"I can't do your play because my dog got cast in a film"

One of the actors in Noir just emailed, saying she is withdrawing.

"I can't do your play because my dog just got cast in a film whose shooting schedule conflicts with rehearsals."

I had to laugh. And groan. I could not make stuff like this up. I sent the title to the guy at explodingdog.com, who illustrates sayings.

A few years ago I wrote a short play called Spellbinders. I was naming all the characters after elements of Nature, and was afraid I'd gone too far. "Do you think it's okay to have a guy named River?" I asked the actors. "I knew a boy named Field," said one woman thoughtfully.

Reality is stranger, and more true.