“Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” a play written by Bert V. Royal, is being put on by Major Arcana, the student run theatre company here at Le Moyne College. It is set to run this weekend, Friday Nov. 8 and Saturday Nov. 9. There will also be a student preview tonight, Thursday Nov. 7.
The play had its world premiere in 2004 during the New York International Fringe Festival. It was put on at the SoHo Playhouse in New York City.
At the festival, it won the Excellence Award for best overall production. It has also won a Theatermania award for play of the year in 2004 and a GLAAD Media Award.
“Dog Sees God” is a parody based on the “Peanuts” comic strip. It tells the story of the popular characters as we have never seen them before: teenagers. Throughout the show, these teens will face a number of serious issues, including drug use, bullying, sexual identity and many others.
The story follows CB [Charlie Brown], as he fights his way through his teenage years, the loss of a dog, bullying and love. It begins after his dog has been put down after contracting rabies. From there, he goes back to school and we see just how much the memorable characters have changed over the years. Beethoven [Schroeder] has become a social outcast and has revealed an abusive past. Matt [Pig-Pen] became germophobic, homophobic, sex-obsessed and a bully.
The show has seen its fair share of celebrities. In a 2005 staged reading of the play at the Westside Theatre in New York City, stars such as Michelle Trachtenberg, as seen in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and Anna Paquin, from “True Blood” and “X-Men,” were among the cast. Two of their cast mates also have familiar names: Alison Pill and Mark Webber, both seen in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.”
In the Off-Broadway premiere at the Century Center for the Performing Arts, also in New York City, more celebrities joined the cast. America Ferrera, from “Ugly Betty” and “ The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” played CB’s Sister. Ian Somerhalder, as seen in “Lost” and “The Vampire Diaries,” was Matt and Eliza Dushku, an actress from “Buffy,” also joined the cast.
So if you are like me, you can go see the show and imagine how some of your favorite actors, or at least familiar actors, might have played their roles. However, take two, they are free. Go see the show again to further appreciate the actors that we have here at Le Moyne.
Tickets are free, and given out on a first come, first serve basis. Plan ahead and come early to be sure to get a seat.
