79:, Eileen Warburton wrote that "'Sylvia' is a love story, of course, or at least a story about a man’s relationship with one of those magical animals people in stories so often meet just when they’re at a troubling crossroads in life, an animal that is a guide to finding the best in ourselves.... our propensity to project human characteristics and motives onto our non-human companions is dramatized by having the adopted dog played by a sexy, adoring young woman."
91:
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, Greg now has another reason to avoid work.
90:
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
71:
produced it, because "it equated a dog with a woman, and to ask a woman to play a dog was not just misogynist, but blatantly sexist." Gurney added that he did not think that way. He noted that the play has a "timely message of the need to connect in an increasingly alien and impersonal world. 'There
367:
reviewer of the 2015 Broadway production praised the performers, writing: "Kate, played by a wonderfully wry Julie White... Broderick is very much in his comfort zone playing the blithely goofy straight man... Ashford has the juiciest role, ... and she plays it to hilt, without letting Sylvia chew
375:
reviewer wrote of a "sympathy-evoking Julie White", the "utmost clueless sweetness by Mathew
Broderick in his most engaged and endearing performance in a long time", and the "spectacular Annaleigh Ashford", but criticized the direction: "...increasingly annoying directorial exaggeration as Daniel
94:
Tension increases between Greg and Kate, who still does not like Sylvia, nicknaming her Saliva. 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
352:
of the original 1995 production wrote "Dramatic literature is stuffed with memorable love scenes. But none is as immediately delicious and dizzy as the one that begins the redeeming affair in A. R. Gurney's new comedy, 'Sylvia,'... Here's a romantic triangle about Greg (Charles
Kimbrough), Kate
110:. 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.
105:
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 gives the news to Sylvia, that he must give her away, to a family who have a farm in
101:
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."
368:
the scenery (or Kate's red heels) entirely. The actress is a riot sliding on knee pads, wagging her legs around and rushing down the aisle to suggest hot pursuit of a male canine.... directed with a winking eye and a buoyant heart."
95:
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.
687:
417:
629:
616:
603:
642:
360:
reviewer of a 2010 regional production called the play "a delightful fantasy, but also a psychologically persuasive look at one man's mid-life crisis."
706:
671:
165:
The play was produced by the
Berkshire Theatre Group, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in July 2011. The reviewer called it a "comic masterpiece".
353:(Blythe Danner), and the mongrel named Sylvia (Sarah Jessica Parker) who, as Kate puts it, eats a serious hole in their 22-year marriage."
31:
192:. The production officially opened on October 27, 2015, and ran a limited engagement through January 3, 2016. Costumes were designed by
590:
574:
739:
729:
148:
nominations for
Outstanding Play, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Parker), and Outstanding Costume Design (Jane Greenwood).
113:
The last scene is directed toward the audience. Sylvia has died, and Greg and Kate still hold her memory in all fondness.
107:
98:
Kate's friend pays a visit and is repulsed by Greg and Sylvia. Greg, Kate, and Sylvia sing "Every Time We Say
Goodbye".
524:
490:
744:
558:
68:
128:
at Stage I of the
Manhattan Theatre Club on May 2, 1995, where it ran for 167 performances. Directed by
630:"Sylvia, Starring Tony Winners Matthew Broderick & Annaleigh Ashford, to Close Early on Broadway"
448:
422:
271:
196:. The Broadway production announced that it was closing three weeks early, due to poor ticket sales.
133:
76:
734:
152:
348:
189:
281:
256:
246:
181:
177:
141:
412:
169:
145:
158:
The play was produced by the La Mirada
Theatre, Los Angeles, California, in 2007 starring
617:"The Verdict: Critics Review 'Sylvia' Starring Annaleigh Ashford and Matthew Broderick"
438:
322:
129:
59:. The subject is "Sylvia", a dog, the couple who adopts her, and the resultant comedy.
30:
604:"Something to Bark About: Two 2015 Tony Nominees to Star in Broadway Bow of 'Sylvia' "
723:
343:
296:
276:
137:
286:
261:
173:
125:
56:
52:
330:
309:
304:
251:
185:
159:
711:
72:
is a need to connect, not only to a dog but to other people through the dog.'"
