Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead

By Broadside Correspondent Thomas McCurdy

The Department of Theater and GMU Players will be putting on their first studio show of the year, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, written by Bert V. Royal and directed by Patrick Magill. The show will begin Thursday, Oct. 9 and run through Sunday, Oct. 11 in the Black Box Theater located on the first floor of the Performing Arts Building.

The modern play features characters from the popular comic Peanuts 10 years after the comic ended. The play begins with Charlie Brown writing a letter to his pen pal, talking about how his dog died. It is here when he asks a question that is repeated throughout the entire play: what happens when we die? The play deals with controversial themes such as bullying, homosexuality, afterlife, teen sexuality, drug and alcohol abuse and death. The Peanuts gang has grown-up in this play, drastically changing from the young comic strip kids they once were. The play has a comical take on teenage angst, but also has a deeper and more important meaning. Patrick Magill said he chose to direct this play “because of my personal love of Peanuts, the ensemble cast, the coming of age teenagers finding their true selves story and the hilarious script.”

The cast includes Phillip Dallman as Charlie Brown, Buffy Billone as Sally Brown, Sean Ordway as Van, Rachel Heyd as Van’s sister, Kelly Hennesy as Tricia, Beth Wherry as Marcy, Michael Deveney as Matt and Andrew Hawkins as Beethoven. Throughout the show, the relationships between the characters give hints as to which character in the show portrays the classic comic strip characters. Old childhood crushes turn into teenage romances, unexpected changes of behavior occur between characters and one of them goes crazy enough to set the little redheaded girl’s hair on fire.

“It has been a good, challenging piece that deals with hot topics that exist in real life. It is a challenge to bring these characters people so commonly known into a high school world,” said Dallman.

According to set designer and senior Michael Kellerher, the set pieces for the play are just as good as the familiar storyline.

“The show has a great message and a lot of humor. Being the set designer, I love seeing my ideas being built, and creating the world the play is in,” he said.

The design itself is simple, yet effective, having classic images such as the wall, a baby grand piano and a little red doghouse. Costumes were done by Joanna Berezny, who captures a modern style that still brings out the comic characters in their own distinct ways. Lights and sound were designed by Chris Anderson and Adib Chua, respectively, and include video projections, live and canned sound as well as a technical phenomenon that has never been pulled off in the Black Box before, but you will have to go see the play to witness the surprise.

Limited free tickets are available to all students through the Concert Hall Box Office. Students can also purchase tickets for $3 and non-Mason students can purchase them for $6 either at the box office or the night of the show. With only 80 seats in the black box, and only five showings of the production, tickets are selling fast according to organizers. Dates for the show, including a free preview Oct. 8 to 10 at 8 p.m., Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. According to the cast, you do not want to miss the first show of year; it will be one that you will never forget