 Fitchburg State College presents the
musical ‘The Call of the Wild’, which is the first act of a
full-length production. It
is seen mainly from the point of view of the dogs.
Weedon Scott (Bryan Maddern) is tricked
into parting with his dogs, Buck and Queenie who are transported
by ship to Alaska, where they are sold as part of a Sled-team.
This team is lead by the experienced bully Spitz (Randal
Hennemouth), who thinks nothing of fighting with or biting his
rivals to get his way. Through
the dogs eyes humans are either seen as Gods or fresh meat.
Buck’s story covers his changes in
fortune and the development of his character from quiet
domesticity to his finally answering ‘the call of the wild’.
As each performer moves from being humans
to dogs and back the only distinguishing feature is that of a
collar or choker to signify the dogs.
This is certainly a different slant on
musicals with one or two memorable numbers, that of the sled song
and the cry of the wolf.
The
outstanding performances for me were those of Jesse Tarbell as
Buck, Christina Bontempo as Queenie and Evelyn Garcia as Francois.
I might be worried that some of the others had werewolf in them,
as there reactions as dogs were very canine.
|