643:"Theater Review. 'Sylvia'; Gurney's Notion Of a Very Different Menage a Trois"
151:
The play ran at the
Coronet Theatre, Los Angeles, in February 1997, starring
658:
193:
67:
Gurney said that the play had been rejected by many producers before the
155:
as "Sylvia", Mary Beth Piel, Derek Smith, and
Charles Kimbrough.
545:
575:
Review: “Sylvia” is the doggone funniest play of the season"
672:"It's puppy love for doggone adorable 'Sylvia' on Broadway"
591:"Matthew Broderick Will Return to Broadway This Fall"
466:
388:
87:The place is New York City, the time is the 1990s.
23:
8:
75:In an article for the 2nd Story Theatre in
659:"A CurtainUp New Jersey Review. 'Sylvia' "
20:
525:"On the Road With A.R. Gurney's 'Sylvia'"
408:
203:
519:
517:
513:
585:
583:
495:Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
376:Sullivan's production progresses..."
7:
559:"Isn't that 'Sylvia' just too cute?"
548:dramadesk.org, accessed May 28, 2015
715:Broadway Internet Broadway Database
577:berkshireonstage.com, July 17, 2011
589:Gans, Andrew and Viagas, Robert.
14:
172:production began previews at the
385:Original off-Broadway production
29:
632:broadway.com, November 24, 2015
707:Internet Off-Broadway Database
527:playbill.com, January 22, 1997
188:and Robert Sella, directed by
1:
418:Outstanding Actress in a Play
176:on October 2, 2015, starring
661:curtainup.com, April 2, 2010
486:
463:Original Broadway production
593:playbill.com, July 28, 2015
453:Outstanding Costume Design
761:
619:Playbill, October 27, 2015
606:playbill.com, May 28, 2015
491:Outer Critics Circle Award
144:. The production received
481:
478:
475:
472:
437:
403:
400:
397:
394:
28:
469:
391:
217:George Street Playhouse,
740:Dogs in popular culture
200:Roles and notable casts
55:. It premiered in 1995
628:Lloyd Webber, Immogen
380:Awards and nominations
69:Manhattan Theatre Club
730:Plays by A. R. Gurney
449:Lucille Lortel Award
423:Sarah Jessica Parker
272:Sarah Jessica Parker
134:Sarah Jessica Parker
132:, the cast included
77:Warren, Rhode Island
546:"Drama Desk Awards"
346:, in his review in
316:Tom/Phyllis/Leslie
153:Stephanie Zimbalist
16:Play by A.R. Gurney
693:, October 27, 2015
677:, October 27, 2015
646:The New York Times
564:, November 5, 2007
523:Pacheco, Patrick.
349:The New York Times
339:Critical reception
190:Daniel J. Sullivan
108:Westchester County
35:Broadway Playbill
688:"'Sylvia' review"
657:Saltzman, Simon.
562:Los Angeles Times
505:
504:
460:
459:
336:
335:
301:Kathleen McNenny
282:Annaleigh Ashford
257:Matthew Broderick
247:Charles Kimbrough
182:Matthew Broderick
178:Annaleigh Ashford
168:The play's first
142:Charles Kimbrough
44:
43:
752:
694:
684:
678:
670:Gardner, Elysa.
668:
662:
655:
649:
641:Canby, Vincent.
639:
633:
626:
620:
613:
607:
602:Viagas, Robert.
600:
594:
587:
578:
571:
565:
555:
549:
543:
537:
534:
528:
521:
467:
432:The Hewes Award
413:Drama Desk Award
389:
230:
223:
214:
204:
146:Drama Desk Award
39:
33:
21:
760:
759:
755:
754:
753:
751:
750:
749:
720:
719:
703:
698:
697:
685:
681:
669:
665:
656:
652:
640:
636:
627:
623:
614:
610:
601:
597:
588:
581:
573:Murray. Larry.
572:
568:
556:
552:
544:
540:
535:
531:
522:
515:
510:
473:Award Ceremony
465:
435:Costume Design
395:Award Ceremony
387:
382:
341:
228:
227:
221:
220:
218:
212:
211:
202:
119:
85:
65:
40:
37:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
758:
756:
748:
747:
745:Broadway plays
742:
737:
732:
722:
721:
718:
717:
709:
702:
701:External links
699:
696:
695:
686:Winer, Linda.
