Sara Gettelfinger in 101 Dalmatians Musical

Sources:
BroadwayWorld.com
Playbill.com

This is great news!!!! I hope she does the NYC shows too!!!

http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/baa.site/National/News.aspx?NewsId=7782

Broadway Star SARA GETTELFINGER Joins the Cast of “The 101 Dalmatians Musical” As Cruella De Vil

NEW YORK, NY - Magic Arts & Entertainment/Tix Productions, Troika Entertainment, Luis Alvarez and Jon B. Platt in association with Allen Spivak and Brad Krassner are pleased to announce the addition of Broadway's Sara Gettelfinger (Seuessical, Anything Goes, Nine and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) to the company of THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL. Gettelfinger begins performances as the infamous puppy snatcher Cruella De Vil beginning with the show's Chicago engagement on February 16.

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Sara Gettelfinger to the cast of THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL,” said Lee D. Marshall, Co-Founder of Magic Arts & Entertainment/Tix Productions. “A veteran of numerous Broadway shows including Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Nine and Suessical the Musical, Sara will provide a wickedly comic villain in the infamous Cruella De Vil and we are confident she and our talented company will continue to inspire theatergoers of all ages through the show’s unique story-telling, amazing new music and tremendous performances.”

Gettelfinger heads a cast of 30 that features James Ludwig as Pongo. The cast also includes Chip Abbott, Joel Blum, Sammy Borla, Lakisha Anne Bowen, Jeff Scot Carey, Kristy Cavanaugh, Lydia Rose Clemente, Piper Curda, Joseph Dellger, Madeleine Doherty, Garrett Hawe, Michael Thomas Holmes, Robert Anthony Jones, Kevin C. Loomis, Erin Maguire, Mike Masters, Neal Mayer, Catherine Missal, Erin Mosher, Ah-Niyah Yonay Neal, Catia Ojeda, Clark Kelley Oliver, Chuck Ragsdale, Molly Sorohan, Kendra Tate, Austin Zambito-Valente and Emma Zaks.

Based on the beloved book by Dodie Smith, THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL is a one-of-a-kind adventure for the entire family. The musical is led by an award-winning creative team including four-time Tony Award winning director Jerry Zaks (A Bronx Tale, Smokey Joe’s Café, Guys and Dolls), acclaimed bookwriter and co-lyricist BT McNicholl (Billy Elliot, Spamalot, The IT Girl), and Dennis DeYoung, founding member of the legendary rock band STYX, on board as composer and co-lyricist.

In keeping with the spirit of the beloved original story, THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL promises a quirky, upside-down view of the world, where the audience is allowed to see life from a dog’s point of view. The stage musical will transport theatergoers into an exciting and altogether fantastic reality that gives grand license for song, dance and spectacle. In addition to the bevy of talented human actors, THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL will showcase fifteen talented Dalmatians, many of which were rescued from animal shelters across the country and given a new lease on life with this starring role.

THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL follows Dalmatians spouses Pongo and Missis Pongo who are living the good life in London with their “pets” Charles and Catherine Dearly. When their 10 puppies are suddenly “dognapped” by the villainous Cruella de Vil, they summon the help of a vast network of dogs and set off to rescue their pups. There’s a happy ending for all with laughter, mayhem and music along the way.

The show’s lively contemporary score and soundtrack was composed by Grammy nominated and People’s Choice Award winner Dennis DeYoung. As former singer of the legendary rock band STYX, DeYoung composed such unforgettable, timeless hits as “Babe,” “Come Sail Away,” “The Best of Times” and “Mr. Roboto.” With THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL, he brings his pop rock flair to an array of original songs destined to become popular material to kids and adults alike. These include: “One-Hundred-and-One Dalmatians,” “Twilight Barking,” “One True Love,” “Cruella Always Gets Her Way” and “Be A Little Braver.”

THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL also features a surprise grand finale showcasing the tremendous talents of the professional and rescued Dalmatians that will leave audiences cheering. The dogs were all trained by one of the world’s foremost animal trainers, Joel Slaven, who has worked extensively with Jack Hanna on such featured films as Ace Ventura Pet Detective and That Darn Cat.
THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL began in Minneapolis in October 2009 and is traveling to major markets and venues across the country including an engagement in April 2010 at the WaMu Theater at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. The musical is produced by Magic Arts & Entertainment/Tix Productions, Troika Entertainment and international producer Luis Alvarez. Tour and ticket information is available at www.the101dalmatiansmusical.com.

About Magic Arts & Entertainment/Tix Productions
Magic Arts & Entertainment has been bringing hundreds of thousands of people to their feet each year throughout their 25 years in the entertainment industry. Led by business partners Lee D. Marshall and Joe Marsh, the duo began by producing David Copperfield’s first-ever tour in 1983. The partnership then grew to produce, manage, book and promote a versatile roster of live entertainment events that expanded to include such high-grossing concerts such as the North American tours for Janet Jackson, Cher, N Sync, Britney Spears, Barry Manilow, The Backstreet Boys and many others. Current tours include The Magic of David Copperfield, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, Mannheim Steamroller, and Jesus Christ Superstar staring Ted Neeley. In 2008, Magic Arts & Entertainment was acquired by the Tix Corporation (Nasdaq: TIXC), with Marshall and Marsh assuming the roles of Co-CEO of Tix Productions, a newly-formed subsidiary of Tix Corporation.

About Troika General Management
Troika General Management has over two decades experience producing shows of all types and sizes throughout North America and the world. International venues include Russia, Brazil, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Korea and Japan. Troika was most recently involved in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China with productions of The Sound of Music, 42nd Street and Chicago. Current and upcoming productions in North America include Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol, The 101 Dalmatians Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, starring Ted Neeley and Cats, running “now and forever.”

About Luis Alvarez
Luis Alvarez, the youngest theatrical producer and director in Madrid, is responsible for one of the most successful shows in Spain. 101 Dalmatians: The Musical premiered at the Wonderland Theatre in 2001. In 2002, Mr. Alvarez received an award for Best Theatrical Producer in Spain. Mr. Alvarez and 101 Dalmatians: The Musical broke all records for sponsorship deals in Spain. Kellogg’s, Kodak, Iberia, Haagen Dazs and many other well known companies sponsored the World Premier of 101 Dalmatians: The Musical.

About Sara Gettelfinger
SARA GETTELFINGER (Cruella De Vil). Broadway: Suessical the Musical, The Boys from Syracuse, “Carla” in Nine with Antonio Banderas, “Jolene Oakes” in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opposite John Lithgow, and the first national tour of Fosse. Other NYC area credits include: “April” in Company (Helen Hayes), “Fastrada” in Pippin (Papermill Playhouse), Tenderloin and Carnival at City Center ENCORES!, Anything Goes at Lincoln Center, and “Little Edie Beale” in the world premier of Grey Gardens at Playwrights Horizons. In 2009, Sara starred as “Fastrada” in the Deaf West production of Pippin at L.A.'s Mark Taper Forum. Television: Guiding Light, Ed, and Without a Trace. Film: 10 to Midnight, Sex In the City. In the fall of 2006 Sara was signed to Decca/Universal Records with the classical-crossover trio Three Graces. Their self-titled debut album was released in stores/online in March 2008, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Crossover Charts, followed by a worldwide, critically acclaimed concert tour. threegracesmusic.com. Proud member of Actors Equity. This one is for my sweet Ellie Shay and the Gettelfinger Pups, Ruby, Raiden, Helen and Bella.

