What beats a Spanish-English children’s matinee about a bunch of dogs? One with clowning, bubbles, and accordion music, for starters. In the world premiere of Go Dog Go! Ve Perro ¡Ve!, six dogs of varying size, skill, and temperament deliver a universe that enchants children, leaving them slack-jawed and in stitches. Kids point, clap, and exclaim, but mostly sit in rapt attention as the dogs strut across the stage, creating an hour of pure bilingual fun.
The play was originally adapted by Steven Dietz and Allison Gregory in 2003 from the beloved 1961 children’s book by P.D. Eastman. Chicago Children’s Theatre reached out to Dietz and Gregory to rework it as a bilingual musical, directed by Dietz, with Spanish translations by Ana Maria Campoy.
Go Dog Go! Ve Perro ¡Ve!
Through 5/18: Sat–Sun 9:30 and 11:30 AM; Sat 4/19 11:30 AM and 2 PM; no shows 9:30 AM Sun 4/20 and 5/4; performances 3/29 and 3/30 preceded by workshop on making dog toys, conducted by volunteers from Felines & Canines (donations of shelter supplies accepted); sensory-friendly performances Sat 4/12 and 5/3 9:30 AM, audio description and touch tour Sat 4/19 2 PM (tickets must be purchased two weeks earlier), ASL and open captions Sat 5/10 11:30 AM; Chicago Children’s Theatre, 100 S. Racine, 312-374-8835, chicagochildrenstheatre.org, $42.25, recommended for all ages
Dietz’s production is cleverly staged with vibrant costumes, playful props, and compelling music composed by Michael Koerner—especially the interactive accordion playing of music director Rob Witmer, who also appears as a dog. The action features familiar cutout characters from the book and a cast full of dogs with silly antics. (Many adults will probably recall the colorful book’s lessons on color, position, size, and polite interactions, like the recurring question, “Do you like my hat?”)
Chicago clown Jean Carlos Claudio as MC Dog balances the energy with his parental guidance and playful spirit, while Shawn Pfautsch (Yellow Dog), Maria Clara Ospina (Blue Dog), Jalbelly Guzmán (Green Dog), and Tony Carter (Red Dog) bring the chaos. Melanie Brezill (Hattie) dazzles with increasingly wild hats and catchy jazz riffs.
Watching clown dogs navigate streets in dog cars or sort out sandwiches is a revelation and a precious moment away from stress. It’s a chance to sit with your child, laugh together, and revel in simple joys and manageable conflicts. Dogs roller-skating? Trees turning blue? Hasta la fiesta de la perrera!
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