679:
663:
650:
648:, May 24, 1995
634:
621:
608:
595:
579:
566:
550:
538:
529:
512:
511:
509:
506:
503:
502:
499:
496:
493:
488:
484:
483:
480:
477:
474:
471:
464:
461:
458:
457:
454:
451:
445:
444:
441:
439:Jane Greenwood
436:
433:
429:
428:
425:
420:
415:
410:
406:
405:
402:
399:
396:
393:
386:
383:
381:
378:
340:
337:
334:
333:
328:
325:
323:Stephen DeRosa
320:
317:
313:
312:
307:
302:
299:
294:
290:
289:
284:
279:
274:
269:
265:
264:
259:
254:
249:
244:
240:
239:
231:
224:
215:
208:
201:
198:
130:John Tillinger
118:
115:
84:
81:
64:
61:
42:
41:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
757:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
727:
725:
716:
714:
710:
708:
705:
704:
700:
692:
689:
683:
680:
676:
673:
667:
664:
660:
654:
651:
647:
644:
638:
635:
631:
625:
622:
618:
612:
609:
605:
599:
596:
592:
586:
584:
580:
576:
570:
567:
563:
560:
554:
551:
547:
542:
539:
533:
530:
526:
520:
518:
514:
507:
500:
498:Robert Sella
497:
494:
492:
489:
485:
468:
462:
455:
452:
450:
447:
446:
442:
440:
434:
431:
430:
426:
424:
421:
419:
416:
414:
411:
407:
390:
384:
379:
377:
374:
369:
366:
361:
359:
354:
351:
350:
345:
344:Vincent Canby
338:
332:
329:
327:Robert Sella
326:
324:
321:
318:
315:
314:
311:
308:
306:
303:
300:
298:
297:Blythe Danner
295:
292:
291:
288:
287:Carolina Cano
285:
283:
280:
278:
277:Rachel Dratch
275:
273:
270:
267:
266:
263:
262:Gustavo Mayer
260:
258:
255:
253:
250:
248:
245:
242:
241:
238:
237:
232:
225:
216:
210:Off-Broadway
209:
206:
205:
199:
197:
195:
191:
187:
183:
180:as "Sylvia",
179:
175:
171:
166:
163:
162:as "Sylvia".
161:
156:
154:
149:
147:
143:
139:
138:Blythe Danner
136:as "Sylvia",
135:
131:
127:
123:
116:
114:
111:
109:
103:
99:
96:
92:
88:
82:
80:
78:
73:
70:
62:
60:
58:
54:
51:is a play by
50:
49:
32:
27:
22:
19:
712:
690:
682:
674:
666:
653:
645:
637:
624:
611:
598:
569:
561:
553:
541:
532:
372:
370:
364:
362:
357:
355:
347:
342:
331:Sergio Paris
319:Derek Smith
310:Ebelin Ortiz
235:
234:
174:Cort Theatre
167:
164:
157:
150:
126:Off-Broadway
121:
120:
112:
104:
100:
97:
93:
89:
86:
74:
66:
57:off-Broadway
53:A. R. Gurney
47:
46:
45:
18:
557:Ng, David.
536:Broken-link
305:Julie White
252:Boyd Gaines
233:Lima, Peru
219:New Jersey
207:Characters
186:Julie White
160:Cathy Rigby
117:Productions
735:1995 plays
724:Categories
508:References
501:Nominated
427:Nominated
63:Background
675:USA Today
476:Category
398:Category
365:USA Today
358:CurtainUp
226:Broadway
479:Nominee
401:Nominee
194:Ann Roth
170:Broadway
691:Newsday
615:Staff.
482:Result
404:Result
373:Newsday
268:Sylvia
124:opened
713:Sylvia
140:, and
122:Sylvia
48:Sylvia
38:(2015)
24:Sylvia
487:2016
470:Year
409:1995
392:Year
293:Kate
243:Greg
456:Won
443:Won
371:The
363:The
356:The
236:2023
229:2015
222:2010
213:1995
83:Plot
726::
582:^
516:^
184:,
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
