Rottweiler has role in Stratford production

[Ayoka]

Rottweiler has role in Stratford production

By JEREMY DICKSON
dickson.jeremy@dailygleaner.com
Published Monday June 18th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but don't tell that to Jasmine, a 12-year-old Rottweiler from Fredericton who recently took her first acting gig in Ontario.

Jasmine moved with her owner David Campbell to Stratford, Ont., six years ago. Campbell, a former Theatre New Brunswick staff member, took a job as assistant technical director with the Stratford Festival.

The festival put out a casting call recently for an old dog to play the role of Candy's sheepdog in the festival's version of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.

"Jasmine's older now and quite lame so she fit the part, but, believe it or not, she got the role as an understudy," Campbell said.

A dog named Chokydar, three years older than Jasmine and owned by acclaimed theatre actor Rod Beattie, originally got the part but the dog eventually tired of the role, Campbell said.

"Chokydar was not into playing the role anymore, so Jasmine moved up into the principle position," he said.

The pooch made it through rehearsals and has now performed in front of an audience for six preview shows. She is scheduled for 42 performances.

"The part in the play calls for a dog on the verge of death that actually gets let out and shot," Campbell said. "She does that quite convincingly now."

Despite the Rottweiler breed's reputation as a dangerous animal, Campbell said Jasmine is mellow.

"She's let in to her mat onstage, she lays down, then the actors perform around her," Campbell said.

"Then she's let offstage with the actor that plays her owner."

Campbell said he used to take the dog himself to the theatre, but Jasmine now has her own handler.

Dog handler Jetta Heinen is responsible for Jasmine's arrivals and departures and said the rising star couldn't be sweeter.

"Jasmine is pretty easygoing when I get her, and she's happy to see me because she knows that she's going to the theatre," Heinen said.

"Everybody is so affectionate with her, plus she gets treats," she said.

Campbell said Jasmine loves hanging out in the green room to socialize before each show.

"It's a big social event for her," he said, but it's not all fun and games.

According to Campbell, treats are hurting Jasmine's exit scenes.

"Jasmine has become quite familiar with all the action and she knows that instead of getting shot she actually gets a big treat backstage," he said.

"As soon as the actor who's supposed to shoot her starts talking about shooting her, she jumps up immediately and looks super enthusiastic because she knows her treat is coming.

"We're trying to figure out a way for her to slow it down a bit."

Campbell said he gets paid $25 per show, but he never expected to make money off of his dog.

"I plan to donate the money at the end of the year to the SPCA and a local off-leash dog park," he said.

Even though Campbell gets paid, Jasmine gets all the attention.

"Tourists that have seen the play have already recognized her on the street," he said.