Theater is Raining Cats and Dogs…Really

Sunny and Casey, the beautiful canines in the current Broadway revival of Annie, have some competition. Theater, on Broadway and abroad, is going to the dogs. And cats. Literally. From cat auditions to dachshunds as political figures, here’s a look at the cuddly companions invading the stage in the coming weeks:

Macaco, a Maltese/Yorkie mix who routinely steals a brief scene in the second act of Broadway’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood (alongside owner/cast member Stephanie J. Block), will be taking the day off on February 13, but his understudy is no slouch. Replacing the lovable and pugnacious five-year-old will be affenpinscher Banana Joe, champion of the recent Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Joe will appear in the role of “Macaco” for one night only. Macaco will “take the evening to catch up on sleep and some long overdue emails,” he ‘said’ in a statement, and will return on Thursday, February 14.

Meanwhile, the upcoming Broadway production of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s is holding a literal cat call, auditioning felines to play the role of Holly Golightly’s beloved kitty, ‘Cat,’ at the Cort Theatre on February 13. Director Sean Mathias (Waiting for Godot) and animal trainer Babette Corelli will be on hand to select the picks of the litter that will have a shot at Broadway stardom.

Finally, in a complete overdose of adorable, 117 dogs are featured in the contemporary performance installation Dachshund UN, running February 28-March 3 at the Enwave Theatre in Toronto, Canada. The free production, which originated in Australia, is a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights – where specially recruited dachshunds play the delegates from across the world. Describing this just wouldn’t do, so here’s a video preview.

Of course, Annie‘s Sunny and Casey are pretty special, too. The terrier mixes were discovered by legendary trainer William Berloni just before their time at shelters were coming to an end – and given new leases (leashes?) on life as Broadway stars. The sun’ll come out tomorrow, dogs.