The drama department put on a play on October 21-23 entitled Sylvia: A Dog Play. This play was brought to life by six students, and with a very small cast it gave a very monotonous feel and became old by the end. The audience was younger and therefore did not get many of the more antiquated references. The only laughs seemed seemed to be coming for the older members in attendance.

In my opinion, Lauren Burghardt, senior, perfectly encompassed what Sylvia was meant to be. She was witty and charismatic, a perfectly sassy dog with expressions that moved the audience to laughter. Phillip Zuccaro and Emma Zander, seniors, played Greg and Kate, an older couple who spent 22 years creating a life and a family together. They had chemistry and banter that any child would recognize in his or her parents. Renee Schwartz, junior, played the stingy Phillis with dry humor and wit; she added an edge to the character that was simply intoxicating.

Lily Higgins, senior, showed that even a dog owner in a nearby park can be an outlet of good conversation and laughs. Lily portrayed Tammy as a nonchalant tomboy who seemed to sense the uneasy feelings within Greg. She was a great outlet for Greg’s character to work through his problems. Mathilde Jensen, senior, played the couples’ therapist, Leslie, who was the highlight of the show. Though not in the play for long, the character was a frantic and wary woman that any student could relate to. Her subtle sarcastic comments mixed with her need to get out of this meeting and “see her own shrink” caused the audience to fall out of their chairs with laughter.

The setting provided a very connected and intimate experience as a result. The audience could see how each everyone reacted to the performance. The actors really played off the audience, in some cases more than others. Many of the audience members’ laughs echoed through the black box, while others we are still as statues. In the end, this play was a different experience than anything that had previously been created by the drama club. The actors did their best with the material, and the community seemed to enjoy the more provocative and mature material.