Three dogs at the pound eagerly await their chances of getting adopted when they hear a new human’s voice coming around the corner. Joel (Craig Scott) doesn’t want a dog, but his ex-girlfriend does, and he’s just about ready to try anything to win her back.
The canine candidates flaunt themselves before Joel, desperately competing for his affection. Even “Big Dog” (Phil Epstein), a textbook curmudgeon, trades his icy gaze for a fresh set of puppy-dog eyes when Joel approaches his side of the fence. Meanwhile, the super spunky “Little Dog” (Kimberley Washington) uses every weapon at her disposal—spazzing out, chasing her tail, one-upping her larger compatriot’s puppy-dog eyes—to win the potential human companion’s attention.
But at the end of the day, all it takes is one dog paw gently clasping Joel’s hand to reach a final verdict. Joel names his new dog Jack (Jarrod Zinn) and thus begins Lompoc Civic Theatre’s production of A Dog’s Life, a heartwarmingly humorous musical about the joys and challenges of dog ownership.
From dog park trips to veterinarian appointments, the play presents both Joel’s and Jack’s perspectives during their various outings. When the vet (also played by Epstein) tells Joel that Jack won’t feel a thing during his neutering procedure, for example, all the poor dog hears is, “You’re gonna die! You’re gonna die!” Jack can never fully understand what Joel or any other human says but starts to learn words based on association—including his all-time favorite: bacon.
“Did you just say what I think you said?/ Don’t you dare tease me with that word,” Jack sings during “Bacon,” a loving ode to his favorite treat. “The sizzle sounds like a symphony/ And it makes me your saliva slave!”
The musical also pokes fun at the differences in time perception between dogs and humans. During the song “Separation Anxiety,” Joel leaves the house for five minutes—which translates into an eternity for Jack.
“What did I do? I gave him everything/ Oh please come back, and bring your Jack a little snack,” Jack sings. “My water bowl can’t hold my tears today!”
While Joel’s and Jack’s adventures are at the forefront of the musical, Big Dog and Little Dog get a side story of their own after a married couple adopts both of them—declaring the pair “inseparable,” much to Big Dog’s dismay (at first). Epstein and Washington play off each other perfectly no matter whose shoes they’re filling during the show. They’re equally hilarious as Jack’s seemingly sadistic veterinarians as they are at playing two overly enthusiastic coffee shop employees. (The name of the coffee shop is StarBark’s, in case you were wondering.)
Zinn and Scott have great chemistry as well, comedically and emotionally, especially as time progresses. Jack is 12 years old by the end of the show, about 84 in dog years. Whether you’re a pet owner or not, the finale, “I Have to Go,” is sure to touch dog, cat, canary, gold fish, and ferret lovers alike.
Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood. Send information to cwiseblood@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jun 6-13, 2019.