The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences’ Division of Performing and Visual Arts and NSU Theatre presented their latest production, “Sylvia”, which focused on a dog stealing away her owner’s affection from his wife and the resulting bitter rivalry.
There is a lot of swearing in this adult comedy but a few standout moments leave the audience members laughing their tails off.
After Greg finds Sylvia in a park, he can’t resist taking her in. The man and dog form a special bond that drives a wedge between Greg and his wife, Kate. Greg and Kate are a married couple in a new phase of their life, having moved to New York City after raising their children in the suburbs.
Although there are only six cast members in the entire comedy, they each held their own and brought something unique to their characters during the Oct. 4 performance.
One of the stars of the night, junior theater major Vanessa Munley, who plays Sylvia, was very nervous for opening night but managed to hold her own on the stage. The “trick scene” with the character Phyllis is one of her favorites and she enjoys the challenge of playing a dog.
“My favorite thing about her is that she’s like a mystery almost and Greg is just so infatuated with her,” said Munley.
Munley does a great job. Her character is very unpredictable, but she brings plenty of attitude and sass. One of my favorite moments is when she’s groomed and emerges as a whole new dog. The way she idolizes Greg and wants to do everything that he does shows that a dog really is a man’s best friend.
Though Greg and Kate are supposed to be in their fifties, I couldn’t help but think of them as a young couple, as they’re played by young college students. Mariah Busk, as Kate, is uptight and refuses to let Sylvia sit on the couch. She doesn’t want the responsibility of taking care of an animal now that they live in the big city. She is disgusted by Sylvia, whom she purposely refers to as “Saliva”, when she picks up a strand of dog hair on the couch. Busk plays her role very well because, although she hates Sylvia, her character is likable.
Kate’s crazy friend Phyllis, played by Marianne Martinez, is hysterical. Phyllis is uptight and wears a pearl necklace and her hair in a bun. She pronounces Sylvia’s name by placing emphasis on the last syllable. Martinez’s comedic timing and delivery make her performance a true standout, perhaps the most memorable moment being her line “all men should be Republican’s because it’s good for their prostate.”
Ricky Rafuls, senior psychology major, plays Greg and said his favorite thing about his character is “the fact that I act like a child for half the play because I’m going gaga over this dog.”
He plays the part well, though it felt a little over the top. His favorite scene is with Leslie, a therapist played by Omar Pimentel-Gonzalez, who was also one of my favorite performers. Pimentel-Gonzalez had the audience laughing by playing a female role. The character is exploring his gender and when Greg and Leslie sit down for a session, their interaction is priceless.
