Pit of Hope

It’s bold to tackle our country’s decaying capitalist system through the local community of a dog shelter, and in other storytellers’ hands it could have missed the mark. But Pit of Hope does it so beautifully and wisely that it’s the only way this story could have been told. We’re shown a range of humanity in people and dogs, each drawing empathy by the actors pouring themselves into their carefully written roles and being unafraid to make strong choices guided by well-structured and creative staging; this stands proudly as an example of the best of theater in LA. ... full review

Wow. Vince has created a show about empathy. And love and caring for each other. He uses dogs as metaphors for people, but it’s also about dogs. I love the politics (I worked at every no Kings process and always will continue to until we don’t have to do that shit anymore!) The show made me want to get a dog immediately and bring him to protests until we can get that SOB out of office. ... full review

A couple of quality performances in this timely and relevant show. It’s clear the topics are important to the writer. A quality reminder to treat one another (and the world around us) with kindness. ... full review

Extremely necessary & timely story regarding the bully breeds who are failed by the government, public, & shelter system. My heart hurts for the fur babies who only want love & understanding in their forever homes but instead get their “last walk” to end in “pink juice.” Lowkey I would’ve happily watched a chihuahua eat the ICE agent & staff member’s face. ... full review

"Pit of Hope" was the very first play I've ever watched, and it was a genuinely moving experience. The play beautifully balances heavy, real-world themes with just the right touch of humor. What truly made the show stand out was the acting; every member of the cast delivered a solid, natural performance that kept me completely invested from start to finish. It is a well-crafted, meaningful piece of theatre that I highly recommend.... full review

I had a really great time watching this show, and it was my first play! I felt like the story, the writing, the narratives, the layers of themes and meanings that all intertwined with animal shelters and the parallelism with the political climate was brilliant. The sound editing, the lighting, the acting, everything kept me engaged the entire time. Absolutely incredible! ... full review

The show was great! It was all heart. Empathy for dogs stuck in a system as well as the state of LA and the country being also trapped in systems. Worth it!... full review

As someone who loves pits and hates ICE, this show spoke to my soul. It was a poignant piece about not only dogs in need of homes, but also about prejudice about both dogs and humans. It sheds light on how ICE doesn't just break up the humans in families, but also the pets. It brought me to tears. ... full review

I loved the show. I loved the writing. I loved the acting. Seeing the horrific impact of our immigration policies through the POV of the dogs left behind is brilliant. Michael Klubock ... full review

Loved the show, it was really moving and powerful (but had some laughs too!) if you love dogs or just have a heart in general, you need to go see this play. It does a great job of highlighting how broken the shelter system is but gives hope that it’s not too late for change. ... full review