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ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is looking for a new breed of actor: one who’s smelly, scruffy and unruly.
The festival on Saturday auditioned canines to play Crab the dog in Shakespeare’s
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” which opens June 8 on the Elizabethan Stage.
Sixteen dogs answered the casting call. OSF actor David Kelly, the sole judge, searched for just the right supporting actor for his character, Launce.
One of the hopefuls was Kayla, a 7-year-old Australian shepherd-border collie mix adopted from the Southern Oregon Humane Society by Deborah Small.
Small said she just had her companion groomed.
“You can’t have a groomed dog,” Kelly jested. “This is Crab, not Lassie, we’re casting here.”
But after Kelly spent time with Kayla running, walking the dog off-leash and playing with toys, her stage presence shone through.
As Small and her companion left the audition, Kelly waved.
“Kayla, we’ll call you, OK?” he said.
But not all four-legged actors received such encouragement.
Larry Cahill brought in Sampson, a snow-white Siberian husky with ice blue eyes.
“He’s too pretty for the part,” said Kelly, who sent them away before Sampson could read his lines.
But Cahill said his hopes weren’t dashed.
“I sent some pictures into a talent agency,” he said. “He’s ready.”
Kelly said his demands weren’t extreme.
“Basically, I need an obedient and fairly docile dog,” he said.
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is a comedy about two friends, Valentine and Proteus, who travel to Milan and fall in love with the same woman. Launce is the servant of Proteus and Crab’s owner.
“I think Crab, my dog, be the sourest-natured dog that lives,” Launce says in the play.
Kelly said the dog has to look the part of a hound who plays by his own rules.
“He pees on a lady’s dress off stage,” said Kelly.
OSF spokesman Eddie Wallace said three dogs likely would be selected, with two as backup.
As far as how demanding a role it will be for the dog, Wallace said that’s up to Kelly.
“Tricks are an option,” said Wallace, adding that in addition to 40 performances, there will be rehearsals beginning in April.
In the audition, a submissive golden retriever didn’t make the cut when she ran away from Kelly.
“I was using my big actor voice,” Kelly said.
Wallace said the cast members understand they’re making themselves vulnerable to unpredictable dog behavior.
“The joys of live theater,” he said. “It just adds that element of ’anything can happen,’ and the audience really appreciates that.”
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Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/
The festival on Saturday auditioned canines to play Crab the dog in Shakespeare’s
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” which opens June 8 on the Elizabethan Stage.
Sixteen dogs answered the casting call. OSF actor David Kelly, the sole judge, searched for just the right supporting actor for his character, Launce.
One of the hopefuls was Kayla, a 7-year-old Australian shepherd-border collie mix adopted from the Southern Oregon Humane Society by Deborah Small.
Small said she just had her companion groomed.
“You can’t have a groomed dog,” Kelly jested. “This is Crab, not Lassie, we’re casting here.”
But after Kelly spent time with Kayla running, walking the dog off-leash and playing with toys, her stage presence shone through.
As Small and her companion left the audition, Kelly waved.
“Kayla, we’ll call you, OK?” he said.
But not all four-legged actors received such encouragement.
Larry Cahill brought in Sampson, a snow-white Siberian husky with ice blue eyes.
“He’s too pretty for the part,” said Kelly, who sent them away before Sampson could read his lines.
But Cahill said his hopes weren’t dashed.
“I sent some pictures into a talent agency,” he said. “He’s ready.”
Kelly said his demands weren’t extreme.
“Basically, I need an obedient and fairly docile dog,” he said.
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is a comedy about two friends, Valentine and Proteus, who travel to Milan and fall in love with the same woman. Launce is the servant of Proteus and Crab’s owner.
“I think Crab, my dog, be the sourest-natured dog that lives,” Launce says in the play.
Kelly said the dog has to look the part of a hound who plays by his own rules.
“He pees on a lady’s dress off stage,” said Kelly.
OSF spokesman Eddie Wallace said three dogs likely would be selected, with two as backup.
As far as how demanding a role it will be for the dog, Wallace said that’s up to Kelly.
“Tricks are an option,” said Wallace, adding that in addition to 40 performances, there will be rehearsals beginning in April.
In the audition, a submissive golden retriever didn’t make the cut when she ran away from Kelly.
“I was using my big actor voice,” Kelly said.
Wallace said the cast members understand they’re making themselves vulnerable to unpredictable dog behavior.
“The joys of live theater,” he said. “It just adds that element of ’anything can happen,’ and the audience really appreciates that.”
———
Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/
