STAGE TUBE: Broadway Animal Trainer Bill Berloni Tames Hounds in A CHRISTMAS STORY at Virginia Rep

Broadway dog trainer Bill Berloni isn't just a Tony Honoree - he's also a true animal lover. In the video, learn more about his history training Broadway's most famous dogs, and how he brought Moose and Reba to the Virginia Repertory Theatre stage in A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL!

A Christmas Story, The Musical runs on the Arenstein Stage at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street now through January 1, 2017. Based on the iconic movie, this rollicking new musical respins the beloved story of Ralphie and his search for the perfect Christmas gift. With a book by Joseph Robinette and music and lyrics by acclaimed musical theatre team, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, A Christmas Story, The Musical is becoming a tradition on regional theater stages across the nation.

Virginia Rep's Associate Artistic Director, Chase Kniffen, directs the show. Joining Kniffen are Music Director Ben Miller (The Color Purple and The Producers for Virginia Rep, Urinetown: The Musical and The Rocky Horror Show at VCU) and choreographer, Nicole Oberleitner (La Cage aux Folles at Richmond Triangle Players, 42nd Street at the Dogwood Dell). The design team includes set designer Brian Barker, lighting designer Joe Doran, and costume designer Jeanne Nugent.

Starring as young Ralphie is thirteen-year-old Brandon McKinney. Recent Virginia Rep credits include Gypsy, Goodnight Moon, Mame and Music Man. Virginia Rep welcomes back to the stage radio personality Garet Chester as narrating Jean Shepherd. Duke Lafoon returns to the Arenstein Stage as the Old Man, for the first time since Next to Normal in 2013 in partnership with Cadence Theatre. Andrea Rivette plays Ralphie's Mother.

Virginia Rep welcomes William Berloni and his two bloodhounds, Moose and Reba, who will be making their stage debut as the Bumpus Hounds. Berloni is an acclaimed Broadway animal trainer, and a Tony Honoree for Excellence in Theatre and a Recipient of the Outer Critics Circle Special Achievement Award. Broadway credits include: Annie (original Sandy, 20th, 30th and 35th Anniversary revivals), The Crucible, Living on Love, The Audience, Bullets Over Broadway, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, A Christmas Story, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Legally Blonde, Camelot, Frankenstein, The First, Alice in Wonderland, Oliver!, Anything Goes, Nick and Nora, La Bete, The Wiz, The Wizard of Oz, among many. He is the Animal Director for Because of Winn Dixie, the Musical at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in January 2017. Current National tours include Annie and Finding Neverland. He has worked on hundreds of Off-Broadway, regional productions, tours, movies and television shows. He premiered his new reality series "From Wags to Riches with Bill Berloni" on Discovery Family Channel and trained Nana in "Peter Pan Live" (2014) and Toto in "The Wiz Live" (2015) on NBC. Author of "Broadway Tails." Berloni is the Director of Animal Training and Behavior for the Humane Society of New York.

For tickets and more information, call the Box Office at 804-282-2620 or visit www.virginiarep.org.

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