It’s been a bit since I’ve written a blog about a Broadway show. Last week I saw one of my favorites again ... Kinky Boots. I had taken a long hiatus from the show and was happy to be back at the factory again. It was at the Al Hirschfeld where I was introduced to the talented, Tony-award winning, Annaleigh Ashford. I’d been wanting to see Sylvia, in which she plays a dog named Sylvia. I also wanted to see this show because of Matthew Broderick. My first Broadway show was How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I hadn’t seen Mr. Broderick on Broadway since ... and figured it was about time!
So, what did I do? I decided not to play dead on a Sunday morning and run over to the Cort Theatre to take advantage of the rush tickets. I got front row, dead center, for .... drum roll ... 32 bucks! You can’t beat that! So, with my tail wagging I settled into my seat.
The show is still in previews. As I flipped through the Playbill I reminded myself of that. I went in with no expectations. So ... when Annaleigh bound out as a dog ... I howled with delight! Robert Sella’s (Tom/Phyllis/Leslie) and Annaleigh’s comedic timing had everyone barking for more. The play did more than make the audience laugh. They cried too.
Sylvia chews away at Greg (Matthew Broderick) and Kate’s (Julie White) marriage ... but she also tugs at your heart. Though Sylvia is always the focal point, the play isn’t really about her. There’s a real message of connecting and community in A.R. Gurney’s work. It’s hard to always connect ... to feel part of a pack ... especially in such a large place as New York City. Every day though, we do connect. We connect with people, nature and animals. I almost connected with the pigeon that swooped down at me today. That was a bit scary! I connected with the young girl that smiled at me on my home, and I connected with the fellow theatre-goers at the Cort Theatre. For that time ... we were all in the theatre. We were all connected. We were all part of a pack.
Just as Sylvia fetches Kate’s missing book, I recommend you fetch a ticket this play. I guarantee you’ll want to “sit” ... and “stay” ... for this work of art.
