Theater Review: 'Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead'

Two-thirds of the way through the first half of , the play explodes into a brush fire of raw yet powerful emotions that makes the viewing experience visceral, real and beyond compare.

Askew Theatre Company’s production, which runs through April 17 at the in the , gives us teen angst at its most depressing and compelling. In so doing, the play leaps from average drama to an original and spontaneous indictment of the current American landscape.

The play concerns teenager CB and his high school friends. When CB’s dog dies of rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. With no answers to be had, he finds solace in a relationship with Beethoven, an artistic young man who is often the target of teen bullying.

As written by Bert V. Royal and directed and produced by Travis Donnelly, Dog Sees God, which was first presented as a reading in 2004 at the Barrow Street Theatre in New York City, is a breathtaking journey into the minds and souls of the Charles Schulz-penned Peanuts cartoon gang as they grow into teenagers. It is a voyage well worth taking.

The main cog in the wheel is Zach Hatch, as CB. Hatch has the confidence and swagger of an actor twice his age. A relaxed ease makes each scene a joy. A quiet intensity marks every syllable.

Chiara Russi (CB’s Sister) is sensitive, multifaceted and riveting. Adam Epelbaum (Van) is convincing as CB’s vulnerable pothead of a friend. Deondray Randolph (Matt) holds nothing back as another of CB’s friends.

Olivia Cristina Delgado (Tricia York) and Samantha Cardona (Marcy) shine as friends who are stumped and worried about their friend CB’s friendship with the unpopular Beethoven.

Mary Neely (Van’s Sister) is a revelation and gift who helps us see her brother in a more objective light.

But it is Jesse Reyes (Beethoven) who steals the play. In a courageous and bold performance, he imbues his character with strength, subtlety, intelligence and true honesty. Reyes’ Beethoven is at times emotionally frail, but never weak. The 20-year-old Reyes displays a maturity rare for an actor of his age.

In the end, Dog Sees God proves that age is of little consequence in theater, art or life as it makes an indelible stamp on Los Angeles’ theater map. 

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead at the Avery Schreiber Theatre, at 11050 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets: $15.  323-960-7745. 

For a full listing of all the plays currently showing in the NoHo Arts District and surrounding area, check out the