Theatre group raises funds for charity following dog’s stage debut

A Frome musical group has donated over £200 to an animal therapy charity after a real terrier was cast as Toto in a stage production of the Wizard of Oz earlier this year.

Frome Musical Theatre Company partnered with Dogs for Health, an organisation that aims to improve mental wellbeing through the use of therapy dogs. The charity provided a Patterdale Terrier named Wurzel to perform alongside the cast during the May production.

Following the performances, the theatre company organised bucket collections to support the charity. Dogs for Health provides free home, community and therapy visits with more than 40 trained volunteers and assessed dogs.

A spokesperson for Frome Musical Theatre Company said, “We are so grateful for the support we received from Amy at Dogs for Health. During the process of putting the show together little Wurzel was a big hit with the cast members and audiences. Toto is obviously a key character in this iconic musical, and we were thrilled we were able to work with a real dog. Wurzel was so sweet and the lovely team at Dogs for Health were incredible at guiding us through the formalities of using a dog in the production and took such wonderful care of her.”

Charity trustee Amy Wood added, “Through programmes such as Paws at the Door and Pawamedics, Dogs for Health uses animal-assisted therapy to support people of all ages and backgrounds. By combining compassionate volunteers with the unique bond between people and dogs, we create environments where individuals feel calmer, more connected and better able to manage everyday challenges.”

The theatre company is currently rehearsing for its Christmas pantomime, Cinderella, with tickets on sale at the Frome Memorial Theatre.

Pictured: Olivia Wood, Toto’s dog handler CREDIT Dave Merritt Creative