Thanks for the info Regina
So.....I´m sure she will be a great Cruela

http://www.projo.com/theater/content/LB_Dalmatians_03-16-10_G5HON5I_v22.293da27.html


Photo by: Joan Marcus

I'll be seeing the show on April 14th. I can't wait!!!!!

http://www.projo.com/theater/content/wk-gettelfinger_03-18-10_C7HOE5G_v16.1fc8792.html

On a mean streak

By Channing Gray

Journal Arts Writer

Sara Gettelfinger plays Cruella De Vil in “The 101 Dalmations Musical” at PPAC through Sunday.
Joan Marcus

When Broadway’s Sara Gettelfinger was a kid, she was fond of the black hats of this world. When she first saw “Snow White” it was the evil queen who attracted her attention. So you can imagine her sense of glee when she got a call asking if she wanted to play that despicable dognapper Cruella De Vil in the musical retelling of “101 Dalmatians,” now at the Providence Performing Arts Center.

“I’m having a blast,” said Gettelfinger from a stop in Indianapolis. “She’s definitely an iconic villain who everybody loves to hate.”

In fact, Gettelfinger said that Cruella has been “on my radar for a long time.” She can remember when as a child she first encountered Cruella in the animated film of “101 Dalmatians” and fell in love with her. “I’ve been six feet tall since I was in the eighth grade,” she said, “and here was this tall woman with sharp features. There are things about me that naturally work well with her carriage.”

Gettelfinger joined the tour just about a month ago, after Rachel York bowed out. Much as she admired York’s performance, she said she wanted to make the role her own.

“I already had ideas about what the character would be,” she said. “I wanted to tailor the part to my strengths.”

The show, which has been on the road since last fall and playing to mixed reviews, was the brainchild of Spanish producer Luis Alvarez, who put on a Spanish version in Madrid about a decade ago. He brought it to New York in 2007 and lined up four-time Tony winner Jerry Zaks as the director. It was Zaks who came up with the idea of doing the show from a dog’s point of view.

To make the humans appear as these towering creatures to the canines, he put them on stilts, which has taken some getting used to. Actually Gettelfinger said she wears a pair of metal boots that are a sort of cross between the lightweight prosthetics worn by athletes and a dry waller’s boots.

At least one critic noted how uncomfortable she looked in them. Gettelfinger admits to some stumbles (but no falls). “I like to tell myself that I get better each time I go on stage,” she said. “But sometimes when I get time off then get back into the boots I feel like Bambi on ice. Like anything else, it gets better with time.”

But the songs in the show make up for having to hobble about in platform shoes, she said. Those are by Dennis DeYoung, best known as a founding member of the legendary rock band Styx.

“The songs are pretty fantastic,” she said. “They have a Broadway sound but a rock ‘n’ roll sensibility. The music is written in favorite ways I like to sing and use my voice.”

The “dogs” in the show are for the most part played by humans in black-spotted outfits (thankfully they don’t have tails and floppy ears), although there are 15 real Dalmatians who appear at the end of each act and do tricks. Gettelfinger, who does not have a dog but dreams one day of having a house in the country where she can keep several of the critters (she has a calico cat in her New York apartment), doesn’t have any scenes with the real Dalmatians. But she said when cast members are not on stage they head backstage to where the dogs are kept for some serious “puppy love.”

When she was told one reviewer said she was the most entertaining thing about the show next to the live dogs, she said she’d take that as a compliment.

“Who can compete?” she said.

Gettelfinger spent part of last year in Los Angeles in “Pippin” at the Mark Taper Forum. She was getting ready to audition for television pilots when the offer to play Cruella “fell out of the sky.”

“It was definitely a New Year’s surprise.”

Her roles on Broadway have included “Seussical,” “Nine,” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” during which she shared the stage with York. She also does some solo concerts of Broadway hits and jazz standards.

She said she went to a performing arts high school in Louisville, Ky., and went on to study voice, dance and theater at the Cincinnati Conservatory.

The Spanish version of the “101 Dalmatians Musical” was geared more toward kids. Now it is a “family show,” said Gettelfinger. But it’s the kids who seem to love it most. Gettelfinger said she gets a kick out looking into the audience and seeing youngsters in spotted sweatshirts, holding stuffed Dalmatians.

