Sylvia

Sylvia is playing at the Cort Theatre located at 138 West 48th Street. The show runs two hours ten minutes with one intermission. The show closes on January 24, 2016.

Sylvia premiere off Broadway at Stage I at Manhattan Theatre Club on May 2, 1995 and ran for 167 performances. The cast included Sarah Jessica Parker and Blythe Danner. It received a Drama desk nomination for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Actress (Parker) and Costume Design (Jane Greenwood).

A, R. Gurney is the playwright. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990 (Love Letters) and 1985 (The Dinning Room).

Daniel Sullivan is the director. He has won five Tony Awards for Rabbit Hole (2006), Mornings at Seven (2002), The Sisters Rosensweig (1993), Conversations With My father (1992) and The Heidi Chronicles (1989).

Ann Roth is the costume designer. She won a Tony Award for The Nance (2013). She was nominated for five Tony Awards for The Book of Mormons (2011), The House of Blue Leaves (1986), The Crucifer of Blood (1979), The Royal Family (1976) and Slow Dance on the killing Ground (1965). Ann won an Academy Award in 1997 for The English Patient.

David Rockwell is the scenic designer. He was nominated for five Tony Award for On the 20th Century (2015), You Can’t Take It With You (2015), Kinky Boots (2013), Lucky Guy (2013) and Hair Spray (2003).

Annaleigh Ashford won a Tony Award for You Can’t Take it With You (2015) and was nominated for a Tony Award for Kinky Boots (2013).

Matthew Broderick won two Tony Awards for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (!995) and Brighton Beach Memoirs (!983). He was nominated for a tony Award for The producers (2001).

Julie White won a Tony Award for The Little Dog Laughed (2006). She was nominated for a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award for Airline Highway (2015).

The play takes place in New York City in 1995.

Greg (Matthew Broderick) finds a dog with a name tag with the name Sylvia (Annaleigh Ashford) in Central Park. Or as she says I found him.

Without consulting his wife Kate (Julie White), he keeps the dog. Kate tells him she doesn’t want the dog. The children are grown and she wants to be able to do things without being tied down to a dog. Greg insists they keep her, Kate said okay for a couple of day.

Greg is not happy at his job and uses Sylvia as an excuse for being gone for long periods. He meets another dog owner Tom (Robert Sella) in Central Park. He tells him his wife is not thrilled with their dog either.

It’s nice to hear a dog’s point of view. But you are going to have to see the show to find out what it is and what happens.

The set is well done. The background gives you the feeling you are in Central Parks with the apartments in the background. Furniture moves in and out.

Annaleigh Ashford out does herself again. She is so hilarious as a dog, her different movements are great, what a dog!

Robert Sella plays three different roles. He is great in each one.

Julie White is terrific.

Even if you have a cat or bird you will still enjoy this funny play.

I give it a Woof! Woof! Woof! Review.

At the end there are snap shots of dogs with their names. The director Donald Sullivan said they were pictures of the dogs owned by the people involved with the show.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annzor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click om recent photos for this and other shows.