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Most of us are familiar with Gypsy Rose Lee, a 20th-century American striptease artist. She became famous for bringing style and sophistication to burlesque entertainment. What isn’t as well known is that she was an animal lover. She and her family had many companion animals during their lives, ranging from dogs and cats to birds and fish.
The latest revival of Gypsy, a Broadway musical based on Gypsy Rose Lee’s memoirs, features two canine actors alongside its human stars. These rescue dogs on Broadway include Tana June, a three-year-old Yorkshire Terrier who plays the part of family dog Chowsie, and Yorkie mix Indy as her understudy.
“Gypsy is a landmark musical written by Author Laurents with music and lyrics by Jule Styne and Stephan Sondheim,” says Bill Berloni, a renowned animal trainer who adopts rescue dogs and trains them for the entertainment industry – Tana June and Indy included.
“The production is inspired by the real-life story of Gypsy Rose Lee, her sister June Havoc and their dominating mother, Rose, who will do anything to make her young daughters vaudeville stars. In the beginning of the show, we are introduced to the characters and their dog, Chowsie.”
Bill explains that he adopted Tana June and Indy from Homeward Bound Animal Welfare Group in Elkhart, Indiana, specifically for this production.
“The biggest challenge of all is finding the right dogs for the job,” he says. “I look for dogs that would be right for the theater experience: dogs who are friendly, outgoing, food-motivated and can deal with a certain amount of stress.”
“Tana June is a sweet, outgoing girl who did very well with her theatrical debut. Indy is a puppy who was more work than his family asked for, so they gave him up for adoption. Tana June is very patient with her younger partner and they both love all the attention they get at the theater.”
While Tana June and Indy were exactly what Bill wanted for Gypsy, he still needed to desensitize them to theater conditions.
“In this show, the dogs are carried around by four different actors and their understudies,” he says. “We certainly trained for housebreaking and manners [as well].”
Bill uses only positive reinforcement training methods. And when Gypsy ends its run in August, these rescue dogs on Broadway will go to his 90-acre Connecticut farm, where he and his wife, Dorothy, care for many other retired canine actors.
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Animal Wellness is North America’s top natural health and lifestyle magazine for dogs and cats, with a readership of over one million every year. AW features articles by some of the most renowned experts in the pet industry, with topics ranging from diet and health related issues, to articles on training, fitness and emotional well being.
