Can you sing at the same time in more than one key? Duets by Rossini and waltzes by Strauss?
And can you (as cats do) begin with a ‘c’? That always triumphantly brings down the house!
A principal-singing cat, we come at you next with Emily Garner in our full-cast series “Jellicles Can and Jellicles Do”, featuring the 27 performers in Tidewater Players’ production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.
Thank you so much for giving us some of your time! Tell us who you are and who you’re playing in this production of Cats!
Emily Garner: My name is Emily Garner— no ‘D’… people always put a ‘D’ but there’s no ‘D’. I play Jellylorum, who also has no ‘D’.
Oh Jellylorum!
Emily: Have you heard of her?
Yes, at least, I think I have. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve seen a production of Cats. Actually, I’ve only ever seen Cats live twice. Once when Bambi Johnson directed it six years ago and once right before the world-pausing Pandemic when it was on tour, coming through Baltimore’s Hippodrome.
Emily: That’s cool.
What is it that is super exciting for you about being in a production of Cats?
Emily: I have never been in a Broadway-style show before, because I was mostly a ballet dancer. I always wanted to do it. And when I saw Cats, I think I’ve only seen it live once, and of course when I saw it on TV— and NOT the movie— but I remember feeling that if I was ever going to do a show— that was the show I should do because I’m a dancer person and it has a lot of dancing. It’s really exciting. A friend of mine told me about the audition the night before. I didn’t have time to think about it, which was good. I’m just excited to be doing it. Period.
What does it mean to you to be a Jellicle Cat?
Emily: I think it’s being your true self. Because they have three names; the one name is like the everyday name but then you get to the deeper layers of their real name— that they never tell anybody about. I think all of us have this identity that you only share with a select few people or maybe that you keep completely secret and just to yourself.
We learn that all cats have three names. Jellylorum is your cat’s ‘more dignified name’ and while we can never know the ‘secret name’ that she calls herself, what do you think her ‘family daily use’ name is? What are the humans calling her every day?
Emily: Fun fact: Jellylorum was reportedly T.S. Eliot’s own cat’s name. I think her everyday name might be Lillie, as T.S. Eliot calls her a lilliecat in a letter to his godson, or Maggie— she reminds me somewhat of Maggie Smith in Harry Potter— always busy, always taking care of her charges, but with a twinkle in her eye.
Do you have any cats?
Emily: I do actually have one cat. And her name is Lulu. Although I’ve been calling her Jelly because— well, I’m playing Jellylorum. And also because she’s quite fat. That isn’t really her secret identity— I actually want to call her Bustopher but Bustopher’s a boy, so it’s been fun calling her Jelly.
What kind of cat is she?
Emily: You know? I don’t know. My next-door neighbor found her behind a dumpster at a Red Robin. And they had too many pets and I had always wanted a cat because I grew up with cats. And we also had a dog. So there was a whole thing where the neighbor came home, and she went to my husband when I wasn’t home, and she said “what do you think?” And…well…how do you say no to that? So now we have a cat.
What has been your big, personal, joyous takeaway from being a part of Cats so far?
Emily: You used the word joy and I think that’s it. It’s so much fun just to be here and to meet all these new people. I had no idea that there was such a vibrant theatre community. I live down in Parkville. It’s just so joyful. And it’s a wonderfully supportive, lovely cast. It’s not like stereotypical community theatre drama. It really has just been so much fun.
If you had to use just one word to sum up the Cats experience, what word would you use?
Emily: I think joy.
Cats plays September 16th 2022 through September 25th 2022 with Tidewater Players, in residence at the Cultural Center at The Havre de Grace Opera House— 121 N. Union Street in historic downtown Havre de Grace, MD. For tickets call the box office at 667-225-8433 or purchase them online.
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