Sylvia (play)
Encyclopedia
Sylvia is a play
about a dog
, the couple who adopts her,
and the drama that results. It was written by A. R. Gurney
and first produced in 1995.
Directed by John Tillinger
, it opened on May 2, 1995, at Stage hi I of the Manhattan Theatre Club
, where it ran for 167 performances. The cast included Sarah Jessica Parker
, Blythe Danner
, and Charles Kimbrough
. The production received Drama Desk Award
nominations for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Parker), and Outstanding Costume Design.
2 Middle-aged, upper-middle class Greg finds Sylvia, a dog played by a human, in the park and takes a liking to her. He brings her back to the empty nest he shares with Kate.
When Kate gets home, she reacts very negatively to Sylvia and wants her gone. They eventually decide that Sylvia will stay for a few days before they decide whether she can stay longer, but Greg and Sylvia have already bonded.
Over the next few days, Greg spends more and more time with Sylvia and less time at his job. Greg and Sylvia go on long walks. They discuss life and astronomy. Already dissatisfied with his job, he now has another reason to avoid work.
Tension increases between Greg and Kate, who still does not like Sylvia. Eventually, Greg becomes completely obsessed with Sylvia, and Kate fears their marriage is falling apart. Kate and Sylvia are at odds with each other, each committed to seeing the other defeated.
Greg meets a strange character at the dog run, who gives Greg tips on how to manage Sylvia and his predicament involving Kate.
Greg has Sylvia spayed. Sylvia is angry and in pain, but she still loves him completely.
Kate's friend pays a visit and is repulsed by Greg and Sylvia.
The three sing "Every Time We Say Goodbye". (Accompaniment and rights included.)
Greg and Kate visit a therapist, Leslie, who is ambiguously male and female depending on her patients' state of mind. After a session with Greg, Leslie tells Kate to get a gun and shoot Sylvia: "I hope you get her right between the eyes."
Kate is asked to teach abroad, in London, and tells Greg that the English have a six-month quarantine for any dogs coming into the country. Greg is unwilling, but eventually he succumbs and drops the news to Sylvia, that he must give her away, to a family who have a farm in Westchester County
. Greg and Sylvia have a heated and tender moment.
Kate and Sylvia say goodbye; but, before Greg and Sylvia leave for Westchester, Sylvia returns the annotated and slightly chewed version of "Alls Well That Ends Well" that Kate has been looking for, and Kate has a change of heart.
The last scene is directed toward the audience. Sylvia has died, and Greg and Kate still hold her memory in all fondness.
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
about a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, the couple who adopts her,
and the drama that results. It was written by A. R. Gurney
A. R. Gurney
A. R. Gurney is an American playwright and novelist. He is known for works including Love Letters, The Cocktail Hour, and The Dining Room. Gurney currently lives in both New York and Connecticut....
and first produced in 1995.
Directed by John Tillinger
John Tillinger
John Tillinger is a theatre director and actor.Born in Tabriz, Iran, Tillinger was raised in England, where he first was exposed to the theatre...
, it opened on May 2, 1995, at Stage hi I of the Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
, where it ran for 167 performances. The cast included Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Blythe Danner
Blythe Danner
Blythe Katherine Danner is an American actress. She is the mother of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and director Jake Paltrow.-Early life:...
, and Charles Kimbrough
Charles Kimbrough
Charles Kimbrough is an American character actor known for playing the straight-faced anchorman Jim Dial on Murphy Brown. In 1990, his performance in the role earned him a nomination for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series".-Biography:Born in St. Paul, Minnesota,...
. The production received Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
nominations for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Parker), and Outstanding Costume Design.
Plot summary
New York City. The '90s.2 Middle-aged, upper-middle class Greg finds Sylvia, a dog played by a human, in the park and takes a liking to her. He brings her back to the empty nest he shares with Kate.
When Kate gets home, she reacts very negatively to Sylvia and wants her gone. They eventually decide that Sylvia will stay for a few days before they decide whether she can stay longer, but Greg and Sylvia have already bonded.
Over the next few days, Greg spends more and more time with Sylvia and less time at his job. Greg and Sylvia go on long walks. They discuss life and astronomy. Already dissatisfied with his job, he now has another reason to avoid work.
Tension increases between Greg and Kate, who still does not like Sylvia. Eventually, Greg becomes completely obsessed with Sylvia, and Kate fears their marriage is falling apart. Kate and Sylvia are at odds with each other, each committed to seeing the other defeated.
Greg meets a strange character at the dog run, who gives Greg tips on how to manage Sylvia and his predicament involving Kate.
Greg has Sylvia spayed. Sylvia is angry and in pain, but she still loves him completely.
Kate's friend pays a visit and is repulsed by Greg and Sylvia.
The three sing "Every Time We Say Goodbye". (Accompaniment and rights included.)
Greg and Kate visit a therapist, Leslie, who is ambiguously male and female depending on her patients' state of mind. After a session with Greg, Leslie tells Kate to get a gun and shoot Sylvia: "I hope you get her right between the eyes."
Kate is asked to teach abroad, in London, and tells Greg that the English have a six-month quarantine for any dogs coming into the country. Greg is unwilling, but eventually he succumbs and drops the news to Sylvia, that he must give her away, to a family who have a farm in Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
. Greg and Sylvia have a heated and tender moment.
Kate and Sylvia say goodbye; but, before Greg and Sylvia leave for Westchester, Sylvia returns the annotated and slightly chewed version of "Alls Well That Ends Well" that Kate has been looking for, and Kate has a change of heart.
The last scene is directed toward the audience. Sylvia has died, and Greg and Kate still hold her memory in all fondness.