Cats, Now and Forever! Do you need to see Cats? Yes. You do. You need to see a professional production of Cats in person in a live theatre. It was a terrible movie. Watching a video of the original Broadway show is underwhelming. However, when you are in a live theatre and you witness these triple threat performers working their asses off for you, it is amazing.
With Cats some say one rule is true: get your tickets for Tidewater Playersâ production this fall. It is like no other production of Cats ever seen or that will ever be seen. The stunning immersive world of T.S. Eliot and Andrew Lloyd Webber come swirling together in a mystical, magical, Jellicle production directed and choreographed by Bambi Johnson with musical direction by Chris Rose. There are singing cats, there are dancing cats,
Turn your face to the moonlightâŚlet your memory lead youâŚin a fitting finale for our feline features with the Tidewater Playersâ cast of Cats, we finally get to feel the mind of the glamour cat. Meow.
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! Please tell us who you are and who you play!
Ariel Chaillou: I am Ariel Chaillou and I play Grizabella.
Tell me about Grizabella!
For he was once a star of the highest degree… as we wind down to our last two felines remainingâŚare you ready to meet Asparagus? Or might you better know him asâŚGus? MEOW!
Thank you for taking a moment of your time to talk with us, could you tell us who you are and who you play?
Mark Briner: My name is Mark Briner, you know that. Donât I write for you?
Oh well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever? You might even call this catâŚMeow-gical! Hehe. MEOW!
Thank you for giving us a few moments of your time! Please tell me who you are and who you play?
Sammi Flickinger: My name is Sammi Flickinger and I play Mr. Mistoffelees.
What is it like getting to play Mr. Mistoffeles?
Sammi: Itâs really fun! I donât usually get chances like this;
Heâs the bafflement of Scotland Yard, The Flying Squadâs despair. For when they reach the scene of crimeâŚMacavityâs not there! Macavity! Macavity! But also the railway cat? Meow-meow? Double trouble with this feline feature!
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time, if you could tell us who you are and who you play that would be a great place to start!
Stanley Evans: Iâm Stanley Evans. I play Skimbleshanks and Macavity.
Spry as a kitten, sage as Old Deuteronomy, with talents and graces and kindness and joyâŚone could hardly wait to hear the words of the Director, the magical, Jellicle, Bambi Johnson-cat! We’ll call her… Bastet… mother and goddess of cats! MEOW!
Thank you so much for giving us some of your rehearsal time and all of your actors to participate in this series. We are just so excited to do this with you!
And his numerous progeny prospers and thrives, and the village is proud of him in his decline. Ancient and wise and the leader of the JelliclesâŚhe took a little more time to get to you because heâs lived so very, very long⌠Meow.
Thank you for giving us some of your time, if you would tell us who you are and who you play, that would be great!
Bob Sullivan: Iâm Bob Sullivan and I play Old Deuteronomy.
Practical cats. Dramatical cats. Pragmatical cats. Fanatical cats. Purr? Mrow.
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play, that would be lovely.
Vera Roell: My name is Vera Roell and I play Exotica.
Tell me a little bit about Exotica.
Vera: The thing with Exotica is that sheâs one of the more ensemble cats.
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 toâŚdance. *hiss*
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.
In the whole of St. Jamesâ the smartest of names is the name of this Brummel of cats. And weâre all of proud to be nodded or bowed to by the cat about town in white spats! Me-ow!
Thank you for a few moments of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play in this production of Cats that would be great!
Wayne Ivusich: My name is Wayne Ivusich and I am portraying Bustopher Jones.
With a smokey belt, she purrs it outâŚthat fiendish song about Macavity (whoâs not there!) Yes, the feline feature weâve all been waiting forâŚmiss bombastic, miss dance-n-singâŚwellâŚyou know. Meow!
Thank you so much for giving us a moment of your time! Tell us who you are and who you play in Cats.
Lindsey McCumber: My name is Lindsey McCumber and I play Bombalurina.
Tell us about Bombalurina.
Can you ride on a broomstick to places far distant? Are you familiar with bell, candle, and book? Who better than to âknow the bookâ than the someone from the directing team? Purrpurr.
Thank you so much for giving us some of your time! Tell us who you are and how you got involved with this production of Cats.
Becky Flickinger: Iâm Becky Flickinger and my role with this production is the assistant director and Tidewater Liasson/Production Manager.
Do you tap like a beetle when dancing on paws? Do you sing narrations and ballads and songs? Are you Jellicle now and Jellicle hence and Jellicle before and Jellicle after? Meow�
Thank you for giving us some of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who youâre playing that would be great!
Rob Tucker: Iâm Rob Tucker and Iâm playing Quaxo. And also Iâm the Rumpus Cat.
Wonât you come home, Bill Bailey? Could it be that the 1902 song standard provided the âevery dayâ inspiration for T.S. Eliot when it came to naming this Jellicle Cat? Perhaps. Sometimes called Tumblebrutus (okay, on Broadway called Tumblebrutus, and in other countries sometimes called Smokkate!), this feisty young kitten is our next featured feline!
Thank you so much for giving us some of your time! Tell us who you are and who you play and weâll get things going right away!
Are you mean like a minx? Are you lean like a lynx? Are you keen to be seen when smelling a rat? Todayâs feline is quite electric, no? Purr!
Thank you so much for giving us a moment of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play that would be a great start!
Bambi Alcalde: Iâm Bambi Alcalde and I play Electra!
