At the Liberty:"Dog Man"

DAYTON — There’s a new breed of hero in town. DreamWorks Animation, creators of the film franchises including Kung Fu Panda, Trolls, and How to Train Your Dragon, have adapted the New York Times bestselling series “Dog Man” by Dav Pilkey. When a police dog and an officer are injured on the job together, a life-saving surgery changes the course of history, and Dog Man is born. Half dog, half man, Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve as long as he isn’t distracted by squirrels. He doggedly pursues his arch-nemesis and the feline supervillain, Petey the Cat. The rivalry between Dog Man and Petey is turned on its head by the arrival of an adorable kitten clone of Petey, Lil Petey. With humor, hijinks, and heart, Dog Man explores the power of love (and kittens) to bring foes, even the most hostile and hairy, together. The cast includes Pete Davidson, Stephen Root, Billy Boyd, Isla Fisher, Ricky Gervais, and Lil Rel Howery. “Dog Man” is rated PG for some action and rude humor, with a runtime of 94min.

The consensus of critics on “Rotten Tomatoes” is that “Dog Man” will delight kids while throwing their parents a bone and gave it a rating of 80%. The audience rates the movie a bit higher at 83%, stating that “it was entertaining the entire time, filled with emotion, and great for kids as well as adults.”

Rehearsals have begun for the annual variety show, “Songs of the Elements,” with performances on March 28 through 30. Tickets will go on sale soon.

The Liberty Theater announced its spring melodrama, “Peril on the Seas,” will be directed by Wolf Harter. It is a dramedy set in the roaring ‘20s about a beautiful heiress, Merry Ann Sweet, who sets out for her first adventure as a young woman. Will she discover fun, friendship, or even romance on her journey?

However, storms are brewing on the HMS Majestic as a kidnapping plot masterminded by the vile and villainous Snively Swine unfolds. Will Willy Ketchum, the dedicated police sergeant, be able to stop Snively’s dastardly plan? Or will the villain succeed in whisking away the hapless heiress?

The theater will hold an Info-Night at the Liberty Theater Annex on Wednesday, February 26, at 6 p.m. Auditions will be held on Friday, March 7, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 8, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 9, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.

The upcoming movie lineup includes “Dog Man, Feb. 21–25, and “Captain America: Brave New World,” Feb. 28–Mar. 4.