Lesley Grider playing Masha

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

Masha is very self-involved and used to getting her way. She definitely likes to be the center of attention. She has quite a few issues she should be working on in therapy. But ultimately she has been taking care of her family for a long time financially and her heart is in the right place. At first I didn't see how I was personally like Masha at all--but I definitely do connect with her around helping out her family. The desire to help but also not sacrifice my own life is something that I've gone through. I also like to be the center of attention...and I loved pretending to be Snow White when I was little.

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

I do have one younger brother and he's similar to Vanya in his artistic endeavors and brilliance. We were very close growing up and still have a lot of fun when we hang out. But we definitely know how to push each other's buttons.

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

There's never enough time! I'd love to have another 1-2 weeks to really hone in on all the magic in the text and work on comedic delivery and tweak moments. But there is a lot of text and that needs to be mastered first. I really love this play and it's been a joy to work on it.

Herbal or caffeinated tea?

I love herbal teas---a good mint tea, Zen by Tazo is a fav. I also like nettle tea or peach with some honey in it.

What's your favorite kind of pie?

Caramel Pecan Silk Supreme formerly of Baker's Square. I love this pie with all of my heart. In high school my friends and I used to hang at Baker's Square and we wrote a song called "Mr. Pieman" sung to the tune of Mr. Sandman. It lists a majority of the pies on the menu. Ahhh, the good ole days.