After a long week of treading the boards, what better way for performers to unwind than with the affection of a furry friend? In BroadwayWorld's Tails of Broadway, photographer Jessica Fallon Gordon is capturing priceless moments between Broadway's brightest stars and their pets.
In this edition, meet ON YOUR FEET star Ana Villafane's adorable pooch, Ollie!
Pet Profile
Pet's name: Ollivander (Usnavi) Villafane. "Ollie" for short.
Origin of name: Named after Mr. Garrick Ollivander- the owner of Ollivander's wand shop in Diagon Alley. Obviously. And our show fans gave him the middle name Usnavi- in honor of Lin's famous "In the Heights" character because I love that show.
Breed: Long-haired, miniature dachshund.
How long have you owned: Just a couple months... since Valentine's Day.
Adoption story: Ollie was a gift. He was adopted from a home in Detroit and then flown to New York on Tuesday February 14, 2017. I got to my apartment after the show and there he was- this perfect little puppy. He was total and complete surprise from an ex-boyfriend. Ex. True story.
Favorite thing to do with your pet: Cuddle. He gets very into it. And he always smells good because I'm obsessed with cleaning him. It's like having a stuffed animal who came to life.
The naughtiest thing your pet has done: My older sister and her husband ordered a new couch, and it arrived on a Friday morning. That afternoon, as Ollie and I were visiting- he inaugurated the new couch by peeing on it. I thought my sister was going to kill me but we cleaned it up and he hasn't relieved himself on furniture since. I avoid reminding her about this at all costs.
What would your pet's catch-phrase be: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
Fun Facts: Ollie has a pet horse named Mike and a girlfriend at the theatre named Deborah. He also really loves pigeons.
Videos