Tonight our cast gathers at a recording studio to create a cast album of the songs from STRAYS, THE MUSICAL. Stay tuned–I’ll post some samples here on the blog as soon as they’re available!

TOMORROW NIGHT is the big day! Saturday at 7:00 pm, please join us for the FREE staged reading of STRAYS, THE MUSICAL! My co-author Frank Steele and I have lined up a stellar cast to present the complete script and 11 original songs (with full orchestration). The actors portray cats and dogs, and that’s enough to get purrs rumbling and tails wagging, dontcha think? (Your kids will love this, too).

A staged reading (with script in hand) allows the playwrights and cast to figure out, with the help of the audience, what works and what needs finagling, so the show can be improved when it’s finally performed. That means YOU can be a part of the process. Besides that, it’s free!

Here’s a taste of one of my favorite songs, in which cats and dogs alternate singing verses that describe NORMAL behaviors that aggravate owners–it’s a jazz number with RAP section about how to fix the problems!

NORMAL

“Gonna match that scratch
Make my mark, mark, mark.
While they snatch to catch me
In the dark, dark, dark.
Can’t stop my paws–
From making claws.
Ba-a-ad kitty!
Tha-a-at’s Me-ee-ow!”

“Gonna start my diggin
Cuz I been figgerin’
How to dig a hole,
Cuz I been tol’
Ya need to do it,
So the bone’ll fit it.
Yea! Dig-gin'” . . .

So…if you were performing as a cat or a dog in the above lyric, how would you show the audience your character? No “ear and tail” costumes allowed…the actor must do the job and channel his/her inner pet :).

For the staged reading, our actors double up on parts with some playing cats in one scene and dogs in another, and even human owners in the final song. But the fully mounted show likely will include a larger cast including a chorus, and is appropriate for any age actor (or audience). We will mount the full show this fall and will hold open auditions for local performers to join the furry throng.

Thank you to Webster Crocker, the Administrative Director of Sherman Community Players and director of the Theatricks program. He’s opened up the calendar to give this original show its debut.

Please join Frank Steele, Amy Shojai, Gil Nelson, Johnny Flowers, Diana and Aaron Adair, and Lacey Wesson (running audio) Saturday evening March 22 at 7:00 pm at the Honey McGee Playhouse, 313 West Mulberry Street, in Sherman, TX.

Please SHARE this post with anyone who loves cats and dogs and theater. Hey, you may want this show to visit YOUR animal shelter fundraising event in the future!

UPDATE: Open auditions will be held to cast the full production this fall, with performance three nights October 23, 24 & 25th at the Honey McGee Playhouse. See you there!

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