Dora sets sail for Spokane

Dora the Explorer, an intrepid Latina cartoon character, will set sail alongside her larger-than-life animal pals in a pair of upcoming live musical performances in Spokane.

“Dora’s Pirate Adventure” shoves off when a pair of pirate piggies gets its hooves on Dora’s secret treasure chest.

Boots, a monkey who excels at acrobatics; Isa, a giant green iguana; Tico, a Spanish-speaking purple squirrel; and Swiper the Fox jump into the story, too.

The 80-minute show, set on Treasure Island, unfolds in a fashion familiar to preschool-age fans of Dora’s popular TV series, seen on the Nick Jr. network.

“It’s a very interactive show,” says Valerie Santiago, a 27-year-old actress of Puerto Rican heritage who grew up in Brooklyn and plays Dora on stage.

“I’m always asking questions of the audience and the kids really believe that Dora can’t get through her obstacles without them,” Santiago said in a recent telephone interview

Expect your little ones to laugh, dance, sing and learn a few words of Spanish along the way during the shows at the INB Performing Arts Center, formerly Spokane Opera House.

Santiago said they’ll also be enthralled by bright sets and dramatic lighting, created in part by fog machines and strobes.

“It’s a beautiful set, very vivid in color and it looks like a cartoon on stage. You’ll see Dora’s beach set, a rainforest set and a big pirate ship with a wave in front that moves so it looks like we’re sailing,” she said.

The show moves to a festive Latin beat and celebrates Latino culture.

Sonya Baratta, a local mother who was born in Korea and adopted into a Polish-American family, said she likes the positive light Dora casts on cultural diversity.

Her children, 6-year-old Portia and 4-year-old Zane, come away eager to speak more Spanish, she said.

“They ask me questions, like: ‘What does buenos dias mean?’ I spent a little time in Spain and I try to teach them some of the elementary words they can catch onto. I want them to understand it,” she said.

Santiago said she loves tapping into her roots for the tour, which travels to the United Kingdom after wrapping up its U.S. sweep this summer.

“There’s never been a cartoon show with a Latin character. I feel really honored to play Dora and share my heritage with other people. It hits close to home for me,” she said.