New Jersey teen shares the stage with her service dog
Erin Bischoff is happy to share the spotlight with her service dog, Gage.
The 17-year-old from Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, recently tried out for her high school's production of The Wizard of Oz, and was thrilled when she learned she would be playing the lead. "I was not expecting Dorothy," she told CBS News. "I was expecting more of a Glinda, a more secondary character." Gage is starring alongside her as Toto, with a twist; since he's a golden retriever, Gage won't be able to fit in a basket.
Bischoff has a genetic condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, meaning her bones can break easily. She has had 103 bone fractures and 10 surgeries, and uses a wheelchair. Bischoff says a lot of people focus on her chair, and she's hoping that her performance changes that. "My main thing is I really want them just to see me as anyone else who's on the stage," she said. "And that overall, disability should be embraced." Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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