Interview: Juliette Carrillo of GO, DOG, GO! at Children's Theatre Company
Children's Theatre Company is prepring to delight Twin Cities audiences once again with their new production, Go, Dog, Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!
Children's Theatre Company is prepring to delight Twin Cities audiences once again with their new production, Go, Dog, Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!
P.D. Eastman’s classic book lands onstage with roller-skating, bike-riding, and scoot-scootering dogs! Over here a dog plays baseball; over there a dog prances about in a funny hat; everywhere dogs swim underwater, drive race cars to fiestas en los árboles, and speak—in both Spanish and English! Soon, you’ll be singing along with this bilingual spectacle that makes no sense (and TOTAL sense), all at the same time!
Broadway World was lucky enough to catch up with director, Juliette Carrillo prior to opening.
BW: What drew you back to the Twin Cities for your next production?
Rick Dildine contacted me and I interviewed with him. I hadn’t directed a full production in Minneapolis since 2007, when I directed for Blood Wedding for Ten Thousand Things (although I worked at The Playwright’s Center) It’s a gorgeous city, and I am so happy to be back—even in winter!
BW: How do you approach a children’s production as opposed to a show geared towards adults?
I don’t think it’s that different, honestly. My job is to stimulate the imagination of the audience. Perhaps kids are more challenging audience members because their imagination is so outstanding, so open and evolving. We will have to stay ahead of them!
BW: What do you hope that audience take away from Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! ?
Joy. Laughter. Surprise. Life is a big party!This show is a bilingual musical, how do you tackle a show that is presented in two languages?
The language of this play is very simple and there is a lot of translation in the text. What is not translated is obvious in the action. Audiences will get to be immersed in both languages in a way that invites participation.
BW: What has been the most rewarding part of putting Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! together for Twin Cities audiences?
The idea of filling that theater with a gaggle of kids to watch our show is very exciting. I really look forward to hearing their responses.
Juliette Carrillo† (she/her) has directed mostly grown-up plays at theatres such as the Mark Taper Forum, Seattle Repertory, and Arena Stage. In Minneapolis, she directed Blood Wedding for Ten Thousand Things. She’s directed two children’s musicals by Karen Zacarias:Jane of the Jungle (South Coast Repertory), and Oliverio (Kennedy Center).
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