Joachim Schamberger, director; Yelisey (Eli) Zelman, conductor; members of the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra 

With music by Matthew Recio and a libretto by Royce Vavrek (Dog Days, Proving Up), The Puppy Episode follows three characters’ coming out journeys during a time when media didn’t portray the queer experience. High schooler Gil realizes he has feelings for his best friend Clay. Louise, a married woman, regrets not having explored her queer identity more fully. Phyllis, a widow and grandmother living with dementia, wonders what might have been if she had been more honest with herself. When a popular series airs television’s first coming out story, this new public representation leads each character to soul-searching revelations.