Hi, I’m Everly, your Macaroni KID Junior Reporter! This week, I got to do something super exciting. I interviewed Nick Manna, the actor who plays Dog Man in Dog Man: The Musical. It’s coming to the Folly Theater in Kansas City this weekend, and I am so excited!
I wanted to know everything about what it’s like to be Dog Man on stage. Nick was really nice and super funny. His answers were awesome, and I laughed a lot during the interview!
I asked what the audience doesn’t see backstage. Nick said, “The audience misses a lot. There are just six of us doing the show. Even if you don’t see us on stage, we might be doing something off stage. We do background singing, quick costume changes, and even move parts of the scenery ourselves.” Whoa, that’s a lot to do!
He told me he starts as Officer Knight, then becomes Dog Man, and sometimes plays other characters. “At one point I’m even driving a car,” he said. I thought, wait…he drives a car on stage?! That’s so cool!
I also asked what’s tricky about being Dog Man. Nick said, “The hardest part is the beginning, when Dog Man first transforms. There’s a lot happening. He fights Petey, he fights Flippy. It’s a lot of running, licking, and sniffing. It’s almost like a workout, but in a good way.” Sounds like Dog Man is super busy right from the start!
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Then I asked if the cast does anything together before the show to get pumped up, like a group huddle or something. Nick said they do a little pinkie circle to send positive vibes. “It reminds us not to worry about making mistakes,” he said. “Even if something goes wrong, we just cover it up, and the audience usually doesn’t notice. We’re there for each other, and saying that before the show always really works.” I wasn’t sure grown-ups did things like that before a show, but I guess they need the confidence too!
When I asked who his favorite character is, he said Dog Man, of course, but also Petey the Cat. “Petey’s the evil mastermind, but then he gets a clone and has to raise him as his son. He starts to become a better cat because of it.”
My personal favorite is Little Petey. He’s just so cute and funny! Nick said there are lots of fun moments with Petey in the show. I can’t wait to see them!
I wanted to know Nick’s favorite part of playing Dog Man. “There’s a part in the second act where I’m trying to explain what happened. But Dog Man can only bark, so I have to act it all out with movement and sounds - ‘woof woof woof!’ - to tell the story. It’s a lot of fun.”
He also loves how much kids laugh during the show. “Dog Man is cute, lovable, and a good friend. He might be silly, but he’s always there to help everyone out.”
Nick asked me what my favorite Dog Man book is. I said the first one because it tells how it all started. He said his favorite is A Tale of Two Kitties, where Little Petey first shows up.
Nick said he’s excited to come to Kansas City and hopes to see me at the show. I can’t wait to watch all the funny parts he told me about. In the meantime, check out the fun “Would Dog Man Rather” game I played with Nick during our interview. It’s posted now on the @kcmacaronikid Instagram page!
If you love the Dog Man books, seeing them live on stage is going to be even better. Here’s how to get your tickets:
Dog Man: The Musical
Folly Theater, Kansas City
October 25–26, 2025
Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Sunday at 12 p.m.
Tickets at FollyTheater.org
Based on the best-selling series by Dav Pilkey, Dog Man: The Musical is produced by TheaterWorksUSA, creators of award-winning shows for young audiences.
See you at the theater!
Everly, Macaroni KID Junior Reporter
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