Arsht Center: 101 Dalmations The Musical (reviews)

The National Tour of 101 Dalmations: The Musical makes a stop this week at the Arsht Center.

Led by the creative team of Jerry Zaks (La Cage Aux Folles, Smokey Joe’s Café, “Everybody Loves Raymond”), B.T. McNichol (Spamalot, Billy Elliot, Cabaret) and Dennis DeYoung (founding member of the rock group Styx). 101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL will transport audiences to a slightly topsy-turvy, exciting, and altogether fantastic reality that gives grand license for song, dance and spectacle.

Jerry Zaks directs a cast that includes Rachel York, James Ludwig, Sammy Borla, Lydia Clemente, Piper Curda, Madeliene Doherty, Michael Thomas Holmes, Robert Anthony Jones, Erin Maguire, Mike Masters, Catherine Missal, Chuck Ragsdale, Kristine Beth Williams, Chip Abbot, Joel Blum, Jeff Scott Carey, Kristy Cavanaugh, Catia Ojeda, Julie Foldesie, Joseph Dellger, Lakisha Anne Bowen, Garret Hawe, and Kevin C. Loomis.

Bill Hirschman reviewed for the Miami Herald:

...one of the most imaginatively staged and thoroughly entertaining examples of children's theater in recent memory -- and provides chaperones with just enough grown-up chuckles and tugs at the heartstrings that they won't be bored. They might even enjoy it.

The actors all have top-quality voices and winning personalities, notably James Ludwig and Catia Ojeda as the parents of the puppies, and Julie Foldesi as a canine nanny who caresses the signature ballad, One True Love.

But success relies on the padded shoulders and black-and-white fright wigs of whoever plays Cruella De Vil. Here, the show is blessed with Rachel York...Baring her teeth like a pitbull and seemingly towering 20 feet in the air, York's gloriously venal villainess has a laugh that would chill the blood of the Wicked Witch of the West.

With only one score in his credits, DeYoung has written lively, heartfelt and tuneful music that will never challenge Sondheim, but is at least on a par with Disney's Sherman brothers. He's convincingly penned classic production numbers, a swelling anthem, a lullaby, an infectious reggae tune and three belting songs for Cruella.

101 Dalmations: The Musical plays through January 3 at the Arsht Center.