101 Dalmatians Kids - Summer 2025

“Rough dress rehearsal, great opening show” is a common theatre world adage. While the first dress rehearsal for 101 Dalmatians Kids went smoothly… 

I spent it in an ambulance and at the ER after taking another theatre saying a little too seriously. 

“Break a leg” usually means good luck but a misstep in a simple dance jump I’ve done hundreds of times dislocated my kneecap and fractured a bone Friday morning. 

Thanks to our fantastic staff and volunteers, the show went on as planned. Though, the actors were notably disappointed to see me Saturday with crutches and brace, but no cast for them to sign.

The moment the curtain opens is always magical, but it was especially so for our first camp in partnership with the College of Performance, Visualization, and Fine Arts at Texas A&M. 

In a blur of black, white, and red costumes… forty-one cast members took to the stage of Rudder Auditorium to perform something they had learned in just two weeks! 

Our cast sang, danced, and acted their hearts out–supported by camp staff, Rudder Theatre Complex stage management and technicians, and an audience full of their biggest fans. 

Incredible performance aside, I am most proud of how kind our cast members were to one another. They helped the youngest cast members tie their shoes, ran lines during snack, and encouraged each other from the first rehearsal to their final bows. 

With everything from 101 Dalmatians (almost) put away, we’re looking ahead to our Homeschool Musical Theatre Program starting, and auditions for The Snow Queen (Homeschool Show), and Frozen Jr (After-School Show).

We can’t wait to meet the next casts that will perform in Rudder Theatre Complex, and get started on another semester of learning, growth, and creativity.

See you at auditions,

Olivia

Director

Brazos River Youth Theatre