First, “Bluey” hooked the toddlers, who found the short, funny, Australian cartoons about a family of dogs irresistible. Their parents fell in line quickly: Here was a show that was imaginative, sometimes surprisingly emotional and bittersweet, and could even be re-watched over and over, as little ones are apt to demand. And finally, there was Gen Z, posting their “Bluey” devotion all over Tik-Tok. (The hashtag “#bluey” has reached over 4.4 billion views on TikTok).
What else could go right, except maybe a big nationally touring show to elevate kids right off their plush theater seats?
Credit: Darren Thomas
Credit: Darren Thomas
“Bluey’s Big Play” will draw a multi-generation audience to the Fox next weekend for four shows. It’s a 50-minute, no-intermission original show with puppeteers maneuvering large puppets onstage to a pre-recorded soundtrack. And yes, fans, there will be a huge game of Keepy Uppy, a “Bluey” favorite from the first season, with the audience batting balloons aloft.
Bluey is a six-year-old Blue Heeler, a popular Australian dog breed. Her four-year-old sister is Bingo, mum is named Chilli and dad is Bandit. The cartoons, which run about seven minutes, can range quite far in topic, but are frequently about mum or dad trying to get some adult thing accomplished (work, dinner), the kids rambunctiously wanting attention, and how that familiar dynamic can be solved with a little creative silliness.
Credit: Courtesy of Ludo Studio
Credit: Courtesy of Ludo Studio
“What really attracts people to ‘Bluey’ is the sense of play and imagination,” says Rob Gaetano, associate director of the play. “The parents are such wonderful examples of how as an adult if you lean into your sense of play and imagination, you can actually have a wonderful experience with your children. And I think that really resonates with a lot of parents.”
Gaetano has no children, so the graduate of the National Theatre Drama School in Melbourne, Australia, was unaware of the “Bluey” phenomenon when he was asked to help develop the stage show with the puppeteers in Australia. Joe Brumm, who created “Bluey” and has written all 100-plus episodes, wrote the play, and the cartoon voice actors recorded the dialogue.
Credit: Darren Thomas
Credit: Darren Thomas
The voice actors for young Bluey and Bingo, though, have never been identified; they are children of adults associated with the show, whose anonymity is guarded. “They’re in school and growing up and they wanted them to have normal lives, so it’s very much a secret,” Gaetano says.
The animated show debuted in Australia in October 2018, and came to the United States via the Disney Channel and Disney+ streaming platform in 2020, where it consistently ranks among the most popular children’s TV shows.
In the play, Bluey’s dad won’t put his cellphone down, so Bluey and her sister steal and hide it to force him to play with them, leading to many complications. There are several other subplots, including a cameo from Lucky’s Dad, a clueless neighbor who is a fan favorite.
Credit: Courtesy of Ludo Studio
Credit: Courtesy of Ludo Studio
The play also leans into one of “Bluey’s” strengths, an emotional palette that is broader than usual for a cartoon, including bittersweet moments.
“The show does go there,” he says. “It definitely pulls at the heart strings. There’s a beautiful story line about what it means to be a good sister. Chilli tries to teach that lesson to Bluey. And that parallels Chilli and her own relationship with her sister.”
The live show debuted in Australia in late 2020 and is now chugging across America. “We knew the program was popular here, but the U.S. audiences have really opened their hearts to us,” says Gaetano.
The entire cast and crew of “Bluey’s Big Play” is Australian, and “none of them have ever been to the States,” Gaetano. “so every city we go to, it’s a new adventure for them.”
Every day a new adventure. How very Bluey.
THEATER PREVIEW
“Bluey’s Big Play”
10 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 20-21. $40-$125. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 855-285-8499, foxtheatre.org.
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