Director Amy Kozumplik Kirby was chatting about Groton Regional Theatre's latest production, the comedy "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," as she was driving from work at Lillian August in Norwalk back to Groton for that night's rehearsal. Yes, it's an hour-and-a-half commute to work on I-95. But the rehearsals do nothing if not lift her spirits.

"I get to the theater, and I'm so tired, and it's just such a long day," she says. "Tonight, I'm going to head there, and I'm going to laugh for two hours. ... The entire day just vanishes, whether it was a good day or a bad day. I get to watch these people, and all I do is laugh."

"Vanya" was written by Christopher Durang, whose previous works included "Sister Mary Ignatius" and "The Marriage of Bette and Boo." The acclaimed Broadway production of "Vanya" - which won the 2013 Tony for best play - starred Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Pierce.

"It's a really funny story about the patterns of our lives," Kirby says. "People can get stuck in all sorts of different types of patterns - good patterns, bad patterns. At some point in your life, you have to step out of your comfort zone. ...

"It's a silly comedy, but everybody can relate to it in some form or another."

In the play, a grown brother and sister had stayed at their childhood home to take care of their ailing parents. The parents have since died, and those now-middle-aged children - they would be Vanya and Sonia - have stagnated. Their sister, Masha, went out and became a famous movie star (although, it should be said, a star of B-movies). She has made a lot of money, travelled the world and married five men. She drops in to tell her siblings, whom she's been supporting financially, that she's selling the family home.

Other characters in the mix: the clairvoyant house cleaner named, not coincidentally, Cassandra; the sincere neighbor Nina who idolizes Masha; and Masha's much-younger boyfriend, Spike.

Kirby sees Nina as representing what's good in the world, while the self-absorbed, cell-phone-obsessed Spike is what's wrong.

"Then we've got the housekeeper who just strives to find balance between everybody," Kirby says. "She's got the best part in the show, as far as I'm concerned, because she's so out there. But she's so wise, and nobody listens to her."

And, yes, the Chekhovian references in Durang's comedy are intentional: the names, the discussion of a cherry orchard, the exploration of malaise and stagnation, the potential loss of the family home.

The GRT production stars David Foulkes (Vanya), Nichelle Rollins (Sonia), Callie Beaulieu Frisell (Masha), Alyson Fowler (Nina), Gita Hassin (Cassandra), and Ben Leatham (Spike).

"The cast has such an opportunity to be silly and yet explore topics that are relevant in everyday life ...," Kirby says. "So there's such a good mix between this kind of fantasy and reality world. That's what really appealed to me. Of all shows I've done, the ones that I've directed and the ones that I've been in, I look for that balance between light and dark, and this play definitely has that."

"Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," Groton Senior Center, Route 117; shows are this Fri.-Sun., March 13-15 and 20-22; dinner-theater productions on March 6 and 13 are $20 (reservations closed for March 6 dinner, must be made by end of Friday for March 13 dinner by calling (860) 446-1363 or (860) 441-6785); dinners are at 6:30, show at 8; tickets to regular performances, which start at 8 p.m. Fri. and Sat. and at 2 p.m. Sun., are $15 ($12 for seniors and for everyone in advance at brownpapertickets.com).

DINNER AND A PLAY

Groton Regional Theatre's production of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" includes two dinner-theater performances in its nine-show run at the Groton Senior Center. The group used to offer dinner-theater years ago and has heard some seniors say that, since the dinners were dropped, they haven't come to see the plays.

The current Groton Senior Center chef, Lamont Hill, was game to cook for it, and so beef stew will be served this Friday and chicken cordon bleu on March 13. (Reservations for this week are closed; reservations for March 13 must be made by this Friday.)

"We're excited because we think it will bring in some more people we haven't had for a while," says GRT President Vic Panciera.

COMING UP

After "Vanya," Groton Regional Theatre's 2015 season continues with "Moon Over Buffalo" July 17-Aug. 2 and "The Rocky Horror Show" around, appropriately, Halloween.