Since classes ended last Friday, Cleveland school has gone to the dogs…
Dalmatians to be precise.
One hundred and one of them to be quite precise as Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS waged its way in for two weeks of rehearsals before an approximately 30-minute public performance in the school auditorium on June 12 at 6:00 p.m.
The production is completely funded by a grant and a small participant fee and will be supported by a free-will entrance donation.
Based on the novel by Dodie Smith, the high-energy, family-friendly musical brings to life one of Disney’s most iconic stories with a talented cast of young Cleveland performers from third to seventh grade.
Pet owners Roger (Theo Starke) and Anita (Addy Hoffman) live happily in London with their housekeeper (Jazzy Lassonde) and beloved Dalmatians, Pongo (Gordo Aguiniga) and Perdita (Kennedy Leonard), who are determined to raise their precious puppies, Lucky (Arya Reinhardt), Patch (Brooklyn Holicky), Penny (Paisley Cooley) and Pepper (Aubree Karels) in peace.
But trouble arrives when Anita’s former classmate, the deliciously villainous Cruella De Vil (Lucy McCabe), sets her sights on the puppies for her next fur coat.
With the help of dogs across London, including boxers (Seth Strobel, Tenley Johnstone and Cash Shaw), Scotties (Harper Bode, Rylie Pribyl and Oliver Grubish), poodles (Dakota Hoheisel, Jordyn Gehrke, Jeremiah Scott), and corgis (Logann Meyer, Stella Nett and Zoey Meissner), helpful cat Sergeant Tibbs (Addy McMonagle), the Dalmatians launch a rescue mission to outwit Cruella and her bumbling henchmen, Horace (Calvin Otto) and Jasper (Oliver Burkland) in a story of courage, cleverness, and canine camaraderie.
Also in the cast are boxer narrator (Reese Roepke); Scottie narrator (Kali Pribyl); poodle narrator (Daphne Page); corgi narrator (Sophia Walser); Dalmatians Freckles (Lyara Reinhardt) and Spotty (Maddie Green); police officer (Jace Stoffel) and dog catcher (Everett Stoffel).
Crew members include Benny Zimmerman and Blayke Holicky.
The play is directed by high school English teacher Madeline Strenke with elementary music director Lacee Johnson directing the music, parent and professional dance instructor Ashley Burkland arranging special choreography, elementary teacher and dance instructor at Dance Express Emily Elverum in charge of costumes and make-up and professional musician and music educator Kevin Johnson in charge of the sound and lighting.
Fall 26 juniors Zander Hoechst, Kayla Hoffmann, Valentina Rohlfing and Harry Fuller are helping with sound, lights, props and set.
The play is produced by Clipper Rising Voices. This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council with funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature from its general fund.
Above: Cruella with pet owners Roger and Anita, their Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita and their housekeeper.
Day one was reading over the script and introducing the musical score…
with tryouts and the cast determined at the end of the three hours.
By day two, the actors were already learning their lines and working on choreography. Here, Madeline Strenke leads a group.
Posing like a dog is part of the choreography.
Dog ears
Dance line
Dance line
Dance line
Dance line
Dance line
Ashley Burkland is directing the choreography for three main numbers.
Interest in the play was high with thirty-three students in the cast and two in the crew.