A Rhode Island-based director’s “first-ever’’ all-pug theatre production of the Shakespeare’s classic “Hamlet’’ is ready to take its next step into prime-time.

Kevin Broccoli, of Providence, set up a Kickstarter campaign early July to fund an idea he had for a new play called Pug-let.

“For years I’ve dreamed of mounting one of Shakespeare’s most glorious works with nature’s most glorious creation: The Pug,’’ he wrote.

The project was intended to be a joke, he told Buzzfeed. But after raising more than $5,000 of his goal with the help of 196 backers, Broccoli said he will follow through.


One backer who pledged at least $1000 will receive 100 tickets to the show, a chance to meet and pet the pups, and a personal spaghetti dinner cooked by Broccoli himself.

Those unable to travel to the Ocean State for this epic production will still be able to see it. The production will also be filmed and available to watch online.

To pull it off “will require finding very talented pugs,’’ Broccoli wrote.

Auditioning pugs need to be able to focus through the play, he wrote. Fortunately though they won’t need to memorize any lines. Human actors will read their lines off stage, while the pugs will run through the motions — with the help of their handlers, Broccoli told Buzzfeed.

Broccoli acknowledged some challenges to his canine collaboration. Keeping the pugs happy , fed, and enthused throughout the production are his top concerns.

But, he wrote, “I love pugs.’’

So that solves it.

And even Shakespeare wrote in his soon-to-be-pug-adapted play: “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.’’