Putting on the dog: '101 Dalmatians' a tail-wagging good time

Posted February 17, 2010 10:00 pm

Cruella De Vil did it again: She stole the show. Well, she wasn't the only one stealing scenes. So did 15 live Dalmatians, especially during the final few minutes of "The 101 Dalmatians Musical" when each pooch scampered across the stage (to the "oohs" and "aahs" of the audience at the Cadillac Palace Theatre Wednesday night) to perform a different choreographed trick as the dogs transformed the old De Vil manor into the new Dearly home to accommodate 101 Dalmatians, of course.

If the likable but villainous Cruella (the commanding Sara Gettelfinger) - outfitted in striking outfits, billowy hats, flashy jewelry and her signature stole - always seemed larger than life, that's because she was. Literally. Standing on 14-inch stilts cleverly concealed by Robert Morgan's inventive costumes, all the "humans" in the show towered above the tallest "pooches." Heidi Ettinger's colorful, oversized set design, complete with tall couches for Dalmatians played by humans to jump up on, not to mention the elongated and off-kilter structures like a towering red barn, added to the believability.

This heartwarming musical is based on the 1956 novel "The Hundred and One Dalmatians" by Dodie Smith and bypasses any incarnation done by Disney. Four-time Tony Award-winning director Jerry Zaks lets the story unfold from the dogs' point of view, allowing the pooches to seem downright human. From the moment we're introduced to Dalmatians Pongo (James Ludwig) and Missus (Catia Ojeda) in a dog park in London, and they belt out their first duet, "A Perfect Family," the chemistry between the married, expecting pooches is evident. It made me wonder: Do dogs actually feel as nervous and unsure of themselves as humans do right before they give birth to their first child (or in Pongo and Missus' case, 10)?

At least in this musical we know they do, thanks in part to Styx's Dennis DeYoung's upbeat score and BT McNicholl's book. They collaborated on many of the catchy lyrics that seamlessly tell the story of how Cruella wrecks the seemingly perfect life of Pongo and Missus and their "pets" Charles and Catherine Dearly (Mike Masters and Erin Mosher) when she snatches the Dalmatians' puppies so she can use their pelts for a new line of fur coats.

Cruel and devilish as she is, Cruella's powerful vocals match up nicely with Nanny Cook (standout Erin Maguire) in "Hail to the Chef" during which Cruella's bumbling "henchmen" Jasper (Michael Thomas Holmes) and Jinx (Robert Anthony Jones) almost don't make off with the puppies (played by young actors dressed in Dalmatian-spotted clothing, but with no distinguishable canine characteristics like floppy ears or tails). While seemingly innocent, the dogsnatching scenes somewhat alarmed my 5-year-old daughter.

Pongo and Missus are devastated. So they set out to find their children, even if it means they have to learn how to "Be a Little Bit Braver" from other dogs along their arduous journey. This tune, written by DeYoung, stayed with me for a long time after the curtain closed at the end of the first act. DeYoung's Styx influence is evident in the show's many pop-y hooks and powerful melodies, which were easy to sing and dance to and which the puppy children made the most of during their high-spirited dance numbers.

A minor quibble with the show came in the second act during "Spot-On," when the Gypsy Impresario's mic seemed like it got muffled, such that I couldn't understand most of the lyrics. Also, at times the "humans" felt a little stilted in their movements, especially during the short dance sequence in Cruella's otherwise top-notch "Hot Like Me." But it's hard to hold that against the actors when they're doing an entire show on stilts. Ruff!

Most of the time, though, the stilts - together with other elements of the show's creative staging - give the musical a whimsical feel. Add in uplifting songs and spotted pups and you have the makings of a doggone good time.

Scared and lost, Missus and Pongo's Dalmatian puppies try to figure out how to escape the clutches of Cruella De Vil in "The 101 Dalmatians Musical" now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

"The 101 Dalmatians Musical"

★★★½

Location: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago, (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.org

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Wednesday, Feb. 24; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21; 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 (final show)

Running time: About 2 hours, 10 minutes with an intermission

Tickets: $18-$85

Parking: Nearby pay garages

Rating: For all ages

Article Comments

Article Categories
Entertainment Lifestyle Performing Arts Theater