Jun 19, 2015 3 min read

Taco is a lot of dog in a tiny package. When I first saw the 3-pound Yorkshire terrier, he was contentedly cuddled in the arms of his constant companion, Mallory Michaellann.

When Taco saw me and Post-Gazette photographer Robin Rombach, he all but exploded in a paroxysm of joy, wiggling his entire body as he wagged his tail and tried to leap into the arms of two strangers.

The bright-eyed Taco is incredibly cute, brims with charm and charisma, is extremely outgoing, and seems to enjoy being the center of attention. All of those attributes helped him land a role in the Pittsburgh CLO production of “Mary Poppins,” which runs through June 21.

Not bad for a 4½-month-old.

On stage Taco is Willoughby, the pampered pet of the aristocratic Miss Lark, who lives next door to the Banks family and their magical nanny, Mary Poppins.

Willoughby has no lines, of course. It’s a walk-on part, for the most part. Taco makes at least four appearances on stage with Miss Lark, who is played by Ms. Michaellann. In one scene, he runs across the stage without her, while she waits in the wings with his treats.

“Mary Poppins” opened earlier this week and “Taco was incredible, a true delightful little addition to the show that the audience fell in love with immediately,” said Aja Jones, CLO public relations and marketing manager.

Ms. Michaellann, 22, just completed her junior year at the University of Michigan. During spring break, she drove three hours from her home in Dallas to Abilene, Texas, to pick up Taco. They’ve been together pretty much 24/7 ever since.

When spring break ended, Taco accompanied his mistress to Ann Arbor, where he even goes to class with her. In Pittsburgh, they share an Oakland apartment and the Benedum stage, dressing rooms and rehearsal halls.

Ms. Michaellann started dancing lessons when she was 3, then added acting and singing to her resume. Last year, she appeared in Pittsburgh CLO productions of “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Footloose,” “Legally Blonde” and “The Wedding Singer.” Her CLO roles this summer include Dainty June in “Gypsy,” July 10-19.

The Mama Rose character in “Gypsy” has a dog, and Taco is a contender for that part. That show also features a lamb. At CLO they’re animal-friendly, ignoring the old show-biz advice to avoid performing with animals. Their four-legged actors have included a Chihuahua named Chico and a bulldog named Nellie in “Legally Blonde.” The animal actors “always steal the show,” Ms. Jones said.