Casting

Roger, married to Anita, is the soft-spoken yet confident composer and owner of Pongo and Perdita. His relaxed form of leadership acts as a contrast to the frenetic Cruella. He should be a strong actor, singer, and mover with an adult bearing that sets him apart from the more immature puppies.

Anita, wife of Roger, is a sweet and nurturing painter whose kind disposition acts as a stark contrast to Cruella's cruelty. As she has only a single line to sing, cast an actor with strong acting skills who is comfortable portraying an adult.

Perdita and Pongo, the puppies’ parents, have similar dispositions to their owners, Roger and Anita. These roles do not require solo singing, so focus on casting strong actors capable of projecting a more mature presence than their pups.

Cruella is the rich, fashion-forward antagonist of the story who harbors a penchant for puppy fur. Ruthless and impulsive, she should command the stage with dramatic flair and brassiness. Cast an actor who can sing – with a strong, authoritative presence – and who can move with a high, captivating energy.

Horace and Jasper, Cruella’s two henchmen for hire, provide the show’s comic relief à la Abbott and Costello or Laurel and Hardy. Though they sing together often, look for actors with strong comedic timing who can excel at physical comedy. While not necessary, these two can speak with Cockney accents if you have actors that are capable and willing.

Nanny is the warm yet outspoken housekeeper to Roger and Anita. This is a small role that requires a strong speaking voice (no singing required).

Boxer Narrator, Scottie Narrator, Poodle Narrator, and Corgis Narrator help to tell the story and are part of your Dogs of London ensemble (see above). Because the clarity of the plot relies on them, cast performers with excellent diction and projection. You need not only have four narrators – feel free to split up the narration between ensemble members as best suits your production.

Perdita and Pongo’s funny and spirited pups, can be cast from your larger puppy ensemble. Cast the group’s strongest actors that can project their solo lines articulately and are comfortable using their bodies to portray dogs. If you have a large pool of actors, feel free to cast other puppies as brothers and sisters to these four; just remember that the audience needs to see a far greater number of Dalmatians at the end of the show than at the beginning.

Freckles and Spotty, two Dalmatian puppies stolen by Cruella, can be cast from your ensemble of additional Dalmatians. Each puppy has one solo line of dialogue.

The Police Officer arrests the villains at the end of the show. Cast an actor who can convey a no-nonsense attitude in this gender-neutral role.

Sergeant Tibbs is the army cat that rallies the Dogs of London to rescue the puppies. This role is gender neutral – just be sure to cast an actor with a strong voice that can project an authoritative air. This cat has a short, but sweet solo, so make sure vocals are strong.

Dognapped by Cruella, these Dalmatian pups come in halfway through the play and can be double-cast as your Dogs of London ensemble. Include as many puppies in this group as you would like – the more the better!

The Dogs of London include the Boxers, Scotties, Poodles, and Corgis that assist Perdita and Pongo in saving their puppies. All should be comfortable embodying the physical movement of their particular breed. Within the ensemble numbers, there are some opportunities for solos, though these can be sung by pairs or small groups depending on your production’s needs and the abilities of your cast.

The Dogcatcher appears at show’s end to dramatically remove Cruella from the scene. This role is gender neutral, so cast any student who might excell at creating a few moments of physical comedy with Cruella.