Today we ended our two-weekend run of "Sylvia" with the Lakeland Players in Elkhorn, WI. What a blast it was. I played Greg, a man who finds a dog (Sylvia) in a park and brings her home, to the chagrin of his wife, Kate. His love for Sylvia begins to incringe upon his life to the point that his wife contemplates leaving him and he runs the risk of losing his job.

When you get to play a great role in a great story with a great cast, it all makes for a great experience. And my experience with "Sylvia" was indeed great.

The role of Greg is a great role to play. One of my favorite parts of acting is character development, and this role was a lot of fun in that regard. It was by far the largest role I have ever played, and it called for me to display a wide range of emotions. It was challenging and satisfying.

The story is also a great story. It is funny and moving. It explores the affect of relational expectations upon human emotions. It deals with a man who needs to learn about priorities in life, a woman who needs to soften up a bit in the realm of love, and a dog who only wants a good home and the opportunity to give and receive love.

The cast for this show was very solid. I was honored to work with them. I think the actress who played Sylvia (Debbie) must have been born to play the role. There were no egos or prima donnas. We all picked up each other's dropped lines. And every single performance felt like it just clicked. You can't ask for more than that.

Yes, it was a great experience. The only problem with great experiences is that they inevitibly come to an end. I wish we were all showing up at the theatre next weekend to give it another go, but such is not the case. And so I am left to say, "Farewell, Sylvia. I shall miss you. Thanks for the memories."