Stoughton Actress Stars in Local Comedy

Submitted to Stoughton Patch

Maggie Nichols of Stoughton and a kindergarten teacher at the Lincoln School in Brookline, stars as Sylvia in the Amazing Things Arts Center’s upcoming production of Sylvia written by A.R. Gurney and directed by Paul R. Dixon.

Sylvia is a play about a man and his dog. And his wife: a plot that sets up the audience for lots of laughs!

As empty-nesters, Greg and Kate have moved to the city to enjoy themselves. One day, Greg brings home Sylvia: a dog he finds in the park. Sylvia becomes the subject of contention between Greg and his wife Kate.

Greg is ecstatic to have a dog, but Kate wants a pet-free life. Meanwhile, Greg and Sylvia become inseparable. Comedy ensues, and tension mounts as Greg, Kate, and Sylvia clash over about the importance of the bond between a man and his dog.

“It’s one of the more different parts I’ve played,” said Nichols, who plays the spunky dog, Sylvia.

“In the process of rehearsals, I’ve observed a lot of dogs and tried to get myself into the mind-set of a dog in which everything’s kind of one dimensional. And I’ve looked up a lot of information on dog behavior. In terms of how I relate to the character, she’s actually really funny, and her sense of humor is similar to mine.”

“I’m not really a dog person,” Nichols admitted. “But I definitely am sometimes amused by people’s relationships with their dogs. What I think is funny about this play is that it pokes fun at the fact that people really do endow their animals, especially dogs, with human characteristics.”

Sylvia constantly speaks her mind, but as Nichols explained, what Sylvia says is really Greg and Kate endowing her with human characteristics.

When asked how long she had been acting, Nichols said, “Informally since I was probably four. I used to do plays for my family.” She said that she formally started acting when her parents put her into a theater program when she was thirteen.

Nichols is hilarious when she plays the spunky Labrador and Poodle mix. One minute she’s bounding across the stage, and the next minute she’s lying belly up on the sofa demanding a belly rub!

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"Sylvia" will be performed at Amazing Things Arts Center at 160 Hollis Street in Framingham on July 22, 23, 29, and 30 at 8 p.m. and July 24 and 31 at 3 p.m.

For tickets and more information, go to www.amazingthings.org or call 508-405-ARTS (2787).