Theater: Doctor Dolittle

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Doctor Dolittle

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Doctor Dolittle was a fictional veterinarian created by Hugh Lofting and a central character in a series of his books for children. He is a doctor who shuns human patients in favor of animals and amazingly speaks to them in their own languages. He eventually becomes a naturalist and uses his abilities to speak with animals, to better understand nature and the history of the world.

Doctor Dolittle has a few close human friends that include Matthew Mugg, the Cat's-Meat Man. His animal friends consist of Polynesia (a parrot), Gub-Gub (a pig), Jip (a dog), Dab-Dab (a duck), Chee-Chee (a monkey), Too-Too (an owl), and the Pushmi-Pullyu (a rare type of African antelope with a head on each end of its body). The stories are set in early Victorian England, where Doctor John Dolittle lives in a fictional village called Puddleby-on-the-Marsh.

Incidentally Dr. Dolittle has been adapted into a number of musicals and movies over the years.
It was first made into a silent animated short in 1928 by Lotte Reiniger titled, "Doktor Dolittle und seine Tiere (Doctor Dolittle and his Animals)." One of the most popular adaptations has been the 1967 film musical starring Rex Harrison. In 1970 - 1972, there was a cartoon series on Doctor Dolittle, produced at DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. Dr. Dolittle was adapted to the stage in 1970 by Olga Fricker, Hugh Lofting's sister-in-law.
In 1984, Dr. Dolittle was turned into another cartoon series called " The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle." The most recent incarnation were the 1998 films, Dr. Dolittle, and its 2001 sequel, both starring Eddie Murphy. However, these films only used the name of Dr. Dolittle, the content was not inspired from the books.

Dr. Dolittle has now been adapted into a musical, starring nine time Tony Award Winner Tommy Tune. Tune is joined by Dee Hoty, who will play the role of Dr. Dolittle's love interest, Emma Fairfax. The musical is choreographed by Patti Colombo (Peter Pan), the costumes are designed by Ann Hould-Ward (Beauty and the Beast) and Dona Granata. The set design is by Kenneth Foy (Gypsy), lighting is by Ken Billington (Chicago), and puppet designs by Michael Curry (The Lion King). The flying sequences are choreographed by Paul Rubin (Peter Pan). Michael Biagi is the music director, Larry Blank has done the orchestrations and Gordon Harrell has arranged the dance and incidental music. The score of the Dr. Dolittle is witty and charming, and includes "When I Look in Your Eyes," "I've Never Seen Anything Like It" and the Academy Award-winning song "Talk to the Animals."

Dr. Dolittle takes audiences on one extraordinary adventure after another. Go see this humorous and light hearted musical, contact your on line ticket vendor and get the tickets.