Amidst the current face off between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden is a fresh take on the long-standing tensions between the world powers in the new original comedy musical “Space Dogs” at the MCC Theater in Hell’s Kitchen. During their two-man mission, Composers Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire steer the audience on a voyage through the lesser-known history of the 1950’s Space Race to tell the story of the heroic Soviet underdogs (pun intended) who jointly made human space exploration possible.
At the center of this story is the unlikely bond between the eponymous chief designer of the Soviet space program and Laika, a Moscow mongrel captured by the Soviet cosmodrome for the purpose of space exploration. The new stage production explores the tragedy of a Soviet man’s dream to reach the stars, as it comes at the expense of sacrificing his faithful companion. Both man and dog are martyrs to political developments and the portrayal of their inevitable separation is heart-wrenching.
Catchy rock, country, rap and pop songs punctuate the action and capture the absurdity, hilarity and sadness of the true story which spans the Earth’s atmosphere in the 1950s. Highlights include trippy trance track “Werner Von Braun” named after the Nazi German aerospace engineer and “A Russian Canine Beauty Pageant,” which farcically presents the hunt for the most photogenic mongrel in the style of a 1950s Miss America pageant.
The dynamic direction of Ellie Heyman maintains the show’s pacey rhythm and lightning speed transitions are made possible by Wilson Chin’s strategic staging and Amanda Villalobos’ ingenious (and adorable) puppets and props. Choreographer Darrell Grand Moultrie challenges Hughes and Blaemire with difficult routines, requiring impressive athleticism as they switch between characters, costumes and instruments quicker than you can sing the refrain of “Space Dogs of the Cosmodrome.”
The captivating retelling reminds us of the humble beginnings of space travel for which we have man’s best friend to thank. The show proves that, once and for all, we do not deserve dogs.
Space Dogs runs through March 20 at the MCC Theater, 511 W 52nd St.
Rush tickets are available for purchase at 9 a.m. daily on the TodayTix website or app for $25 plus $7 fees. Students can also buy $25 rush tickets at the MCC Theater two hours before showtime on the presentation of a student card (no fees, subject to availability).
For a flavor of the show, check out the original score on Spotify.
Correction: “Space Dogs” runs through March 20. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the show runs until March 13.