Come June, we will be quite happy to ease on down, ease on down the road with the starry cast of The Wiz, which will be the City Center Encores! Summer Stars production. The to-die-for cast includes Ashanti, Orlando Jones and the divine LaChanze. But we’re also kinda excited to see the professional stage debut of one rising star, the mononamed Nigel. The brindle-hair cairn terrier will play Toto.
According to press materials:

Nigel had a hard-knock life before finding salvation and stardom in the theatrical world. He was born in Arkansas about 20 months ago. Life was not easy for the 15-pound pup, who was abandoned on the street before finding haven with the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society.

In a modern-day version of the famous legend of Lana Turner, who was discovered by a talent scout at a Schwab’s Drugstore, Nigel was found on the Humane Society’s website by Bill Berloni, theatrical animal trainer and director of animal behavior for the Humane Society of New York, who was looking for just the right dog to play Toto. “Nigel’s headshot called out to me,” says Berloni. “After 30 years of rescuing dogs for Broadway shows which began with Sandy (who shot to stardom in the original production of Annie), I know talent when I see it. After speaking to the shelter about his personality I knew he had star potential. I predict a great future for him. He is as smart as Sandy with the right amount of Bruiser [from Legally Blonde].”

Nigel is currently making his out-of-town stage debut in Pittsburgh, where he is playing Toto in the Woodlands High School production of The Wizard of Oz, so he will come to New York with some familiarity with the role.