New-York based actor, musician, and photographer David Perlman has let a passion for performing and creative pursuits pave his way to success. Performing on Broadway in Baby It’s You! as well as in the national tour of Schoolhouse Rock Live! and numerous other productions, Perlman’s career has opened up doors to international opportunities and the chance to be part of new work. This fall, Perlman returns to New York City to perform in the charming new musical A Dog Story, now playing at The Loft at the Davenport Theatre.

StageBuddy had the chance to chat with Perlman about the experiences that have defined his career, this heartwarming new musical comedy, and his future career goals.

Where has your career journey taken you so far?

David Perlman: My journey actually started in a bit of an unconventional way – I grew up doing theater, mostly after school, and when it came time to choose a major in college, I decided on TV/film production and also started pursuing photography. After college, I started going to open calls and auditioning and actually booked the national tour of Schoolhouse Rock Live! which was such a great experience. I’ve also focused on building up contacts and exploring the different kinds of work out there.

Describe your current role in the new musical comedy, A Dog Story.

My character is a lawyer and is very driven by his career. At the beginning of the show, he has this realization that he’s not being promoted to partner because he’s not married. His clock is really ticking in terms of finding a wife and getting married, but he’s terrible with women and just gets so nervous! His friend tells him to get a dog because it’s such a chick magnet! (laughs) It’s a cool story where he grows in unexpected ways and it’s really beautiful to see where his journey takes him.

Sounds very relatable! Is there one lesson you’d love audiences to take away with them?

I would advise audiences to take a look at the areas of their lives that they deem most valuable and make sure that true value is being placed on things that bring them the most happiness.

After working all over the world, what do you love most about performing in New York City?

I love performing in NYC because I can stay in my home city and have my life here, with the show being a huge part. The space [at The Loft at the Davenport Theatre] is really cool because it’s so intimate and it’s awesome to have that connection with New York audiences.

Is being part of new work something you’d like to continue to be involved with?

I absolutely love doing new work because it’s amazing to be part of something as it’s growing and as it’s forming and to get to ultimately inform the piece. I definitely love working on new projects – it can be challenging because there’s some risk – but it’s so exciting to work through the show and stay the course as it changes. Ultimately, it’s one of the most satisfying experiences that you can have in your career!

For more on David, visit his website: https://www.david-perlman.com/ and to learn more about A Dog Story, click here: https://www.adogstorythemusical.com/