Carlee WrightPentacle Theatre presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on stage Aug 11 to Sept 2
When a book strikes you the way The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time impacted director Debbie Neel, then you learn it has been adapted into a play, you do what you need to do to bring that play to life on stage.
“I read the book shortly after it came out…” Debbie said. “It is really an amazing story about a young man who perceives the world differently and those around him don’t always understand…I find this story captivating. It’s rich. It’s inspirational. It’s funny. It’s moving. It’s about so many things. I was really excited when I found out it had been written as a play.”
Photo by Vicki Woods
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time relays the story of Christopher Boone, who when he finds himself under suspicion for the death of his neighbor’s dog, sets out to solve the mystery and begins to unravel the story of his own life.
“They never label Christopher’s behaviors. He is neurodivergent. He perceives the world differently than most of us do. I am really trying to draw the audience into this world as he perceives it…”
More than just a mystery, there are many layers to the show, said Debbie. “It’s a detective story in a lot of ways, but also a drama and humorous, too. Solving one mystery leads to another.”
Enjoying the tale was Debbie’s first level of interest in directing this play. The second was the challenging opportunity for an out-of-the-box style production.
“This is the most challenging – most complex – production I have ever directed.”
Photo by Vicki Woods
Fortunately, Debbie is well-supported to meet the challenge by her cast and creative team, which is one of her favorite parts of the show.
“I have a wonderful cast…and the whole creative team I am working with, not just the actors but everyone from my Assistant Director to my projection and sound designer to my stage managers…”
And then comes setting the stage…
“At first glance, the set and costumes seem simple but as with everything else in this play, there are layers…I don’t want to give too much away but there are six people playing multiple characters and they are on stage the majority of the time during the show. They are individual characters but also a very key ensemble that tells the story.”
And the technical side…
“This show will rely heavily on technical aspects, more so than most shows—projections, lights, sounds—that will support going from one scene to another. It really needs to flow because it’s not a scene break. That is a challenge.”
The whole show is about challenges, said Debbie, not just the challenges of bringing the production to life, but also in the story itself.
“It’s about the challenge of telling the truth and hearing the truth…the challenge of being brave enough to test your limits and go beyond what you think you can do or what others think you can do. It’s also a story about family and love. It’s a rich story with so many aspects.”
Photo by Vicki Woods
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is written by Simon Stephens and based on the novel by Mark Haddon. It features —
- Christopher Schoaps as Christopher Boone
- Victoria Venard as Siobhan
- Robert Henry as Ed Boone
- Penny Bays as Judy Boone
- Teresa Waite as Voice One, Mrs. Shears and others
- Wade Moran as Voice Two, Roger and Others
- Joe Martin as Voice Three, Rev. Peters and Others
- James Schmidt as Voice Four, Duty Sergeant and Others
- Kat Baird as Voice Five, Punk Girl and Others
- Pamela Bilderbeck as Voice Six, Mrs. Alexander and Others
Catch it on stage this summer and experience the magic of live theater.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
When: 7:30 p.m. Aug 11-12, 17-19, 24-26, 31 and Sept 1-2 and 2 p.m. Aug 13, 20 and 27
Where: Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave NW
Cost: $17 to $37. Purchase tickets at tickets.pentacletheatre.org
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 17 (Summer 2023)
The Instigator
