Review of 'Sylvia' at Connecticut Cabaret Theatre

Dedicated to Miss Sophie, Diesel and Pink, three wonderful canines with special owners

Berlin, CT - SYLVIA is a rather unusual comedy by A.R. Gurney that opened at Connecticut Cabaret Theatre on Friday evening. The title role of Sylvia a dog is played by a human, yet somehow it works in this fun play set in 1980.

Mr. Gurney, who passed away in 2017, admitted that the play was rejected by many producers because "it equated a dog with a woman, and to ask a woman to play a dog was not just misogynist, but blatantly sexist." Mr. Gurney did not agree, and he once noted that his play has a "timely message of the need to connect in an increasingly alien and impersonal world. There is a need to connect, not only to a dog, but to other people through the dog.” In various productions, Sylvia has been played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Stephanie Zimbalist, Cathy Rigby and Annaleigh Ashford.

Kris McMurray, its Owner and Artistic Director, announced during his curtain speech that all four of the invited critics were in the audience to enjoy the CCT opening night performance. The classic comedy that was produced and directed by Mr. McMurray runs at the award winning cabaret theatre experience in central CT through Sept. 28, 2019. Please note that there will be no performance on August 30 and 31 during the run.

It is Marriage vs. Dog in the opening production at the CCT which is celebrating 22 years of entertainment.

Empty nesters Greg and Kate have moved to Manhattan. His career as a financial trader is winding down, but her career as a public school English teacher is beginning to offer her more opportunities. In the opening scene, Greg brings home a dog he found in the park, or more accurately that has found him, bearing only the name “Sylvia” on her name tag.

The dog, a street mix of Lab and Poodle, becomes a major bone of contention between the husband and wife, and the marriage is put in serious jeopardy after a series of very funny and often touching complications.

During the 45 minutes before the performance began, when patrons arrive at the theatre, find their table and begin to enjoy their refreshments, Christian “C.J.” Janis performed smooth jazz ballads on the piano.

Leading the cast in the role of the title character was the very talented Ashley Ayala (THE UNDERPARENTS, NANA’S NAUGHTY KNICKERS.) Ms. Ayala has become one of my favorite actresses at CRT and she was able to shine in the role of Sylvia. Ms. Ayala was sly, adorable and completely believable as a stray dog who falls in love with Greg, and had four costume changes that got increasingly more glamorous. It was a treat the patrons got to see Sylvia up close when she entered and exited through the round tables in the house. Kudos to Ms. Ayala on an outstanding performance.

Michael Gilbride (CLEVER LITTLE LIES, DRACULA) did very well as the middle-aged Greg and CCT regular Barbara Horan (THE CEMETERY CLUB, CALENDAR GIRLS) did just as well in the role of his wife, who is very jealous of Sylvia. I appreciated the lines written by Shakespeare that Kate quotes at the end of a few of the scenes, nicely delivered by Ms. Horan. The two actors made us care about their respective characters throughout the two acts, but they were at their best in the final scene directed toward the audience that is an epilogue of sorts.

Dave Wall (CALENDAR GIRLS, THE UNDERPANTS, NANA'S NAUGHTY KNICKERS) took on the role of Tom, a quirky dog owner that interacts with Greg at the park, as well as the part of Leslie, a gender-ambiguous psychotherapist. Mr. Wall was very funny in both of his incarnations. Carliegh Schultz (CALENDAR GIRLS, SOCIAL SECURITY) does not get to take to the stage until the second act, but she absolutely made the most of her role as Kate’s snooty friend Phyllis.

“There's no love song finer but how strange
The change from major to minor
Every time we say goodbye"- “Every Time We Say Goodbye” by Cole Porter

In the middle of the play, Mr. Janis sat at the piano again to lead three leading cast members in a charming rendition of “Every Time We Say Goodbye.” When he was not sitting at the piano, he served as a member of the stage crew, He therefore got to come out first at the curtain call to take a bow with all of the cast members and dance his way off stage after the applause; he did all of these tasks with aplomb, making his mother very proud of him.

Incidental music included “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?,” “Hound Dog,” “Who Let the Dogs Out?”

James J. Moran showed off his technical design in yet another CCT production. This time the scenery features four tall panels that turn to take us to the upscale NYC apartment and the park that Sylvia and her master visit. The costumes and wigs (especially the one before Sylvia visits the groomer) were perfectly charming and flattering; the ensemble for the character Leslie was delightfully ambiguous. There are many four letter words to which the character of Kate consistently objects, so you may not want to bring along the very young.

On opening night, a young lady and a tableful of her friends and family celebrated her 100th birthday in the front row. At CCT you are invited on each Friday and Saturday evening to let your imagination be your guide. You may bring your own dinner, snacks and drinks, along with a friend or two. Single tickets and season subscriptions to the new and exciting 2019-2020 season are available by calling the box office at 860 - 829 - 1248. Barbara Norman is the CCT box office manager. Visit the CCT website at www.ctcabaret.com You can email the artistic director at ctcabaret@msn.com

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.

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