By Leyla Oun/reporter

An unorthodox romantic comedy between a man, his wife and his dog is coming to Theatre Northwest on NW Campus.

Sylvia, written by A.R. Gurney, opens April 29.

“It’s just a really fun show,” said Morgan Mizell, who portrays the dog Sylvia.

Sylvia follows the story of middle-aged and dissatisfied Greg, who, after 22 years of suburban life is uprooted to Manhattan, where in the midst of despair, finds the dog Sylvia in a park and takes her home. While Sylvia seemingly fills the missing piece in Greg’s life, her presence sparks a rivalry with Greg’s wife.

Mizell will have to bring out the man’s-best-friend in herself when she obeys canine commands like being told to sit.

“They’ll say things like sit, and you’ll have to drop to your knees and then stand back up again!” she said. “And then there’s running and all sorts of business. So physical challenge? Yes. Mental challenge? I don’t think so.”

While excited for the comical characters and storyline, the actors also anticipate the self-growth they will earn from portraying their characters.

“Getting into that mindset of having been married for 20-plus years when I’m not even 20 yet is kind of interesting and a lot more difficult than I anticipated,” said Jordan Woika, who portrays Greg.

McKenzie Morrow, who will portray Greg’s wife Kate, anticipates showcasing a character with complex feelings and winning over audiences.

“I feel like there’s a lot of danger of making her come off as really mean and kind of cruel,” she said. “She’s just trying to get what she wants. She’s trying to get things back to they were … she just likes order, and Sylvia is NOT order.”

Both Morrow and Mizell promise an epic “bitch-on-bitch” battle between their characters that will not be easily forgotten.

Director Brent Alford mused that Sylvia is a well-written and extraordinary personal favorite of his that will be combined with the right combination of talented cast members.

“All dog lovers will appreciate Sylvia,” he said. “It’s heartwarming, it’s funny, and it has intimate relationships that everyone will appreciate.”

Sylvia

Theatre Northwest

April 29-May 2 at 7:30 p.m.

May 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets

General admission; $6

Non-TCC students, seniors: $3

TCC students, faculty, staff: free

Call 817-515-7724 for seats.