Review: The 101 Dalmatians Musical

Director Jerry Zaks has taken Dodie Smith’s classic tale to the stage. The 101 Dalmatians Musical is the top family musical to see in Boston this Holiday season.  This musical presents the topsy-turvy, inside out world of the Dalmatians from the dogs’ point of view.  Dalmatian characters are portrayed by adult actors while pups are portrayed by child actors. Humans are “differentiated” with exaggerated clothing and mini stilts that make them “larger than life.”

The tale follows the lives of Dalmatians Pongo and Missis Pongo who fall in love and are married. After a brief honeymoon “in the bushes” the Pongo’s are faced with the reality of impending parenthood. It is very well played. Their first musical number together “A Perfect Family” questions how hard parenthood could be. They’re both certain that their kids will be angels.  There is humor at many levels. No family member will feel left out.

Rachel York made me think Cruella De Vil had stepped out of the Disney movie and onto the stage.  She was wonderful and masterful. She brought forth an incredible lust for puppy fur. Cruella kidnaps the puppies and takes them to Castleville where they will soon become wardrobe. Pongo and Missis Pongo realize that their human “pets” will not be able to get their pups in time and realize it’s up to them to find the pups and bring them home. They send out the K-9 version of the Amber Alert and are soon on their journey.

I don’t want to spoil the adventure. My family enjoyed an exciting night of twists and turns. Something was there for everyone. Leaving the theatre I heard many people singing the catchy tune “Be a little bit braver”.  It’s still in my head at this point.

And let’s not forget the Dalmatians. The dogs were adorable. Making it more memorable is that many of them were rescued.

Probably best for children 4 and up (or a mature 3). Though I did see several toddlers be-bopping to the music.  It’s only here until the 27th. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Wang Theatre Box Office and range from $28-$75.

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The Enchanted Village at Jordan’s Furniture

Created in 1958, and enjoyed by many in Boston throughout the 60’s and 70’s at Jordan Marsh, The Enchanted Village is back in action at Jordan’s Furniture in Avon, MA. With 28 holiday scenes and hundreds of animated figures, this one is worth checking out if you are in the area.

The village is free to the public and is open 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sundays. You will have to walk through most of the furniture after seeing the village, so remember that when you visit. Santa Claus visits the village each day and is available for Christmas requests and photos, usually from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm. Check the website for updated information.

The exhibit itself is set up in one large room with a wavy path and metal railings. With a wide variety of holiday scenes and snow every few minutes, this is a great treat for the younger kids in your family. Older kids might get a little bored with this one, but would surely be willing to walk through if they knew you were going to visit some of the other attractions Jordan’s has to offer.

Jordan’s has packaged the Enchanted Village along with a 4-D Motion Odyssey Movie Ride (MOM) and a Laser Light show into what they are calling ‘The Holiday Experience.’ The Village is the only free exhibit; the LITE show costs $3.00 per person and the MOM Polar Express ride costs $6.00.

LITE, which stands for Laser Imagination Theater Experience, is brand new and was created just for Jordan’s Furniture. Featuring high-powered, solid-state lasers in a dark room filled with cranked up music, LITE is 15 minutes of pure excitement for all age groups. Set to a holiday theme, this laser show was well worth the $3.00 entry fee and short wait. Check out the line and show times before you jump in to avoid waiting too long. The show runs every 15 or so minutes.

We did not have the chance to take the 4-D Polar Express ride, but have been on MOM rides before and would have done this if there were earlier tickets available. We heard that people show up right at opening to buy tickets for later in the day, so you have to be crafty to get on this ride at a time you want. Plan accordingly.

Dad Says: At first I was a little put off that we have to walk through the entire store to get out of this ‘Free’ exhibit, but quickly realized it’s a very nice store with no pushy sales people. Our son loved seeing the animated people and scenes and it’s great that Jordan’s has resurrected a Boston classic.

Mom Says: I wasn’t really interested in seeing the Laser Light show, but went along with the group. I’m not sure who liked it more, me or my son! It was nice to hear some familiar holiday tunes to put me in the spirit, and they did some really cool things with the lasers. It may be cold outside, but it’s also cold in this room!

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Yankee Candle Village

When you think of Yankee Candle you probably think of a small, aromatic store at the mall where you can always find a last-minute gift for your favorite candle aficionado. Last weekend we visited Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield, MA, and the only similarity to the mall stores is that they both sell candles. Yankee Candle Village is a huge complex featuring dozens of themed rooms selling every type of candle, craft, and candy that you could ever want.

The complex can be a bit daunting, so once you park you will want to find a map and plan out your day. There are two main eating facilities if you want to plan your visit around a meal. Chandler Restaurant is a full-service restaurant serving up traditional New England fare. We ate here and the service and food were great! We had to wait 45 minutes for a table on a busy Saturday, but there was plenty to do to fill our time. There is also a food court with a variety of options, and there are plenty of places to eat outside if you choose to bring your own food.

The Village is a maze of rooms, one after the other after the other, and each one has a different theme to it. There is a general flow through the rooms with the crowd, but as we stated before, you may want a map to figure out where you are. There are only a couple places with registers. Even though there are many registers at each station, the lines were still long. We ended up walking back through half of the complex to avoid waiting in what looked like a 30 minute check-out line.

For the younger kids, there is a decent-sized toy store with lots of open items to play with. Santa and Mrs. Claus are right in the middle, and a station is set up to write your letter to give them if you didn’t bring one with you. Close by is the Christmas Village (adjacent to the Department 56 section) where it snows every four minutes. Our kid got a kick out of the indoor snow, which was small particles of soap.

The main candle room, in addition to every variety of fragrance and size, has several different stations to make your own candles, House Warmer jars, and even an area where you can create a candle in the shape of your hand. The line for this was very long, so we didn’t do it, but you essentially dip your hand into some liquid creating a form which is transformed into a candle.

Mom says: Candles, Pandora, Vera Bradley, and Department 56 all under one roof… what’s not to love???!!!  This is a great place to get into the Christmas spirit!

Dad says: I was impressed with the sheer magnitude of this tourist attraction, but be weary if you are sensitive to candle smells, large crowds, and 100’s of knick-knacks.

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