The Little Dog Laughed, but not for long...

Posted in ARTS to Previews to Theatre by Daniel Wolff on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 2:00 pm

The Little Dog Laughed | July 29 – Aug 1; Aug 4 – Aug 7 | Station Theater

All shows at 8p.m.

$8: Wed | $10: Thursday & Sunday, $15 on Friday & Saturday

Premiering this Thursday, July 29 at the Station Theater in Urbana is "The Little Dog Laughed." This play, written by American playwright, Douglas Carter Beane, explores the homosexual relationship between Mitchell, an up-and-coming Hollywood actor, and his lover, Alex. Mitchell's agent, Diane, does everything in her power to discourage the closeted Mitchell from coming out, as she believes it will ruin his career. While the genre of the play is comedy, the themes discussed, including those surrounding the impact of one's sexuality on professional life, are certainly topical and thought provoking. To find out more about the play, I interviewed the director of "Little Dog," Mathew Green.

This play has had an interesting career. Would you mind sharing a brief account of this play's history? When and where did it first premier? Has it ever been performed anywhere notable or recognizable?

The play originally was produced off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre. It opened on January 10, 2006 and closed on February 26, 2006. Transferred to Broadway, and opened on November 13, 2006 at the Cort Theatre, where it ran for 112 performances. It was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and Julie White won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.

Have you ever seen the play performed? If so, what was your experience like?

I've never seen the play before, actually. I had heard of it, and knew the premise, but that was all. I'm a fan of the playwright; I think his comedy As Bees in Honey Drown is as good as Little Dog, but a bit less focused.

I generally try not to direct plays that I've seen before. I'm one of those weird people who read plays for fun, and I enjoy the challenge of basing my concept for the play on nothing more than the script.

Being familiar only with the script, did you feel the need to adhere strictly to Beane's dialogue, stage directions, etc., or did you feel at liberty to put a different spin on the plays content or performance? Why did you choose to approach it the way you did?

I was eager to approach the play exactly as the playwright intended. And that includes the notorious scene in which Mitchell and Alex undress each other and are discovered naked. I have read reports of other companies shying away from the nudity, which is in the script and therefore part of the play. The playwright himself has taken issue with altering or cutting that element of the scene, and I don't blame him. The scene is written very clearly and with serious intent. It's an important moment for both characters, and I can't imagine the play without it.

That scene sounds intriguing and challenging. This pushes me to ask, why did you choose to bring this play to CU? What do you feel you are giving to the audience that is coming to see the performance?

To be honest, I was looking for a solid comedy, and I've always liked Douglas Carter Beane's brand of humor. He writes acidic, witty dialogue and creates memorable characters. It's helpful to start with a recipe like that.

And I'm always encouraged by the risks that the Station is willing to take; risks they couldn't take without a dedicated and engaged audience. We put on plays that other companies couldn't, or wouldn't, and it's because we love to challenge our audience while we're entertaining them.

I'm aware that this play touches on themes surrounding homosexuality, as one of the main characters is an upcoming actor wishing to come out of the closet. By presenting this issue, do you have any intention of making a statement about our community or society in general?

I think the play is very relevant right now, when so much of our "News" coverage is focused on celebrities and Who's Gay, or Who Gained Weight. I like the idea of investigating that cultural phenomenon while also showing that Mitchell, the movie star, is also a guy who meets someone and isn't sure how to deal with his feelings. That's universal, I think. If Mitchell were not a movie star, his dilemma would be just as dramatic, only not as public. Any play, about any topic, works best when it's about two people in a room. Find the commonality, find the humanity, and you find something worth doing.

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The performance dates for The Little Dog Laughed are: Thurs, July 29 through Sun, Aug 1; Wed, Aug 4 through Sat, Aug 7. The show costs $8 on Wed, $10 on Thurs & Sun, $15 on Fri & Sat. The show is being performed at the Station Theater. All shows at 8 p.m.