101 Dalmations Question?

[LindyLee]

Posted: 9/28/09 at 7:42pm

Hi! A few weeks ago I was listening to the ahhmazing Seth show on Sirius. I tuned in late and heard an actor talking about (I thought) being cast as maybe Pongo in the upcoming 101 Dalmations? I could be wrong, but thought that's what he was saying. He said he'd been in Spamalot and Little Shop of Horrors. Then, the actor sang the I Wish I Was in College song from Avenue Q live for the audience. I've been searching all over to find out who the actor is, and can't find it anywhere. Am I crazy, or did anyone else hear the same thing? Thanks! Lindy

[tumadre2]

Posted: 9/28/09 at 9:02pm

Didn't listen to the show, but I'm willing to bet that it's James Ludwig, who is fantastic. He's been in both Spamalot, and Little Shop.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/29/09 at 2:02am

I thought this show was using real dogs, with the humans doing the singing?

I love the movie (and love the book even more) but I really don't know how they're going to approach this successfully...I believe that any good story can be a good musical, but I'm not getting a good vibe here.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/29/09 at 2:06am

Dalmatians.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 9/29/09 at 2:21am

There's a whole channel on YouTube about the musical. It actually looks and sounds pretty cool to me. The humans are all on stilts (!) to make them look bigger than life, and people and kids play the dogs. But they're also using real dalmatians for a couple of big scenes. Looks like fun. And the real doggies are sooooo cute!

Edit: But still no full cast list. Strange.
101 Dalmatians Musical Updated On: 9/29/09 at 02:21 AM

[scott68]

Posted: 9/29/09 at 2:50am

If you'd heard any of the music, you'd know what to think of this show.

[LindyLee]

Posted: 9/29/09 at 7:37am

Thanks Tumadre! I'll keep an eye out for James Ludwig. I've seen the Dalmatians website, Lovesclassics, and I was surprised too that there's not a cast list yet. The adults on stilts idea looks interesting though!

Lindy

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 11:47am

Yep, it's James Ludwig as Pongo. Cast finally announced.
Cast List

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 12:08pm

Jerry cast his daughter Emma again.

...shocking.

[2blocksfrombway]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 1:17pm

Yeah, I heard some of the music and it is dreadful!!!!

[JKlock]

Posted: 9/30/09 at 5:34pm

can't wait to hear about the stilt injuries in this show...

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 10/7/09 at 4:32pm

this is a nice article... about the dogs they are using in the show
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091007/ap_en_ot/us_fea_pets101_dalmatians

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 10/7/09 at 4:41pm

I'm intrigued by some of the designs of the animals. It sort of looks like DOGS, the Musical. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber's cat.

[jessica0414]

Posted: 10/7/09 at 7:44pm

"I'm intrigued by some of the designs of the animals. It sort of looks like DOGS, the Musical. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber's cat."

^ LOL!

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 10/7/09 at 11:55pm

The more I see about this show, the more excited I get. It really looks like fun! And I am intrigued by the whole "dogs perspective" concept with the dogs being more "human" than the grotesque oversized humans. If they pull it off it could be quite magical. I can totally picture a 7' Cruella all decked out in fur!

And from what I can tell by watching the videos on the show website, I like the music. It sounds totally appropriate for a family show. Hardly "dreadful" to my ear. I'm really curious what music people have heard. Early workshops, maybe? There's nothing I can find on the web other than the publicity videos.


Dalmatians Web Site

[lakezurich]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 12:04am

Why in the world would they use adults, kids, and real dogs to play the dalmatians? Couldn't they just pick one or the other?

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 12:33am

I can see why they'd use both adults and children as the Dalmatians. The adults for the adult dogs and the children for the puppies.

What I've read about the real dogs suggests that they are only used twice, at the end of Act I and for the finale. I can only guess, but I'd say the real dogs will probably be used only when there are no humans around. Perhaps as a way of letting us enter the dogs' world? Supposedly the finale is just the real dogs doing things like moving furniture and mowing the lawn. Sort of a return to normal life once the threat of Cruella is gone. I'm guessing even the set will change for the finale to something undistorted.

It sounds like they are being very true to the spirit of the book. The "real" world belongs to the dogs and the humans are the strange creatures.

[SoMuchBetter44]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 3:01pm

I heard a couple of numbers from this show at the Taste of Chicago Broadway Concert over the summer, and it was...interesting, to say the least. Even the children in the audience seemed to think it was too cheesy to be believable. I have to say, though, that the actress playing Cruella DeVille did a great job with the material she was given. I saw her in Xanadu in Chicago as well and am now completely blanking on her name...

[lakezurich]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 5:56pm

Wait... did they get Elizabeth Stanley to play Cruella in the concert? Because last I heard Rachel York was set to take on the role, and Rachel York was definitely not in the Chicago run of Xanadu. Maybe Rachel just wasn't available for the concert?

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 6:13pm

Rachel York is definitely playing Cruella. Her casting was only announced about a month ago, though. So perhaps a Chicago-based actress did the concert during the summer?

[lakezurich]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 10:52pm

It is possible.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 11:17pm

Look what I found on YT! Broadway in Chicago preview. SoMuchBetter44, is this what you saw?

The actress singing Cruella's song is announced as Joanna Glushak (sp?).


Broadway in Chicago preview

[lakezurich]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 11:32pm

Ah, yes, Joanna. She was in fact in Xanadu, and was absolutely hilarious!

[georgiede]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 3:24am

Pick up tomorrow's issue of People (Elizabeth Smart cover) for a pic of Rachel as Cruella and some of the pups starring in the show.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 1:32pm

There is a new show logo on Broadway in Chicago's website. Rachel's name is right on the logo.