THE PAWS THAT REFRESHES

Four versatile performers give voice to man’s
best friend in David Javerbaum’s canine
comedy where every dog has its say

A.J. Shively

They say every dog has his day, and the dogs in the show called, simply—what else?—The Dog Show are having a field day. To be clear, the production’s protagonist pups are portrayed by performers who happen to be actual human actors. They don’t wear dog costumes or have their faces festooned with fur, whiskers, or painted noses. Instead, they judiciously employ movements, gestures, and facial expressions that suggest their canine counterparts. A little goes a long way. There’s some smart writing and performing herein, in these attempts to put a mostly gentle, impressive “wow” in the bow-wow friends without resorting to actual bow-wowing before the final bows.

At The Triad Theater courtesy of producer Mark F. Kaplan, there are lots of contrasting personalities and attitudes: from cute to cutting, from naughty to haughty, from affectionate to offended, from playful to puzzled. And therein hangs the tail. Do those precious pets feel proud or humiliated being dressed up in special costumes? Is fetching fun or an obligation? We meet a police dog, an aging one, a complaining one, etc., etc.

Jordan Matthew Brown

On a screen behind the four actors, an ever-changing series of close-up still photos of actual dogs of different breeds and sizes pop up to indicate which distinctive-looking, four-footed, bright-eyed character is being presented by each monologue. Some elicit an immediate guffaw or affectionate “Awwwww.” This is not a cartoon where dogs express themselves with growling, barking, yapping, snapping, whining, and nonverbal shenanigans. The conceit of the project is NOT presenting the animals with the actual gift of gab, but giving them lines (mostly as monologues) presenting what they might be thinking and what they’d say IF they could talk—and what we mere humans would learn if we could read their minds. And, oh, these opinionated creatures have a lot on their minds, as imagined by the play’s author, David Javerbaum—comedy writer and dog owner/observer. For other projects, he’s been a terrific lyricist; in fact, one wouldn’t be barking up the wrong tree to opine that a few witty and spiffy songs would spice up the proceedings if some of the speeches were musicalized.

Directed by Richard Israel, the energy can be a little low-key at times, with the actors mostly standing still center stage at music stands, their eyes glancing down at their scripts as they turn pages. This is not the best kind of “being paper-trained.” Not that any of the fun performers have their heads really buried in the convenient crutch too much. They do look up a lot and make eye contact with us, and things can be considered to be looking up in another way in the too-few instances when they do move away from those podium positions. It would be nice if, as the run goes on, more and more will be truly memorized, whereupon the different breeds will breed even heartier responses than noted in the already enthusiastic pre-opening preview. With cast changes throughout the run, this may not be likely.

Gizel Jiménez

Some of the highlights from this quartet are the more creative characters and situations, going beyond the expected sagas of dogs who are devoted, enjoying a car ride and sticking their heads out the window, observing other animals, adoring their owners, and using the couch, bed, and rug as a bathroom. There’s Jordan Matthew Brown as a dog doing a mind-reading act, interacting with the audience; Gizel Jiménez as the famous but resentful Lassie of films and TV of yore; Angela Reed as a pampered, self-satisfied, crown-wearing best-in-show winner; and the resourceful A.J. Shively playing host, “producer” of the event, and resident philosopher offering insight into perspectives on time’s passage from a non-people point of view. (Future shows will have on leash Scott Adsit, Todd Cerveris, Danielle Ferland, Wade McCollum, Julia Murney, Connor Ratliff, and Seth Rudetsky.)

The Dog Show shows a wide range of situations, including a couple of serious moments amid the mostly sweet and sassy observations about the “pet peeves” of owners and pets. Overall, it’s chock-full of chuckles and cheer. As you might guess, owners and fanciers of man’s best friend are the target audience. They’ll recognize the familiar behaviors, the joys of living day in and day out with these companions, and the occasional frustrations that come with the territory. After all, who better to appreciate the endearing personalities and enduring relationships that make life with dogs so rewarding? And if you can’t part with your own Fido or Spot, you might consider contacting the theatre for the few coveted spots of special Pooch Seats provided for real live dogs.

Angela Reed

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photos by Jeremy Daniel

The Dog Show
30 Minutes From Broadway Entertainment
The Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. in New York
75 minutes, no intermission
performance schedule and performers varies
ends on November 29, 2026
for tickets ($49–$99), visit DogShowNYC
Pooch Seats ($129) include a chair for the owner and a pet bed for their dog;
only two pairs available per performance

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