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Bark Park: life from both sides of the lead
A Comedy / Drama in Two Parts
By Jim Dalglish
Bark Park is a collection of two one-act plays. Both are set in a dog run in New York's Central Park. The first play is called "Mia" and it concerns an ambitious young woman who is new to the City and issues she is having with her rambunctious border collie puppy. Is Mia having problems with her puppy or is it the other way around? "Truman" follows the exploits of two dog park denizens as they try to come to terms with their true natures. Sure, fetch can be fun and nothing beats having your food served to you on a tray. But what wild new world awaits on the other side of the dog run fence?
Anna Botsford as Mia
Reviews
"Jim Dalglish’s wonderful two-act play explored the complex relationship between people and their dogs from both the human and canine perspectives." Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll, Our Favorite Theater of the Year, Cape Cod Times
"That Dalglish can touch on such universal themes is a testament to his talent. “Bark Park” is an entertaining, insightful, and deeply moving theatrical experience." - Paul Babin, s: Dogs, Owners Speak their Minds in Bark Park, Cape Cod Times
"The play is poignant and touching and holds together as an endearing piece." - John Watters, Bark Park is a Doggone Good Play, Barnstable Patriot.
Characters
Mia – Beautiful, ambitious woman in her late twenties, early thirties. She has come to New York on a mission.
Mike – The “Mayor” of the dog run near Strawberry Fields in Central Park. A man who has lived in New York for 20 years. Though quite gregarious with strangers, he keeps his personal problems to himself.
Truman – Played by a tall, well-built actor with a quiet, watchful demeanor and deep soulful eyes. Stoic.
Jimmy – Smaller and thinner than Truman. An actor who is sharp, quick and tenacious, yet has a sense of humor.
Anna Botsford as Mia; Elliot Sicard as Mike
Setting
Place - A dog run in Central Park. Not too far from “Strawberry Fields.” Other Locales: The northern section of the park - in the “Loch” and “North Woods” areas. The east bank of the Hudson River along the railroad tracks 90 miles north of New York City. Deep in the Berkshire Mountains.
Time - Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall of this year.
Scenic Design
No Set. An open stage with subtle lighting cues will suffice.
Elliot Sicard as Jimmy; Tony Travostino as Truman
Length
80 mins.
Type
Comedy / Drama
Themes
Freedom vs. Responsibility; the strange relationship between humans and their “pets.”
Acting Class Scenes
Both plays in their entirety.
Brian Sheppard as Jimmy; Ian Ryan as Truman
Script Completed
Truman: December 2011
Mia: Spring 2014
Production History
Cotuit Center for the Arts
Bark Park: August 2014
Mia – Anna Botsford; Mike/Jimmy – Elliot Sicard; Truman – Tony Travostino; Director – Jim Dalglish
Provincetown Theater (Spring Playwright’s Festival)
Truman: May, 2012
Truman – Ian Ryan; Jimmy – Brian Sheppard; Director – Susan Grill
Playwright Notes
This play is dedicated to Carl Pritzkat and Tony Travostino - two of the best friends anyone could ever have. (And to Truman, of course!)
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