Meet Launce and Mystic

Stephen Jangro '11 talks about developing a relationship with his acting partner... Mystic the dog!

Well, there are only two weeks left until the opening of the show, and if it had not kicked into full gear already, it certainly has now. Everyone is starting to have more fun and make bolder decisions with their characters as the need to think about lines fades away. Certainly for myself, this is very true as I am now beginning to discover new habits and inner-workings of my character, Launce, as I explore the character and begin to work with a dog named Mystic, playing Crab. First off Launce, was THE role I wanted to play in this show, and I have been more than fortunate to get it. Learning that I had to work with a real dog on stage was no shock as this was mentioned to me in the casting process, but it wasn’t until I got the character that it sunk in, and the ever-common phrase, “never work with children or animals on stage”, hit me. I was a little worried a first, and may still be, but Mystic has been fantastic to work with so far. We have not yet incorporated her into the full rehearsals yet, but I try to spend at least 15 minutes with her when she is at the theater, and have run my lines with her. She is fantastic, and although we have no clue what she will be like when introduced to a full audience, she has been very calm and more then cooperative on stage. The real question in using her on stage is with the ever-present fact, that she is missing one of her front legs. Initially there was fear that the audience might not find her appropriate to use on stage and that she would look too pitiful. All of us certainly did not want to put her in any discomfort for our own satisfaction in the show. My fears, and I believe everyone else’s, were calmed though, when we first met her. She is a beautiful, old dog, yet has the spirit and energy of a puppy. She is extremely friendly and has no problem with moving about. In fact, she is so strong she pulls me about quite often when I take her outside. Loyalty is not an issue with her, and she listens to commands fairly well. I look forward to working with her in the show as the final product slowly takes shape.