Synopsis: Middle-aged Greg and Kate have moved back to Manhattan after raising their family in the suburbs. Greg finds Sylvia, a street-smart lab/poodle mix, and brings her home. She promptly becomes a bone of contention between Greg and Kate, testing their marriage to hilarious and touching effect. As Kate tells Greg: "The dog phase of my life is definitely over…” or maybe not.


 


I loved the idea of a dog being the central character in a play and wondered how it would be pulled off. That was before I learned a human would be playing Sylvia. Disappointed, I attended the play on April 8, 2018 and was pleasantly surprised. Riley Walters who portrayed Sylvia was delightful. Alyson Schwartz as Kate was good, but Marvin Melendez, playing Greg, was stiff and unnatural. Andy Hunn played the remaining three characters – Tom, a dog park friend; Phyllis, a friend; and Leslie a counselor.


 


PHOTOS:


Sylvia on the couch, but only when Kate isn’t around.


Sylvia “relieves” herself.


Sylvia, Kate, reluctant “dog mom”, friend Phyllis, and Greg.


Greg and Sylvia discuss their lives at the dog park.


Marriage counselor, Leslie, talks with Greg.


 


CREDITS: Synopsis from the web; Based on an ad provided for the challenge; KIT: "Cats and Dogs", Dunia Designs; FONTS: Arial, Times New Roman