Tell me about Electra.
When you fall on your head do you land on your feet? Are you tense when you sense thereâs a storm in the air? Which Jellicle Cat will you meet todayâ not Macavityâ heâs not there. Swish.
Thank you so much for giving us a moment of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play, weâll get things underway!
Sam Ranocchia: Iâm Sam Ranocchia and for this show Iâm playing Victor.
But when the dayâs hustle and bustle is doneâŚthen the Gumbie Catâs work is but hardly begun! Are you ready to meet our resident Gumbie Cat? Meeow!
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! Could you tell us who you are and who youâre playing in this production?
Amy Tucker: Iâm Amy Tucker and I play Jennyanydots.
Ooh. Do tell about Miss Jennyanydots!
Amy: So Jennyanydots is also known as the Gumbie Cat.
A sensible, everyday name for a catâŚdepending on where in the world you are atâŚcould be perhaps⌠Jubalong⌠Cattivo⌠and Sambal⌠or perhaps something a little more adult, and a little more tomcat like. Something with bravado but not too certainâŚmeow?
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! Can you tell us who you are and which cat you play?
Stanton Zacker: Iâm Stanton Zacker and I play Alonzo.
Fancier but still sensibleâŚa cat who sings about other catsâŚa cat who dances with other catsâŚcan you guess which feline is featured today. Hiss!
Thank you for a few moments of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you are playing, that would be just fine!
Erin McArthur: Iâm Erinâ thereâs two of usâ so Iâm Erin McArthur. I play Demeter.
Tell me a little bit about Demeter.
Are you blind when youâre born? Can you see in the dark? Dare you look at a king? Would you sit on his throne? Leader of the packâŚperhaps even the son of Old Deuteronomy? In charge of all the JelliclesâŚbecause Jellicles can and Jellicles doâŚMROW.
Thank you so much for a few moments of your time! Can you tell us who you are and who you are playing here in Cats?
And when you hear a dining room smash or up from the pantry there comes a loud crash.
Or down from the library there comes a loud ping from a vase that was commonly said to be Ming.
Then family will say: âNow which was which cat?â It wasnât Mungojerrie (we saw him yesterday!) but rather Rumpleteazer! Meow. CRASH.
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time!
If the drawers are pulled out from the bedroom chests and you canât find one of your winter vests! If after supper, one of the girls, suddenly misses her Woolworth pearlsâŚthe family will say âitâs that horrible cat!â But was itâŚMungojerrie? OrâŚRumpleteazer? Hmm.
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! Please tell us who you play and who you are!
Benjamin Marsh: My name is Benjamin Marsh and I play Mungojerrie,
Jellicle Cats are roly-poly! They know how to dance a gavotte and a jig! Can you guess which prima ballerina cat weâre about to speak with? Meow!
Thank you for giving us a moment of your time; tell us who you are and who you play!
Katelyn OâConnor: Iâm Katelyn OâConnor and I play Victoria.
Tell me a little bit about Victoria.
Katelyn: Sheâs kind of one of the young cats who is just getting into the group.
Jellicle Cats meet once a year at the Jellicle Ball where we all rejoice! A very special Jellicle Cat joins in the rank of these fantastically talented feline performers, giving us their take on being involved with Tidewater Playersâ production of Cats. (For those of you frantically scanning your script trying to find Euterpeco… like Macavity, he’s not there. We’ve made this name up especially for the show’s Musical Director, as Euterpe is the Greek Muse of music.)Â
Thank you for giving us some of your time!
Jellicle CatsâŚthey like to practice their air and graces! And wait for the Jellicle Moon to rise! Be prepared to meet one of the dancer cats in this âJellicles Can and Jellicles Doâ interview.
Thank you for giving us a few moments of your timeâ tell us who you are and who youâre playing in this production of Cats.
Samantha Jednorski: Iâm Samantha Jednorski and I play Cassandra.
âLike the sunflower, I learn to turn my face to the dawn. I am waiting, for the day.â ~Sillabub.
âGrowltiger had no eye or ear for aught but Griddlebone, and the Lady seemed enraptured by his manly baritone.â ~Growltigerâs Last Stand.
While the musical number may or may not be included in this current production of Cats (thatâs all on ALW and the licensing folk) Griddlebone the Cat as well as Sillabub the cat are both cats who are still a part of Cats.
We can balance on barsâŚwe can walk on a wireâŚthe other half of the âpsychic twinsâ cats, is our dear, delightful Tantomile!
Thank you so very much for giving us a moment or two (or nine?) of your time! Tell us who you are and who you are playing!
Erin Acerno: My name is Erin Acerno and I play Tantomile.
Ooh. Tell me about Tantomile.
Erin: Well sheâs a very naĂŻve kitten.
Oratorical cats, Delphicoracle cats⌠okay, that last one might be some made up nonsense by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T.S. Eliot, but nevertheless, it sounds like the oracles at Delphi, which is appropriate as we meet Coricopatâ one half of the âpsychic twinâ cats who are often doing lift and spin dance routines.
Thank you so much for giving us a few moments of your time! Tell us who you are and which cat youâre playing.
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 âcâ? That always triumphantly brings down the house!
A principal-singing cat, we come at you next with Emily Garner in our full-cast series âJellicles Can and Jellicles Doâ, featuring the 27 performers in Tidewater Playersâ production of Andrew Lloyd Webberâs Cats.