“It’s so sweet to look out and see the faces of these kids who are so enthusiastic and ready to go on this imaginative journey.”

“101 Dalmatians Musical” plays the Providence Performing Arts Center through Sunday. Tickets are $36-$63. Call (401) 421-2787 or visit www.ppacri.org.

Review of the show

http://thephoenix.com/providence/arts/98729-dogging-it/?page=2#TOPCONTENT

Dogging it
The 101 Dalmatians Musical has legs
By BILL RODRIGUEZ | March 17, 2010


WOOF! A few of the stars of The 101 Dalmatians Musical.

There isn't much that's cuter than little doggies, except maybe kittens and babies, but try getting them to parade in a line. Cats have been done to death, and John Travolta wasn't available for Look Who's Talking: The Musical, so pups it was — fortunately.

The 101 Dalmatians Musical, at Providence Performing Arts Center through March 21, is everything you could expect from the family-friendly story: adorable, adventurous, funny, and hummable in the shower to boot.

The creators knew what they were doing. Broadway director Jerry Zaks (La Cage Aux Folles, Little Shop of Horrors) directed the adaptation that has a book by BT McNicholl (Billy Elliot, Spamalot, and Camelot) and lyrics by McNicholl and Dennis DeYoung (a founding member of the rock group Styx), who also composed the music.

The 1956 Dodie Smith children's book of the title has been translated into 47 languages and, of course, was made into a Walt Disney animated film five years later, plus a 1996 live-action remake (and a 2000 sequel, 102 Dalmatians) and a 1997-98 Disney TV series. It was obvious from the outset that this franchise had legs — 404 of them.

With its hyperbolic story and no-boos-barred villain, audiences could plunge into a melodrama, a rare treat. Ticketholders haven't enjoyed themselves so much since they got to hiss at Simon Legree as he pursued Liza over the ice floes in the wildly popular 19th-century stage adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

After all, Cruella DeVil (Sara Gettelfinger) and her henchmen, the Baddum brothers (Michael Thomas Holmes, Robert Anthony Jones ) are after the beautiful spotted dogs so she can fatten them up and have them made into coats. The central canines are Pongo (James Ludwig) and Missus (Catia Ojeda), who live with their devoted petters, a young married couple, the Dearlys (Mike Masters and Erin Mosher).

Dogs are easier to wrangle in a cartoon, so there are usually only two or four of a total 15 Dalmatians on stage at any one time, except at the end, when they do some tricks for us, such as pushing a lawnmower. The spotted mob is mostly represented by the human Pongos and eight costumed children playing their little spotted pack. (Don't worry, they don't have black greasepaint on their noses and are not wearing floppy ears.)

One imaginative touch is that the humans are grotesquely tall, to represent the perspective of the dogs, tromping about with short stilts under their costumes. Considering the accuracy of the animal psychology, it's a shame there aren't as many pets in the audience as children.

Unavoidably, a lot is made of the role reversal here, as in the song "Man Is a Dog's Best Friend," and such observations as that people are "unusually intelligent — almost canine at times." But unlike with some musicals we could name, many of the 14 songs here are cleverly written and musically interesting. From the sweet "A Perfect Family" to the feisty "Be a Little Bit Braver" to the propulsive "Breakout," they energize the silly story and help characterize the characters singing them.

My favorites are the Pongos, because of the actors playing them. As Pongo, Ludwig conveys a dogs intelligence by alert attention and peppy spirit, not overdoing either attribute. Ojeda's Missus is equally spirited, especially when maternally motivated by the theft of her pups, and she has a gentle feminine charm.

Her polar opposite is the sneering Cruella DeVil — "If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will," her song goes. With twisted half-black, half-white hair towering above her and with a wicked laugh, Gettelfinger spits threats through blood red lips and makes being evil look like such good sport that impressionable children in the audience should have their eyes and ears clamped shut.

