17 Comments

1. Carolyn on July 23, 2017 at 3:38 am

   One word: AMAZING!! I laughed, I cried, I want to see it again. Shea Ketchum and her talented cast captured the heart of the animal welfare world. I highly recommend seeing Shelter Shorts!

   
   
   
2. Amanda Smasal on July 23, 2017 at 5:14 am

   Such an amazing show!!!! The cast was outstanding! A portion of the proceeds benefit local animal shelters in KC, truly heart-warming!

   
   
   
3. Amanda on July 23, 2017 at 5:17 am

   Such an amazing show!!!! The cast was outstanding! A portion of the proceeds benefit local animal shelters in KC, truly heart-warming!

   
   
   
4. Linda H on July 23, 2017 at 4:17 pm

   There were some skits I enjoyed such as “Support Group” and “Pooches Playing Poker”. However, I would warn animals lovers that the skit “Blue Juice” can be very upsetting, particularly if you have recently experienced the loss of a pet. I am not related to this show or it’s participants (I noted the list of sponsors on the show’s program; Wayside Waifs, Adopt Don’t Shop KC, Legacy School of the Art, KC Fringe Festival, US Toy Costume and Magic, Katie Kalahurka, Alex Davila, and Amanda Smasal) but I have supported Wayside Waifs in the past and will continue to do so. I know this will automatically post as a “*Like” but in all fairness I think patrons should be allowed to hear all views and my overall review is guarded.

   
   
   
   • Shea Ketchum on July 24, 2017 at 5:07 pm

     Thank you for your review. I understand that “Blue Juice” would be the most upsetting portion of the show. My intention was to share all facets of shelters (within an hour) and unfortunately that is one of them. Thank you for writing this as a warning to those who may be fragile from a recent loss, in hopes to spare them. I hope you took some positives away from the show as well. Also the list of thanks was just that, thanks for help (from costumes to borrowing a humane education dog). No one listed had any creative say in the production this was an independent creation. Please continue to support local shelters.

     
     
     
     • Maria on July 28, 2017 at 5:48 pm

       Was planning to bring an 8yr old boy who has been begging for a dog. Should I reconsider? Perhaps have him “sit out” that particular part of the show? Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

       
       
       
5. Robin on July 23, 2017 at 9:06 pm

   If you have ever loved an animal, see this show!! This brillant piece runs the gamut of emotions from comedy to pure tragedy, but every moment is heart-felt and an important story to tell. The cast is highly talented and brings to life our favorite furry friends with ease. Do not miss your chance to see this one!

   
   
   
6. Calvin Green on July 24, 2017 at 3:18 am

   I laughed, I cried, I went home and grabbed my dog until she licked herself free. This show thru different pet related scenes and scenarios is a delight. Some scenes of course are stronger than ever but overall a very enjoyable.

   
   
   
7. Cindy on July 24, 2017 at 4:59 am

   Absolutely loved the show! It takes you through the emotional gamut of feelings related to pets and especially what goes on at an animal shelter. Every animal lover will want to see this one! There are some sad truths relayed through several of the skits but it is mostly light hearted.

   
   
   
8. Carol Z. on July 25, 2017 at 3:38 pm

   Enjoyed the show – my favorite skits were the Cat Support Group and Simon’s Theater. Hilarious. But the rest of the skits were more than worthy and ran the gamut of emotions that are reflective of life in shelters. I love that some of the profits benefit shelters and that you can also donate after the show. Good job to everyone involved!

   
   
   
9. JT on July 27, 2017 at 5:25 am

   As an animal lover, this was a must-see on my list. Man did this take me through some emotions. The performance in the “Hyper-allergenic” cat sketch was so good I can’t put it into words. It captured the innocence of youth brilliantly. And yes, Blue Juice is still affecting me a few hours after getting home, reminding me how fresh the wound of putting down our dog a bit more than a year ago still is. The scene was beautifully done, as was the rest of the show. And Sampson is a super sweet pup who does a great job and deserves all the treats.

   
   
   
10. Jen on July 27, 2017 at 11:30 am

    Loved the show! They so captured the joys & frustrations of life with a dog or cat. I laughed mostly but the one reality of shelters (euthanasia) brought me to tears. Great job!

    
    
    
11. Craig Lubow on July 27, 2017 at 4:45 pm

    This was an amazing show. If you love dogs (or cats) and if you have ever volunteered at an animal shelter or for a rescue group, this show is for you. There is a cast of four that plays different characters. In some scenes they play pet owners or shelter workers and in some scenes they play the pets. I think I might do this a bit different. There was one live dog in the show for one scene. I think it might be better to have more pets in the show with background voices speaking as the pets. The story was great and part of the proceeds are being donated to help shelter pets in KC area. Some scenes were very funny and some very sad, especially the euthanasia scene. I could hear a lot of people behind me sobbing during this scene, but it is part of shelter life. Even “no-kill” shelters are forced to euthanize some of the pets because of medical or behavior problems that make it difficult to adopt them. A few scenes involved on dog that was in the shelter for a very long time before being adopted and forced to see all the other dogs being adopted before him. You could definitely empathize with him to the point of shedding a few tears. If you have never volunteered at a shelter or for a rescue group, what are you waiting for??!!!!! Do it now!! Those dogs love and thrive on more human contact. They are scared. If you were ever a foster child think about when you first became a foster child and how scary it was for you. Dogs have those same emotions (cats too). If you ever adopt a shelter pet think about how scared they are and how they need to build trust in you, so be patient!!

    
    
    
12. Craig Lubow on July 27, 2017 at 7:32 pm

    Correction: There were five cast members, not four.

    
    
    
13. Ian and Beverly Jennings on July 28, 2017 at 3:33 am

    We highly recommend this show. There are 5 actors who portray animals and people, and the star of the show is Sampson – an actual dog. It will make you laugh and cry, especially if you are an animal lover. The scene Blue Juice brought tears to my eyes but it was so well done and needed saying – how some animals are euthanized even if they are in a no kill shelter. Be sure to stay after the show and get a “Pawtograph” done by Sampson in exchange for a donation to one of the sponsored animal shelters. Go and see this show!

    
    
    
14. Barb on July 29, 2017 at 2:46 am

    This was a fantastic show! I honestly chose this show just to support the KC Pet Project (I have no affiliation) and thought it would be a collection of silly skits, but this ended up being quite a surprise. Humorous. Emotional. Educational. Very well put together. So glad that I saw this one!!!!

    
    
    
15. Chris on July 29, 2017 at 3:21 am

    If you want to see one of the best shows Fringe has to offer this year, look no further (especially if you are an animal lover). The cast was pitch perfect and the writing was quite clever… much more than just a collection of sketches. There are a lot of laughs, a few tears and lots of interesting things to learn about the lives of shelter animals. Highly recommended. This is clearly a passion project and you can see it was crafted with lots of care by all who were involved in it.