SYNOPSIS

If you are among the many who have been waiting for every dog to have its day, pour some bubbly in the dog dish and celebrate! This unique musical provides canine commentary that is hysterically funny, on-the-edge, or desperately poignant as two societal misfits search for identity and purpose. These pivotal characters are EMERSON, the earthy streetwise mutt, and SHADOW, the puppy, whose haunting solo "Are You My Brother?" sets the tone as they soon discover that life is not all bones and biscuits.

The dialogue, lyrics, and scenarios are dog-specific, but it is clear that the actors represent the human as well as the canine…..from the purebreds to the mutts. Anyone who has ever tried to stay ahead of the pack or keep a leg up on the competition will identify with the theme of this show. The character-driven action covers a two-day period in a city square and the adjacent Parallel Park where the dogs gather to try to make some sense of their existence. The generic setting is anywhere, anytime.

Other memorable characters include: CHAOS, a split-personality Schnauzer; CHAIRMAN, an old Field Trial champion retriever, worried that the world is on the fast track to hell in a hand basket; GYPSY ROSE FLEA, the companion dog who takes her classification to the extreme, regretting too few hours in the day to do all (and who all) she’d like; and KD McLADY, a displaced sheepdog. Her solo "Seven Times As Fast" serves as the climactic number, reflecting the strong human-canine bond, a major concept of the piece.

Beware that this is not a light-weight children’s show, but a profound reflection of both canine and human triumphs and tragedies. There are many layers working below the surface, as the story parallels man and dog tails…tales, and the intrinsic need for acceptance, approval, and station in life. Even the token feline, PURRSCILLA, understands the value of pack relationships, as she yearns for her past glory days on Broadway in her song, "This Cat Needs A Job." But any comparisons to that show end with four legs and tail, as this is clearly the DOGS house.

"Finally - something new! How refreshing!"

DOGS: The Musical was conceived and written by Paddy Mahoney Bell.

Music arranger/composer, Dick Goodwin.

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