I recently took my kids, ages six and four, to see Dragons Love Tacos at the Virginia Rep Center for Arts and Education. Part of Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Family Season, Dragons Love Tacos is a lively adaptation of the New York Times bestselling picture book written by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri.
Colorful Action Revolves Around Dragons, Of Course!
The 45-minute production opens on a boy struggling to complete his homework with his dog, Leroy, by his side. The two decide to take a break and watch television, quickly getting absorbed in a program about dragons featuring a dramatic narrator, Man in Suit. An unexpected knock at the door brings the Man in Suit into the boy’s real-life world and introduces us to several friendly dragons adorned in colorful costumes. While each is unique – from the shape of their horns to the size of their tail – they all have one thing in common. Dragons love tacos: chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. But they absolutely hate spicy salsa … because eating it leads to red-hot trouble!
The boy’s first taco party for dragons is a vibrant celebration, filled with dancing, merriment, and bursts of colorful confetti. Things go awry, however, when his guests are accidentally served spicy salsa. This hilarious mishap leads to the show’s climax, complete with special effects including theatrical fog, smoke, and flashing lights. But never fear – Dragons Love Tacos is a kid-friendly performance, so everything turns out alright in the end.
Dragons Love Tacos Runs Through Aug 4 at Virginia Rep Center
Virginia Rep’s production is a dynamic adaptation of the book with numerous creative flourishes. Impressively, for nearly all of the 45-minute show, only one character – Man in Suit (played by Colby LeRoy) – has a speaking role. The other actors convey a range of emotions, behaviors, and intentions relying solely on movement and facial expressions, with the help of some clever sound effects. The central lesson voiced by Man in Suit throughout the performance is, “With a little drive and determination, amazing things can happen!” We see several instances where the boy perseveres in overcoming a challenge, whether it’s facing his fears or solving his homework. While this lesson was created for the stage production and isn’t reflected in the book, I felt it was a nice way to add an educational message to the story.
Kids Love the Upbeat Music, LOL Moments, and Audience Interaction
Though not a musical, the show features a lot of fun original music, often accompanied by spirited dance performances from the dragons. The musical numbers keep the story moving and are great at keeping the littlest audience members engaged. At multiple points, my six-year-old was even bouncing to the beat in her seat.
There are plenty of silly sound effects, like when the dragons’ ears smoke and when sparks come out of their noses. There are also laugh-out-loud moments that get kids giggling, like when Man in Suit tries to reveal his “next mind-blowing, earth-shattering titillating secret” about dragons and keeps getting interrupted by his phone. While the comedy is mainly geared toward children, there are definitely moments where parents and grandparents can laugh along.
For my group, the audience interaction was a highlight. Many times, Man in Suit throws a question out to the crowd and expects a response. When he asked, “Do you know what dragons love to eat?,” there was a resounding chorus of, “Tacos!” There’s also a lively musical performance about the toppings dragons love and the kids shout out tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream! The audience interaction continues even after curtain call. In the lobby after the show, children can meet cast members and have their programs autographed.
How to Enjoy Dragons Love Tacos with Kids
While having prior knowledge of a book is always nice when seeing its stage adaptation, it wasn’t necessary here. Dragons Love Tacos is a fun story easily understood by children. Since we did read the picture book before seeing the show, my six-year-old enjoyed pointing out the differences she noticed in the stage version, like the dog being white in the book but brown in the play.
Per the Virginia Rep website, Dragons Love Tacos is most appreciated by ages four and up. Based on the lively performances and the imaginative storytelling, I think most three-year-olds would love the show as well. Tip: The theater offers booster seats for any child who wants one.
Dragons Love Tacos, written by Ernie Nolan with music by Chris LaPorte, and directed by Kära Ernst-Schalk, runs through August 4, 2024, at Virginia Rep Center’s Jessie Bogese Theatre. For tickets and showtimes, visit VirginiaRep.com.
