Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Etcetera

Jellicle Cats are white and black. Jellicle Cats are of moderate size. Jellicles jump like a jumping jack. Jellicle Cats have moonlit eyes. And they like to…dance. *hiss*

Whitney Russell at a rehearsal for Cats.

Thank you for giving us some of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play in this production, that would be wonderful.

Whitney Russell: My name is Whitney Russell and I play Etcetera.

Tell me a little bit about Etcetera.

Whitney: She is a mature cat. She is next in line, the cats kind of look up to her and she’s definitely not a kitten.

What has it been like being a part of this production of Cats so far?

Whitney: It’s been fun. I did it last time that Bambi did it. I was Exotica that time. It’s very fun to play a different character this time around.

Do you have any cats?

Whitney: No. I have a dog. My husband’s allergic to cats. So we have a dog. He’s called Alfred Pennyworth and is a Goldendoodle. He’s the biggest baby and snugglebug. He just wants you to love him all the time. He is our first baby!

What would you say has been your biggest learning lesson with this production of Cats?

Whitney: That I’m not physically where I was six years ago when we did it before so it has definitely been challenging.

What does it mean to you to be a Jellicle Cat?

Whitney: To be magical, I think.

We learn that all cats have three names. Etcetera 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?

Whitney: I would say…oh gosh, that’s tough, I hadn’t thought about that before. Queenie. I think she’s definitely a Queenie.

If you had to choose just one word to describe the Cats experience, what word would you choose?

Whitney: Jellicle? Magical? All-of-the-above.

Cats plays September 16^th 2022 through September 25^th 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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