Death Row Rescue Dog Inspires Musical Fairytale, “Rescue Rue”

A rescue canine named Rue now not best modified her adopter’s existence but in addition impressed a full of life musical that celebrates puppy adoption.

About 10 years in the past, animal keep an eye on officials discovered the tiny Chihuahua combine wandering the streets of West Virginia. The extraordinarily underweight stray landed in a high-kill safe haven prior to a volunteer drove her to the nonprofit Badass Animal Rescue in Brooklyn, New York.

She used to be nonetheless drained from the adventure when author, director, manufacturer, and puppet artist Stacey Weingarten—who were “stalking” Rue on Petfinder.com regardless of considering she wasn’t slightly in a position for a canine—attended an adoption tournament and lifted the domestic dog into her fingers.

“She fell asleep in my arms,” Weingarten instructed The Dog People. “I was like, ‘This is it.’”

Weingarten spent a number of days lining up references and submitted an software. After a house talk over with from the nonprofit, Weingarten were given the fairway gentle to undertake Rue.

A Second Act for Rue

Rue appeared utterly calm because the pair rode the subway house.

“I had never had a dog that was all my own—that was 100 percent my responsibility,” stated Weingarten, who’s in her 30s. “She was the first living creature that I had to keep alive and happy. I am not good with plants. For the life of me, I could not keep a succulent alive. So I was nervous about her.”

As it grew to become out, she had not anything to fret about. Badass Animal Rescue gives recommendation and assets for adopters in a Facebook team, and her oldsters shared guidelines as smartly.

Rue tailored smartly after a transition duration. For the primary month, she attempted to drag within doors each time the 2 walked round New York City.

“I can imagine that a shelter of any kind was very important to her a month earlier,” Weingarten stated. “She was trying to pull me into bodegas and townhouses—anything that looked like it had a doorway.”

The Stage Is Set

The good, cuddly little canine “trained” Weingarten to present her treats each time she carried out an lovable trick: sitting on her hind legs, which is just too lovely to withstand.

Without coaching, Rue began leaping into Weingarten’s little shuttle bag—or any bag—satisfied to accompany her new mother on adventures. But her favourite passion proved to be snuggling at the sofa or in mattress.

That’s precisely what the nature Rue needs for in an early scene of the play “Rescue Rue,” a musical impressed via the little canine’s gotcha tale that Weingarten recently directs on the DR2 Theatre thru January 30, 2022.

The scriptwriter referred to as on her “puppet artist” reports with The Jim Henson Co., “Sesame Street,” “Johnny and the Sprites,” “Avenue Q,” “Crank Yankers,” and “The Muppets” to create “Rescue Rue.”

“The reason that I wanted to do a family musical that celebrates dog rescue was that when I got Rue, I could not believe that there was this perfect dog waiting for me that was essentially on doggy death row,” she stated. “And then the more I met people at dog parks or other rescue events or when my brother went to adopt, the fact that they also found these perfect matches was something that, to me, was really inspirational. Because they’re out there.”

The Drama Is Real

In “Rescue Rue,” the nature impressed via Rue is kicked out of her house, and meets pals and enemies at the streets and within the pound till—with lend a hand from her “Fairy Dogmother”—she unearths a loving eternally house.

“As Rue embarks on her journey, she finds at each stage a little bit of what could be a happy ending, or what might not be a happy ending, when she’s in a new situation,” Weingarten shared. “In the very end, she realizes that finally getting to be with her forever mom when she’s adopted is actually way more of a new beginning, because she’s essentially starting a new chapter in her life.”

Though the play is aimed at youngsters and their oldsters, Weingarten doesn’t sugarcoat the truth that canines and cats in shelters can face euthanasia. A candy, misunderstood Pit Bull named Pumpkin is helping illustrate the risk. (Spoiler alert: Don’t fear! Pumpkin will seem within the play’s sequel, “Runaway Rue.”) Weingarten’s philosophy is to by no means communicate right down to youngsters.

They care now not as regards to hanging on a just right display, however they in reality care in regards to the undertaking of animal rescue.

The puppets are designed and constructed via Muppet alum Andy Hayward. As in “Avenue Q,” there’s no try to disguise the puppeteers.

Due to Covid protection precautions, the performers put on mask all over each and every efficiency, however since the focal point is on puppets, it’s much less distracting than in the event that they had been dressed in canine costumes to painting the animals.

Weingarten feels the forged is fantastic.

“Because the mission is so tightly wound into what the show actually is, I think almost every single person that’s on our team has pets,” she stated. “They care not just about putting on a good show, but they actually care about the mission of animal rescue.”

Happy Endings, and Beginnings

Weingarten, who will have fun Rue’s 10th adoptaversary/Gotcha Day on February 11, hopes “Rescue Rue” is helping each youngsters and oldsters believe adopting their subsequent puppy.

“For people to take away that there are forever friends at their local shelters would be fantastic,” she stated. “Dogs are such wonderful creatures, and they’re so full of love. At this point, I cannot imagine not having Rue in my life for the last ten years now. She’s made things so much better. It feels like the least I can do to try and give back for what she’s given me.”

“Rescue Rue” is advisable for every age and runs thru January 30, 2022 on the DR2 Theatre at 103 East 15th Street in New York City. Performers will likely be totally masked all over performances. For additional info, talk over with: RescueRue.com or darylroththeatre.com/productions/rescue-rue/

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