Kevin J. Gadzalinski playing Spike

Tell us a little about your character. Are you anything like them?

Spike is a little bit of a bro-type character, and a little bit of a golden retriever. Happy, naive, easily distracted, but perfectly confident. I was more like Spike, maybe 10 years ago. I thought I was this shit. I was proud of my body and liked showing it off. And while I still am content with showing a little skin, I personally have a lot more insecurity about my body than I used to. But like Spike, I do often have an extreme giddy energy.

Do you have any siblings? Are you close to them?

I have an older half-sister, and then a younger brother and sister. I've always loved them and felt like our relationships were some of the strongest bonds I've had, because we've had so many shared experiences. In our childhood, we were inseparable. In adulthood some things have brought us closer, but we have also really split off into our own lives. They make choices that I may not agree with, and they scare me. But in the end, they still mean the world to me.

What's the hardest part about being in a comedy like Vanya and Sonia?

Comedy can be so tricky. In a comedy like this, you can't just rely on the lines themselves to bring in the humor. Delivery, tone, timing, physicality are all intertwined with it to make it work. But you also have to commit to the reality of it all. We do have over dramatics and hamminess, but only because that's what our characters believe good acting is. I think the hardest part is figuring out the timing and how far to accentuate or pause on certain lines, for things to make sense.

Herbal or caffeinated tea?

Both? Both are good. I'm not picky, as long as I like the flavor.

What's your favorite kind of pie?

A Peanut Butter Cream Pie of sorts will always get me. But if I had to choose a classic, I'm partial to Cherry.