MAN: ♫Martha was an average dog♫ ♫She went... and... and...♫ (barking, growls) ♫When she ate some alphabet soup♫ ♫Then what happened was bizarre...♫ On the way to Martha's stomach, the letters lost their way.

They traveled to her brain, and now... ♫She's got a lot to say♫ ♫Now she speaks...♫ How now, brown cow?

♫Martha speaks♫ ♫Yeah, she speaks and speaks and speaks♫ ♫And speaks and speaks...♫ What's a caboose?

When are we eating again?

♫Martha speaks...♫ Hey, Joe, what do you know?

My name's not Joe.

♫She's not always right, but still that Martha speaks...♫ Hi, there.

♫She's got a voice, she's ready to shout♫ ♫Martha will tell you what it's all about♫ ♫Sometimes wrong, but seldom in doubt♫ ♫Martha will tell you what it's all about♫ ♫That dog's unique...♫ Testing, one, two.

♫Hear her speak♫ ♫Martha speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks and...♫ ♫Communicates, enumerates, elucidates, exaggerates♫ ♫Indicates and explicates♫ ♫Bloviates and overstates and...♫ (panting) ♫Hyperventilates.♫ ♫Martha-- to reiterate-- Martha speaks.♫ ♫Okay, okay, listen up, people.

The annual Barkton Animal Rescue variety show fundraiser is only next week.

Ticket sales are not spectacular.

So far this year, we have Arthur Barkley doing his hand shadows again.

I wish we had something really special to get people in the seats.

Something really big.

Ideas?

Anyone?

What about a singing dog?

Uh, anybody?

No, really.

I heard a dog on the radio.

She had that advice show awhile back.

She lives a couple of towns over, in Wagstaff City.

She'd be terrific.

Agnes might be right.

Maybe a talking dog singing a solo could be a big draw.

Wonderful!

You want me to help you with your Animal Rescue variety show fundraiser?

Yes.

We thought maybe you'd like to do a little number.

Well, it doesn't have to be a little number.

I can count pretty high.

101, 102, 103... Oh, no.

When I say "do a little number," I don't mean counting.

A number can also mean a song that someone sings.

That's what we want you to do-- sing a solo number.

I'd love to!

Fantastic!

The concert is this Saturday.

We'll rehearse all that afternoon.

Agnes, a lady from our group, will pick you up at the bus stop outside the Squiggy Piggy Mart at noon.

Okay!

Meantime, I'll be practicing.

♫Me, me, me, oooooh♫ What are you doing?

Vocal exercises.

For my solo on Saturday.

A solo, in case you didn't know, is a song that is sung by one person all by themselves.

That's wonderful!

(singing loudly): ♫Red leather, yellow leather, Red leather, yellow leather♫ ♫Red leather, yellow leather, red!♫ (still singing) (gargling) (warming up with siren method) (Skits howling in pain) MRS. DEMPSON: Knock it off, will you?

MARTHA: Hmm, I wonder what's bothering Mrs. Dempson.

Oh well.

(continues siren method) (Skits howling in pain) (singing scales) (cracks, coughs) Okay, I'm off to rehearsal now.

I'll call you and tell you where the theater is.

Okay, Martha.

You wait here like a good girl.

I'll be right back.

Martha?

It's me, Agnes.

I'm with the Barkton Animal Rescue Group.

I wasn't certain how I'd recognize you, but then I thought, you know, "Just look for the dog at the bus stop!"

And, well, here you are.

(shaky laughter) Yes.

Right.

Why am I yammering on and on?

We should get to rehearsal.

(whimpers) I'm sorry.

The rescue group can't afford a limousine... Oh, goodness!

My hands are shaking.

It's the first time I've met a real celebrity.

All right, off we go.

(singing scales) Huh?

Martha, where are you?

Martha!

Martha!

I'm right here.

No, you're not Martha.

Martha is a white Lab.

She's tall and thin.

You're stubby and round and freckled.

And she doesn't talk.

Oh, man.

First I lose my dog, and then I lose my mind.

Pull yourself together, Jennifer.

Pull yourself together.

Oh!

I'm supposed to sing, aren't I?

♫Hello, I am Martha♫ (coughs) (screams) Now you're singing!

You're talking and you're singing and I still can't find my dog!

Martha?

Yes?

Stop following me, talking doggy.

Then stop calling me.

I'm not calling you; I'm calling my dog.

Martha!

Your dog's name is Martha?

Wow!

What a coincidence!

Well, I'd help you find her, but someone is picking me up at that bus stop, although we've never met... Where did you say you left your Martha?

You don't think... (both): Martha!

Martha, I can't tell you how happy we are to have you singing in our little show.

Now, we thought it might be fun if a few of the members of the fundraising committee formed a little chorus behind you.

And, uh... (sniffing) A bit of a diva, is she?

No, I'm pretty sure she's Labrador.

I'm not talking about the dog breed.

A diva means a famous female singer or a woman who acts like nothing is good enough for her.

Guess which one I mean?

Perhaps you'd like a snack before we rehearse?

Go ahead.

