CATS and their Jellical Ball come to Broadway San Diego
You know what happens when an award winning composer loves anobscure book of cat poems by T.S. Eliot? Well, if that composer is Andrew Lloyd Webber then next thing you knowyou create a hit musical named CATS that lasts well over two decades.
Photo Credit: Photo by Matthew Murphy
CATS captured the hearts and imaginations of people worldwide andthe most current touring revival has found a home at Broadway San Diego though April21st.
These footloose and fancy free felines dance and sing as they introducethemselves, and talk about their talents at the Jellicle Ball. This eventhappens once a year where they proclaim their pride at being Jellicle cats, andtheir disdain for those who are not one or has never heard of them before. Catsacting aloof and judgmental? Sounds right.
The ball opens with a dance by Victoria the White Cat (CaitlinBond), followed by the introduction of Jennyanydots (Emily JeannePhillips). She’s a cat who sleeps allday and then at night becomes the terror of mice and roaches everywhere; sheeven gets them all to tap dance.
Photo Credit: Photo by Matthew Murphy
Rum Tum Tugger (McGee Maddox) makes an extravagant entrance, fullof bravado and swagger making all of the kittens on stage sigh and melt (andfrom the sound of it, some people in the audience too). Petty burglar cats Mungojerrie (Tony d’Alelo)and Rumpleteazer (Rose Iannaccone) burst in with acrobatics and stolen loot.
There are many cats and they all have their stories to tell. All the musical introductions are all for one purpose; for Old Deuteronomy (Brandon Michael Nase) the most revered of the cats gets to decide which one of them gets to be reborn in the Heaviside Layer.
Alas, even haughty cat aristocracy has one outcast, and that’s Grizabellathe Glamour cat (Keri Rene Fuller). Nowold and not resembling the glamourous cat she was in her youth the other cats shunher at the festivities. (Prioritizing youthculture in the cat world is fierce)
Photo Credit: Photo by Matthew Murphy
Before the night is over the mischievous Macavity (Tyler JohnLogan) makes Old Deuteronomy disappear and they turn to the Magical MisterMistoffelees (Tion Gaston) to help him reappear through some phenomenal dancingand an astounding number of beautiful turns.
The entirety of the musical is sung, with songs ranging fromcomical, to more contemplative, to high energy. While some songs are morememorable than others it’s a sure bet that even if you’ve never seen this show beforeyou know the most famous song from this musical “Memory”” sung byGrizabella.
Fuller’s version of “Memory” is gorgeous, with her strong andemotive performance wowing the audience.
With updated choreography from Andy Blankenbuehler adding some moderntouches of hip hop and jazz, and a sharper sound design this tour has onlyimproved upon time.
Much like the animal, there are CATS people and there aren’t. It was created during what we can call Webber’s “experimentalperiod;” a moment in time where everything from the Bible, cats, and toy trainscan serve as inspiration for a show. EVITA and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR hadalready hit the stage when CATS debuted but PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and STARLIGHTEXPRESS had yet to make their debut. Youcan hear some of those influences in a few of the songs still. It’s the most noticeablelurking in the background of the song “Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat” there arehints of STARLIGHT EXPRESS (the musical about trains that premiered right after thisone in the 1980’s).
Set in a junkyard (scenic design by John Napier) and gorgeous lighting(by Natsha Katz) give the perfect place for the cats to play. Though I did keep waiting for any of the catsto be distracted by the moving lights and start chasing one – is that reallytoo much to ask?
CATS is playing through April 21st at Broadway SanDiego. For ticket and show timeinformation go to www.broadwaysd.com