Hi there, my name’s Rascal.  When my Sarah told me I was going to star in a show called “The Wizard of Oz”, I wasn’t keen on the idea.

The last time I was in a show, I won two prizes — “Best Dog Handled by a Child” and “Cutest Eyes”.  I got rosettes.  Sarah was delighted.  Trish (my pack leader) put them on display.  I was not impressed.  You can’t eat rosettes.

 

They persuaded me to go to the new training.  I’m glad I did.  The show pack smell wonderful.  They give me food.  A show with food is all right in my books.  I don’t read books, but my new pack read them all the time, out loud, to each other.

Scarecrow, the Lion and Tin man are fun.  The Lion knows all my sweet spots for scratching.  Tin man can stand as still as a tree.  He’s lucky I’m not a boy dog.  Scarecrow falls a lot.  I was worried when Scarecrow fell.  I was going to bark for someone to help but Sarah patted me and said “It’s OK Rascal, they’re just rehearsing”.

Rehearsing is the humans way of learning tricks.  Two guys called Directors train them like Trish and Sarah train me.  I love training.  I always get treats.  I feel sorry for my friends because they rehearse a lot and never get treats, except for Scarecrow.  He’s smart.  He brings his own.  They clap when they’re happy with their tricks even though there’s not a cat in sight.  When someone claps in our house it means we’re putting the cats out.  I’m good at putting cats out.

 

Sarah says she’s scared of witches but I’m not.  When I met the Good Witch of the South I got so excited, I almost wet myself.  Well to be honest, I didn’t mean to but I tinkled a little.  Don’t judge — you would too,  she’s got an amazing smell.  The Wicked Witch of the West and I are buddies.  We chill on the couch together and she tickles my belly.  I overheard her say she’d like to take me home.  She makes Sarah jump when she does her mad scream.  I want to bark along but I keep quiet because I know that’s not my job.

My job is to be Toto, Dorothy’s dog.  I’m no rookie when it comes to playing Toto.  When I was a pup Sarah dressed up like Dorothy for ‘Enniskillen’s Got Talent’. She sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.  My role was ‘to look cute’.  Been there, done that, got the rosette.

It’s a lot more ‘paws on’ this time.  I’ve got a new Dorothy.  She’s a star.  She carries me around and talks nice to me, just like Sarah.  She has an Auntie Em and an Uncle Henry.  Best of all she has a pocket full of treats and I know they’re all for me.

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The Enniskillen Light Operatic Society Presents “The Wizard of Oz” in the Ardhowen Theatre from 1st December 2016.  It runs for 11 shows.  Phone: 028 66325440 or www.ardhowentheatre.com for more details.