Hawken grad Molly Shannon in `poignant` breakout role

Molly Shannon `83 is winning wide praise for a her new film \"Year of the Dog.\" The quirky dramedy, from the writer of \"School of Rock,\" stars Shannon as Peggy, an unremarkable single woman, who has as her closest companion a little beagle named Pencil. When Pencil meets an untimely end, Peggy`s world is turned upside down, and she embarks on an obsessive quest to fill the void left by her furry compatriot. Also starring Laura Dern, Regina King and Peter Sarsgaard, \"Year of the Dog,\" has been called one of the year`s best movies. And Christy Lemuire of the Associated Press said, \"...Shannon`s performance is delicate, poignant and an unexpected display of dramatic mastery.\" The film, a Sundance Film Festival selection, is in theaters now.