*Annie* podcast

If anyone out there cares, Bobo's on channel 11 on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 6 pm for his "Backstage to Broadway" chat with the actors who play Annie, Oliver Warbucks, Sandy the dog, and the ensemble member who acts as Lola's (the dog's) handler. Also at kxly.com for several weeks afterwards.
Despite Bobo's jaded cynicism going in (oh, God, another *Annie*), this really is an uplifting show. Marissa O'Donnell as Annie is surprisingly soft-spoken and almost shy for a girl who belts out "Tomorrow" as well as she does.
But then you want to know about the dog. This is the 30th anniversary show, and they've always used mutts -- rescue dogs from the pound, often from the Connecticut Humane Society. Bobo identified Lola on-air as a golden retriever, mostly because he's stupid: She's some kind of Airedale terrier mix. Her dog handler, also an ensemble dancer and singer, had interesting things to say about the visual cues given to the pooch in mid-performance.
John Schuck has given more than 3,000 performances as Oliver Warbucks; he started on 7/3/79.