What to Know
- "The Great Homecoming" will include a reading, adoptable dogs, prizes, and more
- Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11 at the Montalbán Theater in Hollywood; pet adoptions start at 3 p.m. each day
- $27-$40 per ticket
Spying a shaggy sweetheart on a big stage isn't too rare, not if you adore and frequent musical productions, specifically those shows that boast a canine cameo or two.
Sandy, the sweet scene-stealer in "Annie," comes to mind, and Toto does, too, whenever "The Wizard of Oz" pops up in a theater setting. (It can hardly be a faithful adaptation of the whimsical story without Toto's spunky presence.)
But finding a moving theatrical event that's inspired by pet adoption, with several adoptable dogs right there in the venue?
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Talk about reaching for our hankies before the curtain has barely risen.
Best dab any damp eyes, though, and look to the Montalbán Theater, where "The Great Homecoming" will take place, with oodles of puply pathos in tender tow, on Sept. 10 and 11, 2022.
Dubbed "LA's first musical pet adoption event," the happening will feature daytime dog adoptions and a "live, concert-style reading" of "Pup! A Chew Story" each evening.
"A true friendship is put to the ultimate test" in the tail, er, tale, "... when two companions — a foolhardy, three-legged pitbull and his risk-averse chew toy — embark on a dangerously bizarre quest for fame in Hollywood" is the intriguing premise.
Marcus Terrell Smith wrote the book & lyrics for "Pup! A Chew Story" and Robin Schäfer created the music.
The adoption events will begin well before curtain time on both Saturday and Sunday, with other hound-centered happenings as the day heads into evening, with an Opening Night Mixer on Sept. 10, the presentation of "Pup! A Chew Story," and prize giveaways.
Fifteen percent of the ticket sales will be donated to animal rescues.
Your own pup should stay cozy at home if you intend to watch the show, as dogs will not be permitted in the theater (look for the adoption event to take place around the venue's mezzanine level).
Absolutely leaping and jumping for a ticket? There's no need to bark or make a fuss; they're available for purchase now. Consider it a wonderful way to celebrate National Dog Day, which is Aug. 26.
Eager to connect with a home-needing canine as soon as possible? You can help NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Clear the Shelters this August.
