Grown-ups need holiday fun too, and a new show by Rock Bottom and Citadel + Compagnie aims to offer a combination of artistic excellence and whimsical delights. Sex Dalmatian’s Hot Holiday Spectacular takes place from December 17 to 21 at Ada Slaight Hall at Daniels Spectrum.
The world premiere dance-theatre work is choreographed by Dora Award-winning Alyssa Martin, Artistic Director of Rock Bottom, with original music by Benjamin Shapiro (glutenhead), and a cast of 15 dancers drawn from Citadel + Compagnie in association with Rock Bottom Movement.
Contemporary dance, musical and theatrical mayhem come together in the envelope-pushing work, which incorporates a ranges of styles and a story shot through with humour.
Sex Dalmation
The original Sex Dalmation story tackled the wellness industry, the heartbreak industry, and the inside of our brains through a tale of twisted love. It premiered in February 2023 in Peterborough, with subsequent performances in Toronto, Calgary, and St. John’s, Newfoundland. The production won the Dora Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, Outstanding Original Choreography, and Outstanding Production in 2023.
This year’s version is a completely new show, a kind of spin-off prequel of the original story that depicted the torturous love between Sex Dalmation, a woman dog who is… complicated, and a skinless rat by the name of Mr. Mary Michael Meeks.
In the new story, the Mayor of Sex Dalmatian’s Brain gives her a chance to revisit the past, showing her the origins of her tangled affair with Mr. Meeks, who is also her arch-nemesis.
As it turns out, Sex Dalmation was set to live a conventional lifestyle with Human Boy — up until Mr. Meeks came into the picture, and put a monkey wrench into her plans. Chaos ensues. It’s a holiday fever dream nightmare as Sex Dalmation, Human Boy, and Mr. Meeks, along with a parade of quirky characters, dive into the origin story.
It’s glam, it’s naughty, it’s audacious — and more than a little crazy. You can check out the trailer here.
The Show
Sex Dalmatian’s Hot Holiday Spectacular is the second major production of Citadel LIVE 2025-26 that will take the stage at at Ada Slaight Hall. The show is rated PG13, with a content warning that includes coarse language and sexual innuendo.
The show’s credits include:
- Choreography by Alyssa Martin
- Original music composed by Benjamin Shapiro
- Performers: Morgyn Aronyk-Schell, Drew Berry, Brayden Cairns, Juliette Coleman, Miyeko Ferguson, Sam Grist, Spencer Hack, Steph Harkness, Laurence Lemieux, Sully Malaeb Proulx, Connor Mitton, Sierra Chin Sawdy, Natasha Poon Woo, Claire Whitaker, Carleen Zouboules
Shows take place December 17 – 21, 2025 (Wednesday December 17 through Saturday December 20 at 8 p.m.; Sunday December 21 at 3 p.m.)
- Tickets and show details available [HERE].
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