About the Show

"Sylvia" is a modern romantic comedy about a man and his
dog. The story involves a married couple, who, after many years
of child-rearing in the suburbs, have moved to Manhattan.
Greg, the husband, is, unhappily, seeing his career winding
down, as Kate - his wife of 22 years - finds her career teaching
Shakespeare to inner-city kids flourishing. Greg brings home
a dog he found in the park, bearing the name tag "Sylvia". A
street-smart mixture of Lab and Poodle, Sylvia becomes a
major bone of contention between husband and wife. The
fascinating twist to this premise is that the dog is played by
an actress.  This touching, howlingly funny comedy about
a dog who comes between two people is a must for all who
have loved man, woman or beast.


Performed November 15th, 16th and 17th
at the Olde Bedford Towne Hall, Bedford NH
Presented by Bedford Off Broadway!
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The Cast
Sylvia, the dog - Lynn Szumiesz
Greg, the husband - Allan McPherson
Kate, the wife - Joan Lawson Braga
Tom, the dog-owner in the park - Eric Scheiner
Phyllis, Kate's best friend - Joan Guardino
Leslie, the psychiatrist - Adam Young
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Production Staff
Director: Pat Delzell
Asst. Director: Beth Ann O'Hara
Stage Manager:  Denise Burke
Producer: Betty Thomson

Costumes: Mary Selvoski
Technical Director: Joe L. Vago
Set Build Manager: Dick Marshall
Set Design: Pat Delzell

Lighting Design: Dave Nelson
Sound Design: Doug Penney
Lighting Run: Joe Vago
Sound Run: Doug Penney
Treasury: Anne Young
Props Master: Jack Trommer
House Manager: Bedford Off Broadway Players
Tickets: Kathy Tilton

Marketing Director: Lindsey Peterson
Program Manager: Lindsey Peterson
Promotions: Eric Schiener
Advertising: Beth Ann O'Hara
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Schedules
REHEARSALS
The first read-through is Sunday, Sept 16 @ 7:00pm at NTP's New
Warehouse located at 150 Dow Street in Manchester.

Directions to New Warehouse: (assumes knowledge of Elm Street)
- From Elm St., turn onto Kidder St. (1st left going north after Bridge St.)
- At light you will see the large warehouse building that is 150 Dow Street
- Straight Thru light, take immediate Right and park
- New Warehouse is the First door to the right of 'Foreign Auto Parts' door

Depending on scheduled times, reheasal times may be shorter for some people.

MISSED REHEARSALS: We ask that you be available every rehersal, but we understand if you must miss 1 rehearsal.  Missing 2 or more rehearsals becomes a hardship on the cast.

SET BUILD
To Be Announced

SET LOAD IN
To Be Announced

TECH WEEK
November 17th-22nd, 2002 at Bedford Town Hall

TICKETS
To Be Announced

PERFORMANCE DATES
Friday, November 22nd @ 8pm
Saturday, November 23rd @ 8pm
Sunday, November 24th @ 1pm

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Original Review Quotes
"...delicious and dizzy.." -- The New York Times

"Gurney's mad comedy is the most endearing good time to trot down the pike in many a moon. Howlingly funny" -- Backstage magazine

"...one of the most involving, beautiful, funny, touching and profound plays I have ever seen."  -- NY Daily News

"Dramatic literature is stuffed with memorable love scenes, but none is as immediately delicious and dizzy as the one that begins with the redeeming affair in A. R. Gurney's new comedy, Sylvia..." -- Newsweek

"I can only call it one of the most involving, beautiful, funny, touching and profound plays I have ever seen ..." -- N.Y. Daily News
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About the Author
Albert Ramsdell Gurney, Jr. (a.k.a. Pete) was born on November 1, 1930 into the Buffalo, New York family of Albert and Marion Spaulding Gurney, the middle child of three. He attended St. Paul (New Hampshire) boarding school and earned a B.A. from Williams College in 1952.

With the onset of the Korean War, A.R. Gurney enlisted in the U.S. Navy  where he honed his creative skills in the musicals he scripted and composed  to entertain the men and women serving in the Armed Forces.  The Navy discharged him in 1955, and Gurney enrolled in The Yale School of Drama, earning a Masters Degree in Playwrighting. The playwright married Mary Foreman Goodyear in 1957, and they moved to Massachusetts where Gurney began his professional life as an educator.

At first, he taught English and Latin at a boys' country day school. Later, he joined the faculty at MIT in Cambridge, where he taught  until 1987.  Gurney wrote many plays while working as a teacher. In 1958, his Love in Buffalo was produced at Yale, where it set a  precedent as the first musical ever produced at the University.  

Like most of his later plays, this early success speaks primarily to upper middle-class  urban life in America.  Gurney's many works have been produced internationally for more than 30 years.  Among his most popular scripts are Tom Sawyer (a musical), Scenes from American Life, The Dining Room,  Another  Antigone, The Cocktail Hour, Love Letters, Later Life, A Cheever Evening, and The Far East, which just completed a Broadway run. 

A.R. Gurney has been recognized with numerous awards including a Drama Desk Award (1971), a Rockefeller Award (1977), and  two Lucille Lortel Awards (1989 and 1994). He has written three novels: The Snowball (also adapted for the stage), The Gospel According to Joe, and Entertaining Strangers.

Roles
Greg, a man of about 45 who is worried about the unknowns of middle age.
Kate, his wife, about the same age or a bit younger, whose career as a teacher is beginning to offer her new opportunities.
Sylvia, the dog, who tries to get Kate to understand the relationship between a man and his dog - and to accept her.
Three peripheral characters - 2 men and 1 woman, who can be played by one actor or three actors.