STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
We all know that Cruella De Vil would never make it in the Wood River Valley.
She’d be booted out faster than a Perseid meteor shower can rain down on earth, her floor-length dog skin fur dragging bits of sagebrush—and doggie deposit bags—with her, if she were ever to step foot in our doggie heaven.
Knowing that, Greta Doughty took on the role of Disney’s most outrageous villain, anyway. And she’s parading out her best sneers today and Friday as St. Thomas Playhouse’s Company B presents the musical version of “101 Dalmatians.”
“It’s an awesome role,” said Doughty. “I get to scream at everybody. I pretend they’re my little brothers.”
The stage at Community School Theatre will come to live with Dalmatians with spots, Chihuahuas in Mexican sombreros, poodles in poodle skirts, German shepherds in army uniforms and Scottish terriers in plaid sashes as St. Thomas Playhouse’s Company B summer camp presents the beloved children’s musical.
There’s only 80 children ages 4 through 13 to play the role of 101 Dalmatians. But still, It’s a fur-tastic romp across the stage.
The show features Doughty as Cruella De Vil, who stumbles across a littler of Dalmatian puppies while visiting her friends, played by Victor Albright, Coco Vorm and Maeve O’Connell.
“I haven’t seen anything quite like this,” she says, as a new fur coat manifests itself in her imagination.
She’s willing to open her checkbook to buy the litter. But her friends aren’t selling.
When she can’t buy them, she decides to dognap them with the help of two henchmen played by Charles Coulter and Charlie Blake and take them to her Fur Vault.
The pups’ parents get on the bark line to rally the dogs of London to find their pups before they become dog meat.
“The police are everywhere. I must have my coat. My beautiful, beautiful spotted coat with matching muff and boots,” sings De Vil, whose name spells “devil” when combined.
Adjusted for inflation, Disney’s “101 Dalmatians,” released in 1961, is the 11th highest grossing movie of all time and second highest growing animated film behind “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
“It’s a fun play,” said Thor Roberts, who plays the dognapper. “I’ve been participating in Company B for five years—I did ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.’ And I’ve had a ton of fun.”
“101 Dalmatians” will take the stage at 2 p.m. today—Thursday, Aug. 17—and 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18.
Tickets are $5 for those under 18 and $10 for adults, available at www.stthomasplayhouse.org and at the door.