What fun.

The actual Dalmatians onstage are rescue dogs gathered coast-to-coast. The program makes a lengthy point about how such dogs might not be as cute and obedient as the well-trained pooches seen here, hoping to avert a fad that ends in the animals being abandoned at fire stations around the country. It's not every Broadway production company that is so conscientious. Give them a little extra applause for that.

Another review:
http://www.projo.com/theater/content/lb_dalmatians_review_03-19-10_BEHQBNU_v18.1e0dd5d.html

‘Dalmatians’ musical is spot-on

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, March 19, 2010

By Channing Gray

Journal Arts Writer

If you’re 10 years old and into puppy love, then “The 101 Dalmatians Musical” will hit the spot. Make that a stage full of spots.

The touring show, which is at the Providence Performing Arts Center through Sunday, is definitely geared to small fry who have seen the Disney films and followed the exploits of Pongo and his brood. But there’s enough for grown-ups to savor, too, to make this a fun night out.

That’s not to say there aren’t some short comings. For one thing, the jokes are lame, at least by adult standards. When the Dearlys’ cook asks Cruella De Vil what she’s making for dinner, she snaps “reservations.” And the show could have done with a little less of Joel Blum’s Prince, who acted as a sort of narrator and tossed dog treats into the audience before the start of the second act, telling the recipient to “stay.”

But really, the show is not as bad as some critics have made it out to be.

Director Jerry Zaks has envisioned the show from a dog’s perspective, with oversized furniture and humans on humongous platform shoes so that they tower over the dogs, which are mostly kids in what look like spotted pajamas. Thankfully the costumes are designed to suggest dogs, and leave much to the imagination. There are no tails, no floppy ears.

Although the humans can seem a little awkward hobbling about on 2-foot-high lifts, one can only wonder what dogs actually think when they see their masters lumbering into the room.

And I’d sort of forgotten how basic the plot is. Puppies are dognapped, then escape and make their way home — with Cruella in hot pursuit. There really is not a lot of suspense to the show, which might not be such a disappointment for young kids but left me yearning for one more showdown with Cruella.

But the production has at least two things going for it — more than a dozen live Dalmatians who now and then dash across the stage and at the end perform a series of tricks as they redecorate Cruella’s mansion, and Broadway’s statuesque Sara Gettelfinger, who is fabulous as Cruella.

Gettelfinger joined the show just about a month ago, but already owns the part. She has plenty of opportunity to unleash that laser-like voice of hers, and just oozes nastiness as she sets out to turn those adorable pups into fur coats. In fact, the show would be pretty flat without her.

That’s not to make light of James Ludwig’s considerable contribution to the show as Pongo, who leads the charge to save his pups. He sang well and looked perfectly loveable hopping onto chairs that must have been 6 feet tall. Catia Ojeda, as his mate, was not so secure in her singing, even though her portrayal was pretty solid.

The other plus to the show is Dennis DeYoung’s (he’s a founding member of the legendary rock band Styx) catchy score. “Be A Little Bit Braver” with its driving reggae beat was perhaps the hit of the night.

The show is not geared entirely for wee ones, though. Grown-ups got a chuckle when one of the pups asks Pongo what he and mom do in the bushes. And there’s a hint of a lesbian relationship between the cook and the female butler, who might have to share a room once the Dalmatians move back into the house.

But at its heart, it’s a kids’ show, not real sophisticated, not even terribly clever, just a warm-hearted tale about the joys of family life.

“The 101 Dalmatians Musical” runs through Sunday at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence. Call (401) 421-2787 or visit ppacri.org.

http://www.edgeptown.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=&sc3=&id=103560

Providence goes to the dogs as Dalmatians hit town
by Joe Siegel
EDGE New England Editor
Wednesday Mar 17, 2010


Providence goes to the dogs as The 101 Dalmatians Musical comes to the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC).

