A.R. Gurney's Sylvia is the story of a middle-aged man who brings a stray female dog into his home, creating chaos in his career and marriage. The story of Sylvia, is that after its successful Manhattan Theatre Club run last season in New York, the canine comedy has been all over the regional map. During the month of March alone, Sylvia barked in at least ten different theatres, in eight different states. Currently, the peripatetic pooch is perched in California at Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara. The show opened July 4 and was scheduled to run through Aug. 3 but has extended an extra week, to Aug. 10, due to audience demand. Running at ETC's Alhecama space, Sylvia features Kristi Lynes, who played on Broadway in How To Succeed In Business.

A closer to ETC's season, the show is directed by Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera's artistic director Charles Ballinger. Other cast members include Rudolph Willrich (Greg), Nancy Nufer and the multi-cast Christopher Vore.

Other plays by Gurney include Love Letters, The Dining Room and The Cocktail Hour, the latter done at ETC in 1992.

For tickets ($18-$23) and information on Sylvia at Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara call (805) 962-8606.

For more information about Sylvia's around the nation, please refer to the regional listings on Playbill On-Line.

--By Blair Glaser and David Lefkowitz