9 TO 5 Rehearsals at Gateway Playhouse to Feature Seeing Eye Puppies in Training

As Gateway Playhouse of Somers Point launches rehearsals for its next show 9 to 5: The Musical, the theater organization is proud to announce a formal partnership with The Seeing Eye puppy-raising group People & Puppies at Work for Sight (PPAWS), bringing together two nonprofit organizations dedicated to enriching lives through empowerment, education and meaningful human connection.

Spearheaded by Gateway Board President Katie Calvi and Technical Director and PPAWS leader Peter Avagliano, the relationship with Gateway Playhouse will help to socialize the puppies-in-training, an important step in fostering a calm and confident working guide dog.

The collaboration, which began informally three years ago, reflects a shared commitment to making the arts and community engagement more accessible while raising awareness of the life-changing impact that professionally trained guide dogs have for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

PPAWS, based in Atlantic and Cape May counties, is dedicated to raising future guide dogs for The Seeing Eye while educating the public about the invaluable role these animals play in fostering independence, mobility and opportunity. The organization relies on community partnerships and charitable support to continue its work. Since reopening in 2017, Gateway Playhouse has become a cornerstone of South Jersey's arts community, offering affordable year-round productions, concerts, educational programming, and opportunities for performers of all ages. The theater continues to expand its role as a community gathering place where creativity, education and service intersect.

'Our production of 9 to 5: The Musical is the perfect tie-in to announce Gateway Playhouse's partnership with PPAWS because, like the characters in show, these are full-time working dogs. At the Gateway, we believe theater has the power to bring people together, inspire empathy and strengthen our community, so we are always striving to be inclusive, affordable and be a true community hub,' Calvi said. 'Partnering with PPAWS allows us to extend our mission beyond the stage by supporting an organization that changes lives daily. We are exceedingly proud to make this an ongoing collaboration and open our doors to these amazing animals who are being raised and trained to give back.'

The Seeing Eye, based in Morristown, is the oldest and largest guide-dog organization in the world. Puppy raisers volunteer to host a Labrador or Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd puppy in their homes. Responsible for house breaking, teaching basic commands and socializing the puppies, raisers are an invaluable part of The Seeing Eye organization, which covers all veterinary bills, food and medications for the full year. The group is always looking for more volunteers to open their hearts and homes to a furry friend.

'The most important part of training for a working dog is socialization,' Avagliano said. 'Gateway Playhouse is a great place to do this. There are many distractions in a theater—there are rehearsals, sets being built, a live band, furniture moving around, various sound-and-lighting cues going on and off. Exposing these puppies to a show atmosphere is invaluable. They have to be present, quiet and calm throughout because they will need to behave this way when working with their visually impaired person.

'Exposure is paramount to creating a calm and confident guide dog. It's not just about walking dogs down the street. We strive for working dogs to be unobtrusive at any public outing but especially at a theater. I've even taken the dogs to the scene shop and in the truck when we build and move scenery. This overall experience helps round out their training.'

Avagliano has brought his Seeing Eye puppies in training to the Gateway for years, and now invites other guide-dog raisers to do the same, whether for rehearsals or performances.

'Gateway Playhouse's partnership with PPAWS demonstrates how the arts and service organizations can work hand-in-hand to build stronger, more compassionate communities,' Calvi said. 'Together, we hope to raise awareness, celebrate inclusion and inspire others to support our shared missions.'

Seeing Eye puppy-raising clubs are in most New Jersey counties, as well as in Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania. To learn more, go to SeeingEye.org. More information about this important partnership can also be found at GatewayByTheBay.org or Facebook.com. Gateway's production of 9 to 5: The Musical runs from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4; tickets are $25 and available at GatewayByTheBay.org. Gateway is located at 738 Bay Ave., Somers Point.

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