Dog Sees God: Confessions of A Teenage Blockhead Review by Linda Cowley

A Review of “Dog Sees God,” a ReAct play

Review by Linda Cowley

Regional Actors Community Theatre (ReACT) is breaking new ground in its powerful production of “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead”. This play, written by Bert V. Royal, parodies the characters from the beloved “Peanuts” cartoon. After seeing the play last night, I seriously doubt that Charles Schulz approves.

In “Dog Sees God” we see the characters as teenagers in a somewhat rough and out of control high school setting. Here, they are dealing with drugs, promiscuity, alcohol, bigotry, and fear as they bring havoc to the their lives. Unfortunately, this is reality in many of today’s high schools.

One of the most important functions a director has is choosing a cast. Director Chris Williams has done an outstanding job in casting an outstanding ensemble of actors for this humorous but thought-provoking production.

Edward Dixon portrays C.B. as the same perplexed, soul-searching bungler we are all familiar with, but now in a world where innocence has been replaced and morality is all but gone. Dixon brings passion and a deep sense of longing to this role. We often glimpse the Charlie of old, trusting but naïve, searching for the meaning of life and his place in it.

Andrea Storm, as C.B.’s sister, is a shape-changer trying on new identities, looking for a perfect fit. Storm is rock solid as C.B.’s younger, doting and very challenging sibling.

Sean Anderson plays Van, the philosophy-loving stoner with a heart of gold. He brings joy and a charming playfulness that is quite captivating to his performance.

Stephen Long plays C.B.’s best friend, Matt. He is the villain of the piece, playing with smarmy flair and outrageous abandon.

Colt Smith plays the part of Beethoven in a sympathetic and gutsy style. His performance is honest, open and clearly from the heart. He brings a beautifully crafted, yet tragically wounded, character to life.

Gina Soucek portrays Marcy as brainy, funny and loaded with over-active hormones. Soucek’s whimsical performance is a treat for the audience.

Morgan Hamm plays Tricia, the truly wild woman of he group. Hamm’s experience brings vitality and verve to this interesting role.

Ashley Clark is exceptional in the role of Van’s sister. She creates a humorous multi-layered performance in her role as a remorseless pyromaniac.

Jesse McClelland makes a brief but delightful appearance in a dance cameo.

The technical aspects of the show are outstanding. The set, the lighting and especially the musical underscoring all lend support to this clearly well crafted production. Kudos to all the hardworking technical and backstage workers whose efforts help create theatre magic.

All-in-all, this reviewer found “Dog Sees God” to be an un-nerving, very funny and fascinating evening of theatre. I encourage audiences to bring an open mind and heart to this NC-17 production.

“Dog Sees God” will run Thursday, July 16 through Sunday, July 19. All four evening performances begin at 8 p.m. In addition there is a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. (yes, there are two performances on Sunday). Tickets are $10 at the door, one hour prior to showtime.

Thanks to NOC and Roy Pemberton, Pemberton Chevrolet corporate sponsor for this production.