As auditions concluded, the first rehearsal of “Dog Sees God” began on Feb. 15, marking the beginning of an emotionally charged and thought-provoking production directed by Dr. Patrick Santoro. Performances of the drama will be April 3 – 6.
The play, an unauthorized parody of the Peanuts characters in their adolescent years, explores themes of identity, bullying, mental health, and self-acceptance. With its raw and provocative narrative, the first rehearsal set the stage for a powerful performance.
The session began as Santoro provided an overview of the play’s themes and artistic vision. Santoro emphasized the importance of creating a safe space for actors to authentically explore their characters’ struggles.
He encouraged open dialogue and collaboration to ensure that the heavy themes of the play were handled with sensitivity and respect.
Following the director’s introduction, the cast engaged in a table read of the script. This initial read-through allowed actors to familiarize themselves with the dialogue, character dynamics and emotional weight of the narrative.
The reading sparked immediate discussions on character motivations and relationships, with Santoro guiding the cast in unpacking the psychological depth of each role
A key aspect of the rehearsal was the emphasis on character development.
“In a lot of the work that I have done here over the last decade-plus, you know I want to create pieces that are entertaining,” Santoro said. “But, I also want to create pieces that the audience leaves the theater thinking deeply about an issue and what they can do to help solve that issue.”
Santoro prompted the actors to reflect on their characters’ internal conflicts and relationships, encouraging them to draw from personal experiences to enhance authenticity. The ensemble also discussed how the play’s themes relate to contemporary issues, particularly adolescent struggles with identity, bullying, and mental health. ” We just finished the script and I was teary-eyed, it’s definitely funny and impactful, it’s so real and very realistic so if you’re an adult or a teenager going through it you would definitely see yourself somewhere in this play” Myana, a student here at Governors State and a cast member of this play expressing what she felt when she read the script for the first time.
As rehearsals progress, Dog Sees God at Governors State University promises to be a compelling and meaningful production. Under Patrick Santoro’s direction, the cast is poised to bring this poignant and challenging story to life, fostering important conversations on identity, acceptance, and the impact of social pressures. As this is the last play Santoro will be directing here at Governors State University after a wonderful and well-sought-after career he is keen on leaving the audience with one last life-altering play.