Story By John Mann
The Whole Backstage Theater in Guntersville will be presenting two shows from their youth department to close out the summer, with the first opening just this Friday.
101 Dalmatians Kids will feature a large cast of young talent with over seventy kids ranging from ages four to eleven and includes all the main characters from the Disney animated film from 1961.
“We have rising kindergarteners as well as rising sixth graders,” Director Savannah Reece said. “We originally had eighty-two audition but a few had to drop out so now we have around seventy-six or so. We have all the characters you know and love and it’s the exact same story just in a quicker, more condensed version.”
Coming in at around thirty minutes 101 Dalmatians Kids tells the story of Dalmatian parents Pongo and Perdita trying to raise their litter of puppies alongside their owners Roger and Anita but falling into conflict with the villainous Cruella de Vil, who wants to steal the dogs to make a fur coat.
Taking on the role of Cruella is Alice Oliver in her first major role, one she says she was very excited to land after appearing in multiple shows at The Whole Backstage.
“It feels amazing,” Oliver said. “I never really had a big role and this is like my sixth or seventh play. I was a pelican narrator last year in Finding Nemo and I thought that was the closest I was going to get but I was on my way to school one morning and the cast list had posted, my sister and I had been waiting forever for it and I said ‘oh my goodness, I got Cruella!’ I was on the verge of tears.”
The show features multiple songs with several making full use of the large cast. The opening number “Dalmatian Conga” is a full ensemble piece that has nearly the whole cast on stage and serves as an introduction to the main players. “Kanine Krunchies” is a smaller set by the four man dalmatian puppies as they sing about a commercial for their favorite snack food and “Cruella de Vil” is a classic from the movie that everyone will recognize as Roger sings about the villain’s frightening personality.
The closing number “Dalmatian Vacation” is another ensemble piece, bringing back the whole cast to the stage as the family saves the stolen puppies and they all become one family.
“We have a lot of kids who are new and it’s great getting to teach them the basics.” Reece said. “I started in a theater program here when I was about their age so it’s been really fun to get to be on the other side of things. All the kids here love to ask questions and be five steps ahead, they’re very eager to learn and always exceed my expectations, and I always knew they would be great.”
To sort of coincide with the show’s message the directors reached out to both the Guntersville Animal Shelter and the Second Chance Rescue in Boaz to help encourage dog adoption in the community. In the lobby before the show there will be photos posted of dogs right here in Marshall county that are looking for a home so that patrons can have a chance to see adoption opportunities nearby.
“I think it’s really important,” Reece said. “The photos will be out there and I’ll say something about it before the show. Both of the shelter’s numbers will be posted so that people can call and say ‘hey, can I come visit this dog’ and maybe it will lead to an adoption. It’s something very near and dear to my heart to bring awareness to dogs that need a home and to get people in the community involved.”
Reese is joined by co-directors Caroline Smith and Talan Gurley, both of whom are in their directorial debut. The show is set to open on Friday and run through July 13. The theater will follow up with Frozen Junior, which will run from July 25-27.
More information about The Whole Backstage, including how to purchase tickets, can be found on their website at wholebackstage.com.