(muttering) You're sure my dog is safe?

Absolutely.

I bet she's with the people from the shelter now.

All you have to do is drive over and get her.

Okay.

So where is this concert taking place?

Uh, I guess I should've asked where this fundraiser was happening.

Oh no, poor Martha!

I know.

Kazuo!

He runs the Wagstaff Animal Shelter.

He'll know if another shelter is doing a fundraiser.

Follow me!

(burps loudly) Looks like our star is ready to rehearse.

All right, places, everyone... What on earth is she doing?

AGNES: Um, she's... Warming up!

Perhaps we could all join her.

Well, come on, everyone.

JENNIFER: I told my Martha to wait outside the grocery store, but the other animal shelter person thought my Martha was their Martha, which is really this Martha, and drove my Martha away, leaving this Martha behind.

We need to find the shelter doing the fundraiser so I can sing my solo and Jennifer can get her dog back.

AGNES: That's it!

Wiggle!

Wiggle!

Up on your feet!

Here we go!

(huffing and puffing) I think we've done enough warming up, don't you, Martha?

Now, we've picked out this lovely little tune for you.

What did I say?

Well, you shouldn't have called it a "tune."

A diva like Martha wants something grand.

Like an aria.

An aria is a song sung in an opera by an opera star.

♫This is an aria!♫ ♫It's so big and dramatic!♫ See?

Now, Martha, maybe you can help us pick out a nice little tune-- aria-- to sing.

Hello.

Are you doing a concert with a singing dog?

(person hangs up) Maybe I should do the talking.

(phone ringing) (someone answers phone) Hello, I'm a talking dog, and... (person hangs up) Or not.

Now this is a lovely one.

It's by Puccini.

(gasps) (sniffing) Well, of course you'd prefer to sing it a cappella.

MR. HEETBOVEN: She isn't going to rehearse at all?

A diva like Martha doesn't need to rehearse.

Plainly, she intends to "save it"for the performance.

Well, our diva won't have to "save it"for long.

The house is about to open.

Well, that's everyone.

Except for the Barkton Shelter.

No one answered the phone there.

Because they're getting ready for the fundraiser.

It will take us about a half-hour to get to Barkton.

Great!

We'll be just in time for the start of the show.

MR. HEETBOVEN: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for coming to our little fundraiser, featuring Martha, the singing dog.

(cars honking) JENNIFER: Oh no, we'll never get there.

MARTHA (shouting): Excuse us!

Musical emergency!

Singing dog coming... (coughs) Looks like... a bunny, right?

Wonderful.

Let's really hear it for Arthur Barkley and his shadowy hands.

(polite applause) And now, the moment you've been waiting for.

All the way from Wagstaff City, the one, the only singing dog in the world: Martha!

But first, how about some more of those hand shadows?

(audience groans) MARTHA: Made it!

I hope we're not too late.

Hello?

Hello?

Oh, of course!

You wouldn't have a concert at a shelter.

(voice cracking): Does it say where it is?

Yes!

Come on Martha, let's go!

(voice cracking): Maybe I shouldn't have yelled so much.

Oh, and... a bird?

Not a bird.

A bat?

A butterfly?

Bring on the dog!

(nervous laughter) (voice cracking): Coming through!

I really should stop yelling.

AUDIENCE: Martha!

Martha!

Martha!

Martha!

(still chanting) AGNES: Here she comes.

Here she comes!

Look, goosebumps.

(loud applause) JENNIFER: Hurry!

Hurry!

Sorry, lady, no dogs allowed.

But this is Martha.

She's supposed to be singing.

Who are you trying to kid?

Singing dog's already inside.

Uh-oh.

Martha will now sing an aria by Puccini.

Ooh, this is going to be good.

You don't understand.

That's my Martha.

She was waiting at the bus stop and someone picked her up thinking my Martha was this Martha, but that Martha was my Martha, and this Martha is the Martha.

Show him, Martha.

Sing for him.

(voice croaking) Oh, I think she's lost her voice.

Nice try, lady.

Carl, it's starting!

I'm going in there.

But you have to stay out here.

But... No buts.

That's the rule.

(confused muttering) Oh, I can't watch.

(howling to "O Mio Babbino Caro") (loud applause) (crying) They like her!

They really like her!

Woo-hoo, Martha!

Yay, Martha!

That's my good girl.

What a good puppy.

(voice cracking): I couldn't have done better.

JENNIFER: Martha?

Does your throat feel better after a bowl of warm water?

(hoarse voice): Yes, thank you.

Hey, great solo Martha.

I can't believe you sang with a piano.

I'm so used to you singing a cappella.

A cappella?

A cappella means you sing without a piano or any other instrument playing along with you.

I sang a solo a cappella in a school choir once.

Would you like to hear it?

(barks) (in a grating voice): ♫Home, home on the range♫ ♫Where the deer and the antelope play♫ (howling in pain) ♫Where seldom is heard a discouraging word♫ ♫And the skies are not cloudy all day.♫ To dig up some more fun words and games, visit pbskids.org or check out your local library for the "Martha Speaks"books.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org