutland Herald

Extremely well written...Vermont Stage is to be commended for producing a new work of such high quality.

- North Country Public Radio

Poignant and smart and memorable and surprising and idiosyncratic and timely and thought-provoking

and laugh-out-loud funny. 

- Chris Bojhalian, Best-selling author of Midwives

Kathryn Blume's adaptation succeeds on every level.  Blume infuses the sad,

often desperate struggles of her characters with wit and humor. 

- Melissa Lourie, Co-Founder, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival