Dogs Steal the Spotlight at Broadway Palm

WHEN THE WIZARD OF OZ DEBUTED IN AUGUST OF 1939, ONE OF THE UNEXPECTED STARS OF THE FILM KAREN TERRIER NAMED TERRY. SHE WAS ONE OF THE 2 DOGS THAT BROUGHT TOTO TO THE BIG SCREEN IN FORT MYERS, AUDITIONS FOR TOTO TOOK CENTER STAGE AS THE BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATRE PREPARES TO SHOW WIZARD OF OZ. WGCUS ARTS REPORTER TOM HALL JOINED THE PACK TO SEE WHICH DOGS WERE HEADS AND TAILS ABOVE THE REST. >> ON THE LAST DAY OF MAY, 9 SMALL DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS SCAMPER THROUGH THE GLASS DOORS AND BROADWAY, PALM DINNER THEATRE THEY CAME TO AN ADDITION FOR A SPOT AS THE NEXT TOTO IN PRATHER ENTERTAINMENT'S UPCOMING PRODUCTION OF THE WIZARD OF OZ AND STAY TOGETHER IN LOBBY. CASTING DIRECTOR BRIAN ENDS BEING WATCHED AND OBTRUSIVE LEE FROM A HIGH-TOP TABLE NEAR THE EDGE OF THE BALL AND WHO WAS INTENT, OF COURSE, AND SEEING HOW THE TOTAL WANT TO BE SOCIALIZE WITH EACH OTHER AND THE HUMAN TO FOOD. DOES THE CAN ZIGZAG BETWEEN THEIR SNEAKERS THINK AND HAS BEEN ALSO FURTIVELY ASSESSED HOW EACH DOG REACTED TO THE CAMERA AS THE OWNER WAS INTERVIEWED CAFE. IT WAS KOBE WHO SEEM CURIOUS ABOUT THE ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE ALL AROUND HIM. PINK RIBBON BELLA, A YORKIE BASK IN THE ATTENTION BEING LAVISHED ON HER FROM HER PERCH INSIDE A LINED WICKER PICNIC BASKET. MUCH FANCIER THAN THE ONE WHICH DOROTHY CARRIES BREAD IN THE TIN MAN'S WELL, CAN LEAH MURRAY SPENT HER TIME IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA SHOWING OFF HER REPERTOIRE OF TRICKS SUCH A SET UP AND LAYING DOWN IN THE BROADWAY PALM WOULD LOOK PLANK FLOORING. >> AND THE OTHER NIGHT AT MY FRIEND'S HOUSE WHERE WE'RE GOING GET TO WATCH FOR THAT FORM OF PATRIOT. OH, MY GOSH. TURKEY SISTERS, AMY AND LUCY. WE'RE THE YOUNGEST AUDITION OR SEND THEM NEXT. >> THEY RESPONDED WITH EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION TO THE DIN OF NOISE AND COMMOTION THAT ENVELOPED THE ROOM WHILE THREE-YEAR-OLD LUNA ROSE I THE CAMERA AND ONLOOKERS WITH INQUISITIVENESS CAPPING A 6 YEAR-OLD YORKIE PEAK IN THESE CURRENT TERRIER MIX, SCAN THE ROOM WITH HIS BIG BROWN EYES AS MILTON'S SEEMED CONTENT TO LISTEN AS HIS MOM DESCRIBED AS VIDEO AND MAGAZINE CREDITS. AND ARE YOU WITH YOUR DEVICE FANS? YEAH. WITH THE ON-CAMERA INTERVIEWS IN THE CAN, THE PUPS AND THEIR PERSONS AMBLED INTO THE THEATER FOR THE ON-STAGE QUESTION PORTION OF THE AUDITION. WANTS THE TOTAL ASPIRANTS WERE ACCLIMATED TO THE STAGE AND HAS BEEN CALLED EACH IN TURN BECOME CENTER STAGE TO SHOW THEM JUST WHAT THEY COULD DO UNDER THE LIGHTS. THEY ALL DID WELL, EVEN THOUGH ONLY SCOOTER HAS BEEN ON STAGE BEFORE THE AUDITION ENDED WITH EACH OWNER WALKING THEIR DOG ON LEASH ACROSS AN OFF THE STAGE. THAT WAS SOMETHING OF AN ANOMALY BECAUSE IN THE MOVIE TOTAL WAS NEVER ON A LEASH. AFTER ALL FROM DOGS RAN WILD IN 1939, THE SIGHTS TOTAL METAPHORICALLY REPRESENTS DOROTHY'S INTUITION GUIDING HER INTO THE ADVENTURE AND HELPING DOROTHY NEGOTIATE THE THRESHOLD. GUARDIANS THING COUNTER ALONG THE WAY. WE'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE. IN THIS PRODUCTION, TOTAL WILL BE ON A LEASH WHEN SHE ISN'T AND DOROTHY'S ARMS. AND SMITH SAID AT THE END OF THE AUDITION, HE'S LIKELY TO CAST 3 OR 4 TOES SO THAT EACH DOG IS PLENTY OF REST BETWEEN SHOWS. IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER THOSE WHO ARE PUREBRED OR PARKED CAR AND TURNER WILL HAVE AN ADVANTAGE. BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT ALL 9 DOGS WHO TURNED OUT FOR SUNDAY'S AUDITION ARE DESERVING. AND EACH US WILL BRING THEIR OWN PANACHE TO THE ROLE THAT TERRY, THE CAR CARRIER ORIGINATED IN 1939. >> SO, TOM, IT LOOKS LIKE BROADWAY, PALM CASTING IS GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY TOUGH TIME PICKING 2 OR 3 DOGS TO PLAY TOTO. >> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH CHOICE. >> WHY? WHY DO THEY NEED MULTIPLE DOGS FOR THIS ROLE? >> WELL, PERFORMING IN A MUSICAL LIKE THE WIZARD OF OZ IS PRETTY DEMANDING. THE SHOW RUNS WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR 6 AND A HALF WEEKS WITH MATINEES AND EVENING PERFORMANCES. MOST WEDNESDAYS, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS. THAT'S 8, 9 SHOWS WEEK WITH THE SHOW RUNNING 2 AND A HALF HOURS, INCLUDING INTERMISSION. NOW WHILE TOTALS ON STAGE, MOST OF THAT TIME, THEIR OWNER HAS TO BE BACKSTAGE TO WATCH THEIR PET WHENEVER THEY DON'T HAVE A SCENE. SOME PROBABLY PALM FEELS IT'S IMPORTANT TO CAST SEVERAL DOGS SO THAT EACH CANINE HAS PLENTY OF DOWN TIME BETWEEN PERFORMANCES. THERE'S A SECOND REASON, THOUGH, THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE MULTIPLE TOES JUST LIKE THE CAST INCLUDES SEVERAL UNDERSTUDIES AND SWINGS IN CASE AN ACTOR GETS 6 WHO ARE INJURED OR HAS A FAMILY EMERGENCY. THE SAME THING COULD HAPPEN WITH THE CANINE PERFORMER OR THEIR OWNER. SO IT'S JUST PRO TO HAVE ON THE THEATER'S BEHALF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ONE OR MORE BACKUPS FOR TOTO AS WELL. >> THE THEATER CONSPIRACY IS ALSO BRINGING COMEDY THIS SUMMER TO THE OFF BROADWAY THEATER LOCATED AT BROADWAY, PALM. HE SPOKE WITH THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR BILL TAYLOR TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THIS SUMMER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRODUCTION'S HE'LL BE DOING THERE? >> YEAH, I DID TALK WITH BILL YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN HE'S BEEN PRODUCING SHOWS NOW LOCALLY FOR 3 DECADES AND OVER THAT SPAN OF TIME, HE'S REALLY DEVELOPED A KNACK FOR PICKING JUST THE RIGHT SHOW FOR THE THEATER THAT IS GOING TO BE THE SHOWS ARE GOING TO BE IN THE OFF BROADWAY PALM AT BROADWAY, PALM DINNER THEATRE AND THE OFF BROADWAY PALM SAYS JUST 85 PEOPLE, IT'S INTIMATE. IT'S COZY. IT'S IDEAL FOR CHARMING, SMALL CAST COMEDIES AND TAYLOR HAS LINED UP 3 GEMS FOR HIS SUMMER STOCK SHOWS THIS YEAR. HERE IS TO TELL US WHAT THEY ARE. >> 3 INCREDIBLE COMEDIES COMING UP THAT OR BOGO TICKETS, BUY ONE GET ONE FREE. ALMOST MAINE OPENS ON JUNE. THE 12TH THAT COMEDY PLACE FOR 3 WEEKENDS FOLLOWING THAT IN JULY, DANCING LESSONS BY MARK SAINT GERMAIN AND THEN IN AUGUST, ANOTHER COMEDY, WHAT SPRINGS FORTH BY KERRY CREME. >> LOTS OF GREAT PRODUCTIONS THIS SUMMER. YES, THERE ARE. >> AND WILL ACTUALLY BE AT THEIR DRESS REHEARSAL NEXT MONDAY TO THE FILM, ALMOST MAINE. SO TUNE BACK IN NEXT WEEK. OF COURSE, YOU WILL BE. DANIEL, GIVE US ALL THE LATEST ON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. TIME PLEASURE TO