Our local theatre production company presented s superb production of “Sylvia” February 22, 23, 29 and March 1, 2, 8, and 9, 2008 at our local community playhouse, “The Barn”. The play was produced by Wally Nelson and directed by Bill Farnum (who also did sound and lights). Chris John Clemens was the stagehand with much to do.
The note from the director says: “Those of us who have reached middle age find that life is somehow different. Maybe we all need something like a Sylvia to help us express our changing needs to each other. We are all on a journey and unless we communicate, we are apt to lose our way.”
This story tells of Sylvia and her new middle-aged owners.
It the first Acts, Greg played by Mark Johnson did a terrific job as a middle-aged man who found the poor and abandoned Sylvia, played very dog like by Tami Taliaferro, at the park after an argument with his boss, Harold. Greg left his job to clear his head and discovered himself at the park where he met up with the boisterous Sylvia who must have been all alone and abandoned. Of course Greg, through great powers of reasoning and deduction discovered Sylvia’s name. This was no mean feat as the name was clearly hidden on the tag attached to her collar.
Greg proceeds to save Sylvia and bring her home. Sylvia is so happy that her Savior and God brought her home that she barely contains herself. Fortunately she uncontained herself twice prior to entering the apartment building and subsequent apartment. After much show to her new master that she loves him and thinks he her savior and end all, Greg’s wife comes home. Kate, played by Terri Winkle, comes home from teaching at the end of a long day and finds herself duly unimpressed by the mongrel especially after Sylvia manages to uncontain herself right behind the sofa. After a bit of argument, Kate tells Greg that they will give the dog a few days and then the dog must find a new home.
Greg takes Sylvia to the park where the two of them meet others of their own species after a little prodding. Greg tells Sylvia to play with the other dogs and she points out to him that he is not talking to the other dog owners. Greg sits on the park bench and tells Sylvia to play. Soon Browser’s owner Tom, played by Jason McAlexander comes sit next to Greg. They begin talking about their dogs and their wives. Tom tells Greg to be careful not to let his wife get jealous. Tom tells Greg that there are times in his day when he would just like to call home and shoot the breeze with Browser and that when he comes home at night, he has to remind himself to kiss his wife before greeting the dog.
Meanwhile, Greg has been leaving work early just to be with the dog and taking her for long walks in the streets of New York at night. Greg is laid off temporarily from his job and Kate in the meantime is filing for a grant to go to England to see how English is being taught there. Her grant will allow for her spouse and herself to go, but the dog must be quarantined for the entire 6 months while they are to be gone. She asks Greg to find a home for the dog. Greg is outraged.
After a visit from Greg and Kate’s friend, Phyllis (played by Sandra Koops) goes horribly awry, Kate finally gets Greg to visit a marriage counselor, Leslie, played by Gerry Cortimila. She asks Kate to wait outside and begins to talk to Greg about the situation. By the end of the session she asks Greg to leave and suggests Kate do three things – divorce, take her husband for everything, and shoot the dog between the eyes.
Greg is given his final ultimatum for the disposition of Sylvia. He is to lose his wife or take Sylvia to a family in the suburbs.
Like all of our local theatre productions the play was funny and well worth the time spent. I suggest that if you have a little time that you can wrangle free on production nights of any of TAPA’s plays you do so forthwith.
Tami Taliaferro, played Sylvia very well. She was the dog. She played the role so well that she became every dog and especially every female dog any of us have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She was that dog, you know the one, she buries herself into your soul with not claws and feet full of mud, but rather with dainty toenails scratching away at your soul, nary leaving a mark, but yet embedding herself so lightly and tightly you can’t let go, even when you feel you must.