Though best-known from its 1961 cartoon version (Walt Disney’s 101 Dalmatians) and its 1996 live action remake (simply called 101 Dalmatians), the musical returns to the story’s source for inspiration: the original 1957 novel by British author Dodie Smith.

The 101 Dalmatians Musical follows Dalmatians spouses Pongo and Missis Pongo who are living the good life in London with their "pets" Charles and Catherine Dearly. When their 10 puppies are suddenly "dognapped" by the villainous Cruella de Vil, they summon the help of a vast network of dogs and set off to rescue their pups.

The show features a surprise grand finale showcasing the tremendous talents of the professional and rescued Dalmatians. The dogs were all trained by one of the world’s foremost animal trainers, Joel Slaven, who has worked extensively with Jack Hanna on such featured films as Ace Ventura Pet Detective and That Darn Cat.

Dog’s eye view

Broadway’s Sara Gettelfinger plays the villainous Cruella de Vil.

Gettelfinger’s Broadway credits include Seuessical The Musical, The Boys from Syracuse, Carla in Nine with Antonio Banderas, Jolene Oaks in Dirty Rotten Scoundrel opposite John Lithgow, and the first national tour of Fosse. She has also performed as April in Company at the Helen Hayes Theatre, Fastrada in Pippin at the Papermill Playhouse, Tenderloin and Carnival at City Center ENCORES!, Anything Goes at Lincoln Center, and as Little Edie Beale in the world premiere of Grey Gardens at Playwrights Horizons.

The 101 Dalmatians Musical is led by an award-winning creative team including four-time Tony Award winning director Jerry Zaks (Tonys for Six Degrees of Separation, Lend Me a Tenor, The House of Blue Leaves and Guys and Dolls), acclaimed bookwriter and co-lyricist BT McNicholl (Billy Elliot, Spamalot, The IT Girl), and founding member of the legendary rock band STYX, Dennis DeYoung, as composer and co-lyricist.

DeYoung composed such unforgettable, timeless hits as "Babe," "Come Sail Away," "The Best of Times" and "Mr. Roboto." With The 101 Dalmatians Musical, he brings his pop rock skills to a collection of original songs, which include "One-Hundred-and-One Dalmatians," "Twilight Barking," "One True Love," "Cruella Always Gets Her Way" and "Be A Little Braver."

Late last year McNicholl told Playbill of the show’s unique perspective: ""Here is an enchanting, upside-down vision of the world: seeing life from the dogs’ point of view. Embracing this wonderfully daft proposition, we are instantly transported to a slightly topsy-turvy, exciting, and altogether fantastic reality that gives grand license for song, dance and spectacle."

To achieve it, the actors playing the humans appear on stilts, while those playing dogs (and other animals) maintain their human perspective.

Humans, Zaks added, appear "in a heightened form of dress and scale so as to appear larger than life - as they would seem from a dog’s point of view... The Dalmatians will have "no ears, no paws - but, rather, a clever use of costumes in the black-and-white palette that will immediately set them apart from the human characters. This represents a technical solution to the question, ’How do we present dogs and humans on stage simultaneously?’"

The 101 Dalmatians Musical continues through March 21, 2010 at the the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC). Remaining performance dates and times are Wednesday, March 17 at 7:30P; Thursday, March 18 at 7:30P; Friday, March 19 at 8P; Saturday, March 20 at 2P & 8P; and Sunday, March 21 at 1P & 6:30P. Tickets are $63 to $36; all ticket prices include a $3 per ticket restoration fee. Kids’ Night on Broadway is on Thursday, March 18; buy one full-priced ticket and get a kid’s ticket FREE. Please call the PPAC Box Office at (401) 421-ARTS (2787) for more information. PPAC is located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence. For more information call (401) 421-ARTS (2787), or visit the PPAC website.

Watch this clip about how the musical’s point-of-view came about.

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