The kids deserve a treat right now. All of the tension and trauma that’s been brought to the Twin Cities by federal agents has had an especially harsh impact on the area’s children.
School schedules have been erratic since the killing of Renee Good, kids of color have been caught up in the sweeps, and – try as their parents might to shelter them – children can certainly sense the conflict that permeates the urban atmosphere.
This might be the ideal time to take some young ones to Children’s Theatre Company’s production of “Go, Dog. Go!” or “Ve Perro Ve!” It provides a comical escape from our current difficulties, one that’s especially appropriate for those aged in the single digits. But the adults who accompany them may also benefit from the unrelenting silliness. It’s basically 80 minutes of constant clowning with the extra benefit of teaching the kids some rudimentary Spanish.
If you’re familiar with P.D. Eastman’s 1961 book, you know it to be a slight one, dropping young readers into brief vignettes involving anthropomorphized canines riding in race cars, working on a construction project and partying in trees, among other adventures.
In this ultra-playful adaptation by Allison Gregory and Steven Dietz, physical humor is the point of the project, and CTC’s six actors and two musicians throw themselves into the challenge with impressive enthusiasm and unflagging energy. Serving as alpha dog is Kimberly Richardson, who’s proven herself on multiple area stages to be a performer with her own unique brand of eccentric physicality. It’s seldom been employed to such delightful comic effect as here, be she working the crowd pre-curtain, pirouetting about on one roller skate or tap dancing on bubble wrap.
Kimberly Richardson, from left, Julia Diaz, Zachary David Hodgkins and Cooper Lajeunesse in Children’s Theatre Company’s production of “Go Dog Go! Ve Perro Ve!,” a bilingual adaptation of P.D. Eastman’s children’s book, in which dogs drive, swim, play baseball and race to a big dog party. The show runs through Feb. 22, 2026 at the Minneapolis theater. (Kaitlin Randolph / Children’s Theatre Company)
Yet this is truly an ensemble show, in which each performer has multiple opportunities to shine, executing some splendidly silly bits together, such as delivering CPR to a sandwich or convincingly channeling their inner tots during some post-bedtime horseplay. Director Juliette Carrillo displays a strong feel for dynamic contrast, the pace ebbing and flowing in engaging fashion, as when a placid interlude of shadow puppetry gives way to a road rally.
It’s all served well by the imaginative music of (mostly) Michael Koerner, delivered onstage by the duo of accordionist Victor Zupanc and guitarist Joe Cruz. I say “mostly,” because there are enjoyable interpolations of “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Besame Mucho” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” often employed to shift the mood abruptly for maximum laughs. And the book’s recurring question of “Do You Like My Hat?” is resolved in a propulsive merengue spearheaded by Eric Romero.
The scenic design of Sara Ryung Clement and the lights of Paul Whitaker bring Eastman’s illustrations to vibrant life, as do the boldly colored costumes of Danielle Nieves. They employ one clever idea after another, such as having the racing dogs’ scarves starched into windblown horizontal position.
Be prepared that this show breaks the fourth wall, with performers combing the crowd and tossing balloons about. And expect to participate as a student of Spanish, identifying objects and colors as if in a beginner’s class. In that regard, “Go, Dog. Go!” – or “Ve Perro Ve!” – adds a little education to a very entertaining theatrical respite.
‘Go, Dog. Go! Ve Perro Ve!’
When: Through Feb. 22
Where: Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls.
Tickets: $99-$25, available at 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org
Capsule: Kids will likely love these comical canines.
Rob Hubbard can be reached at wordhub@yahoo.com.
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