(Sherman, TX, 10-17-13) – Local playwrights, co-authors Amy Shojai and Frank Steele, have cast STRAYS, THE MUSICAL with five popular local performers. The completed original show will feature a dozen catchy songs, an ensemble cast, and laugh out loud dialogue.
A free preview of the music from STRAYS, THE MUSICAL will be performed locally at Trinity Lutheran Church on October 27 from 7-7:30 pm. The show will also be the featured entertainment on Friday, November 1st in Dallas at the 19th Annual Cat Writers Association Conference.
STRAYS, THE MUSICAL explores furry foibles from the PETS’ point of view. The actors give voice to a variety of cat and dog characters in this hilarious–and often moving–musical review “drama-dy” that seeks to edu-tain audiences about normal pet behavior while honoring the bond we share with them.
Playwrights Amy Shojai and Frank Steele are both passionate pet advocates. STRAYS, THE MUSICAL is written especially with pet lovers in mind. “We hope the completed show will benefit animal welfare organizations in their fund raising efforts, as well as entertain pet lovers,” they say. STRAYS is their fourth co-written show. The duo most recently wrote, directed and produced the critically acclaimed original show KURVES, performed at the Rialto in Denison.
The cast for the STRAYS preview performances include both Steele and Shojai, with Theresa Littlefield and Gil Nelson (both performed in KURVES), and local orchestra teacher SuEllen Davis. Not only talented singer/actors, the cast brings their love and understanding of cats and dogs to their performances.
Cast for the preview/premier performance of songs from STRAYS, THE MUSICAL: L-R: Amy Shojai, Frank Steele, SuEllen Davis, Gil Nelson and Theresa Littlefield
The music includes solos, duets and full company numbers in styles ranging from pop rock to blues, calypso, gospel and Celtic. The 30-minute performance is accompanied by recorded full orchestral arrangements.
“The performance is a preview only, intended to offer a taste of what to expect from the full two-hour show,” say the playwrights. “We’re looking for feedback from the audience after the performance. That helps fine tune the future show.”
Shojai and Steele plan to hold open auditions (all ages, singers and nonsingers alike) for the premier of the full show at a future date. The completed show’s monologues, scenes and music are written to be modular, to allow only the cat portions, only the dog sections, or both to be performed, based on the audience demographic.
See the free preview performance of music from STRAYS, THE MUSICAL on Sunday, October 27, 7:00 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1515 N. Travis Street in Sherman. To learn more about the performance at the Cat Writers Conference in Dallas, refer to http://www.catwriters.com for more information.
Please SHARE with all your pet-loving friends and animal advocacy groups!
Amy this sounds like it’s going to be great and so much fun! I can only imagine how much work must go into pulling this off. You are, without a doubt, the most multi-talented person I have ever seen. God truly did bestow great talents upon you.
Question: will this production by any chance be available on DVD? I’m so praying it will.
Hi Patricia, thanks so much! Right now we don’t have plans for a DVD of this performance–tis a preview of only about 20 minutes of songs. Once the full show is in production, a cast recording is likely. 🙂 I’ll also post some snippets of the performed songs here on the STRAYS page, when they’re available.