The DinnerDogs formed in 1993 by three musicians from Rochester, NY. Tim Clark , Dick leschhorn and Kate Silverman. All three had been performing regionally for some time. Both Tim and Dick had kids and thought they could bring something new and perhaps slightly hipper than what they had been hearing. More importantly, something more reflective than instructive. Drawing on their own experiences as kids and parents, started learning what it took to engage young audiences and the adults who would drive them to the shows. They found their success in the festival circuit. Audiences tended to be transient so they developed methods to engage the restless crowds and create small segments so people could come and go after getting their fill. When the oppurtunity came to play theatres, the show was highly interactive and time flew for the responsive audiences. They learned what it takes to captivate.
What followed was 16 years of touring festivals and family performing arts series. They released two recordings, each receiving a Parents Choice Award. They were cataloged by both Noodle Kidoodle and Zany Brainy before their demise and played most of the northeastern locations supporting their product. Before long they had had the support of a distributor and an agent.
In that same time period the group line up changed to include LuAnn Arena, Daisy Hutchinson, Kate Klebes and Roseanna Capuano. In 2005 the group became a duo with Clark and Leschhorn and continues as such. Each new lead brought new and exciting aspects to the group. Almost all contributed to the song catalog.
Here is a partial list of the venues the DinerDogs have had he Honor to perform. An asterix indicates multiple engagements.
Chatauqua Institue* Tampa bay Performinga Arts Center Jam on the River (Philadelphia)*
Taste of Chicago* Milwaukee Summerfest Bele Cher (Asheville, NC)*
Carolines Comedy Club Clark County Parks (Las Vegas) First Night Boston
ACT 3 Family First Festival Singapore Taste of Dallas Michigan Taste Fest
John Drew Theatre (West Hampton LI) Chase Holiday Festival (Brooklyn NY) Ginger Rogers Theater Medford OR
Along the way they have tried many things, videos TV Ads, agents, managers, different costumes, changes in dialog, props and equipment. The one thing that stays the same is that the audiences all laugh and yell and dance at all the right times and seem pretty happy. That is true in their home town of Rochester and it was true in 2004 when they played in Singapore. That's not nothin'