Guthrie's Canine Star Of 'VERONA' Featured In Mpls. St. Paul Magazine

The Guthrie Theater brings Shakespeare's romantic comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona to the stage January 24 – March 29, 2009 in a retro rendition directed by Joe Dowling, as the story is "taped" on the set of a '50s television studio in front of a live audience. It's the same familiar story, an oldie but goodie, where four young lovers hit the road to romance and find their bonds of friendship tested along the way. The director's cut offers a no holds "bard" pop culture explosion of comedy, song and dance, showcasing the triumphs of young love, an adorable sidekick dog named Crab, and everything in between.

The following is Deborah Caulfield Rybak's article, which can be found in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine (February 2009).
 
Face it, even the most illustrious theater stages the occasional dog. At the Guthrie, though, a dog is a good thing. Behind the theater's sleek, architecturally significant façade lies another community altogether. Along with the clicking of heels through the Guthrie's labyrinthine network of offices, you can also hear the patter of paws.

One of the many perks of working at the Guthrie is that well-behaved dogs are welcome too. They're easy to spot once you realize that the periodic small wooden gates at office entrances are not for kids, but for four-legged charges.

The practice dates back to 1991 and Joe Dillon, a dog whose owner was so devoted he took a six-week "puppy leave" when Joe was born. "Joe Dillon was the first dog to break the fur ceiling," says Lou Ambrose, Guthrie information systems director, with a chuckle. She still has Joe's old staff pass, compete with a picture of the mixed breed.

From there, the canine staff expanded over the years to its current size of eight to ten, depending on who feels like coming to work on any given day. "When we moved to the new theater, I was so worried that there would be an edict banning dogs, but that hasn't happened," says Ambrose, who rotates her three dogs – Libby (a mix) and Truly and Mr. Wiggins (retrievers) – through her office space. Other office regulars include Scottie sisters Lucy and Bridey, Wolfgang the chow mix, cattle-dog Angus, retired-racing-greyhound Champ, and Bruno the bulldog.

And they're not just lying around. Not always, anyway. Communications director Melodie Bahan recalls talking with legendary playwright Edward Albee, who was at the Guthrie for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? At one point, Bahan excused herself, explaining that she had to tend to her dog, Jack. Albee regarded her for a moment. "What kind of dog" he demanded. "Australian shepherd," she replied. "Bring the dog here," he ordered. Bahan complied, but confessed, "I think both Jack and I were scared of him."

Dog privileges are also extended to actors-in-residence. Melissa Gilbert brought along her Cavalier King Charles spaniel during her run in Little House on the Prairie, and staffers still laugh about Killer Marie, a tiny-buy-feisty Yorkshire terrier who was tended by sever staffers while her owner was busy onstage.

The Guthrie's fur ceiling has been further shattered by the appearance of a dog onstage in the current production of Shakespeare's romantic comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona, which runs through March 29. The role of Crab, furry sidekick to the servant Launce, is played by Wyatt, a mixed-breed rescue dog. Although a couple of dogs appeared in plays at the old Guthrie, they belonged to the actors involved. Wyatt was tops among the pooches who panted best before director Joe Dowling and his staff at the Guthrie's first-ever dog auditions. "Joe liked the way Wyatt interacted with Jim Lichtscheidl [who plays Launce]," says Bahan. "Plus, he's really calm and laid-back."

And Wyatt's not just working for Milk-Bones. For his efforts (and that of his owner, Cindy Jensen, who has been at all rehearsals and previews,) Wyatt earns $750 per week. After the roar of the crowd has died away, Wyatt's owners plan to use that salary to reward him with every dog's dream: his own fenced yard.

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