Inside SYLVIA SYLVIA SYLVIA with Olivia O’Connor

Artists often navigate a complex intersection of history and imagination when working in the shadows of literary giants. In this preshow conversation, Geffen Playhouse Literary Manager and Dramaturg Olivia O’Connor shares behind-the-scenes context on Beth Hyland’s world premiere, SYLVIA SYLVIA SYLVIA. This tragicomic thriller investigates the thin line between artistic inspiration and haunting obsession within the context of a modern literary marriage. The play explores the journey of Sally, a once-celebrated novelist struggling with writer's block and the rising fame of her husband, Theo. To find her voice, she seeks inspiration in the iconic Boston apartment once inhabited by Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. In this conversation and Q&A, O’Connor discusses the process of working on a world premiere play rooted in history, sharing the real-life inspiration for the piece as well as the journey of its theatrical development. 

After the success of last year, we are announcing OLLI@UCLA’s second Arts Mingle! Through our collaboration with the Geffen Playhouse, OLLI members and friends are invited to the world premiere of SYLVIA SYLVIA SYLVIA. As before, the Geffen Playhouse is offering us tickets at $49—nearly half price for the last two weeks of the play’s run, Tuesday, February 20 until Friday, March 8—along with this exclusive pre-show talk by the Geffen’s Literary Manager and Dramaturg, Olivia O’Connor at Gayley Center on Thursday, February 19, 2-3pm just for OLLI members, friends and family. You can purchase your tickets online by clicking here or by phone by calling: (310) 208-2028 (Ticket office is open Tuesday-Sunday, 12 noon–6pm), and quoting your promotion code OLLI49SYLVIA.