Music Theater Works: CATS
The cast of CATS
Music Theater Works Presents CATS Review - Cat Ears Welcome
TLDR: Music Theater Works’ take on CATS is sure to please this musical’s long time fans and cat lovers alike. The cats come out to play as the ensemble embodies the cats from their unique costumes down to their feline-esque movements all paired with show-stopping dance numbers.
Alex Iacobucci as “Pouncival”, Mikala Curless as “Victoria” and Nick Johnson as “Mr. Mistoffelees/Munkustrap” in CATS
Cats Come Out To Play
Everything in this living room set is oversized from the five foot library books to the floor to ceiling lamp. The giant TV flickers on as we take our seats. We flip through a show about cats in Egypt, watch a predator cat hunt in a nature documentary, and finally settle on a variety show audition where cats do the most amazing feats. We’re already seeing through this set (designed by Milo Bue) that we’re shrunken down to a cat’s perspective. And as the orchestra cues up the opening number, throughout the darkened theater, dark shadows move from behind us into the aisles.
The only thing we see from these shadows is a pair of glowing eyes. It’s the night of the Jellicle Ball where our ensemble of cats has gathered in this living room for a night of celebrating. The cast use every inch of the stage as their playground, from moving the stairs to make a platform, to knocking things off of flat surfaces for pure enjoyment. They even jump throughout the audience, sometimes perching in front of a few audience seats and turn for quick meow before hitting their cue in the next song.
Every member of the cast is clad in a unique fur jumpsuit and wig (kClare McKellaston and Megan E. Pirtle) and we see each of their individual personalities come through. They move slinkily across the stage and we’re in their world with them fully believing their cat-like movements. Everything works together to create this world of CATS.
The Dancing is the Thing
Each time we’re introduced to a cat, we get them for a whole song and dance number. Their songs cross genres as we get everything from pop, to rock, to do-wop and all we have to do is sit back in awe and watch the spectacle.
Jennyanydots played by Morgan Schoeneckeris is in a luxe fur coat and feather in her hair giving us a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet vibe. After a quick cat nap, she’s joined by her chorus of cockroaches and tap dance together as Jenny rules over the house.
Ethan Lupp as Rum Tum Tugger goes full 80s glam rock as he climbs and jumps off every stair railing and wails on his air guitar with vocals to match.
Nick Johnson has a lofty performance in front of him as he plays both the Narrator Munkustrap and the magical Mr. Mistoffelees for this night’s performance. He moves through both of them with ease, capturing our attention with a grand maestro’s presence as he introduces each cat. He then becomes the magical cat able to not only bring the cuddly Old Deuteronomy back with a wave of his magic wand but leaps six feet in the air while also doing the splits.
After her powerful performance in Jekyll and Hyde, it’s no wonder we find Ava Lane Stovall up to the task of delivering the musical’s most gorgeous number as Grizabella. Her rendition of “Memories” will send chills down your spine as you feel her pain in her isolation as she belts out the song.
Not only do we get a variety of dances celebrating genres across the decades, but we’re treated to an array of acrobatics as well from aerial performances to roller skating, to trampoline jumps. This production of CATS is made to be pure entertainment and leave everyone more cheerful than when they walked in.
Sterling Ford as “Macavity/Plato” and the cast of CATS
The After Party Thoughts
The feeling I got from this show is the director sat down and said we’ve had so many versions and adaptations of CATS in recent years, let’s take it back to basics. Let’s take CATS back to its roots of being a fun show about cats being cats with lots of dance numbers. So for those that are looking for the next out of the box adaptation, this might not be the version for you. But for those that love this musical and want those showstopping dance numbers and a night of family-friendly fun, Music Theater Works’ productions of CATS would be the right fit for you.
RECOMMENDED
CAST
Ava Lane Stovall (Grizabella)
Sam Nachison (Old Deuteronomy)
Nick Johnson (Mr. Mistoffelees / U/S Munkustrap)
Ethan Lupp (Rum Tum Tugger)
Daniel Hurst (Munkustrap)
Sterling Ford (Macavity / Plato / Rumpus)
Molly Bremer (Jellylorum)
John Cardone (Bustopher Jones / Asparagus)
Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor (Demeter)
Jaxson Smith (U/S Tumblebrutus / Pouncival / Alonzo / Coricopat)
Danny Spagnuolo (Skimbleshanks)
Emma Jean Eastlund (Bombalurina)
Morgan Schoenecker (Jennyanydots)
Alex Villaseñor (Mungojerrie, Fight Captain)
Madison Jaffe-Richter (Rumpleteazer)
Irene Lo (Sillabub / U/S Victoria)
Tola Abitogun (Tumblebrutus / U/S Skimbleshanks / Mungojerrie)
Mikala Curless (Victoria)
Kristin Brintnall (Off-Stage Chorus Soprano / U/S Grizabella)
J’Nae Howard (Electra)
Ciara Jarvis (Tantomile / U/S Demeter)
Albert Johnston (Coricopat / U/S Rum Tum Tugger)
Mia Hilt (Cassandra / U/S Rumpleteazer)
Emily Ann Brooks (Carbuckety / U/S Jennyanydots / Jellylorum, Dance Captain)
Alex Iacobucci (Pouncival / U/S Macavity / Plato, Circus Captain)
Whitney Turner (Exotica / U/S Bombalurina / Sillabub)
Raymond Cam Truong (Alonzo / U/S Mr. Mistoffelees)
Rachael Dec (Off-Stage Chorus Alto / U/S Exotica / Carbuckety / Cassandra / Tantomile / Electra)
Andrew John Baker (Off-Stage Chorus Tenor)
Jake Elkins (Off-Stage Chorus Bass / U/S Deuteronomy / Bustopher Jones / Gus)
J'Nae Howard as “Electra”, Alex Villaseñor as “Mungojerrie”,” Sam Nachison as “Old Deuteronomy,” Madison Jaffe-Richter as “Rumpleteazer” and Tola Abitogun as “Tumblebrutus” in CATS
CREATIVE
Mandy Modic (Director / Choreographer)
Linda Madonia (Music Director)
Alina Lowenstein (Assistant Music Director)
Jordan Beyeler (Assistant Choreographer)
Danielle H. Gennaoui (Circus Arts Choreographer)
Jay Donley (Violence Choreographer)
Amber Wuttke (Intimacy Choreographer)
Kathy Logelin (Dialect Coach)
Rachel Rock (Stage Manager)
Sophie Harris (Assistant Stage Manager)
Milo Bue (Scenic Designer)
Nga Sze Chan (Props Designer)
kClare McKellaston (Costume Designer)
Kristen Brinati (Wardrobe Head)
Megan E. Pirtle (Hair, Wig and Makeup Designer)
Melanie Saso (Hair, Wig and Makeup Lead)
Adam Jezl-Sikorski (Lighting Designer)
Jackson Mikkelsen (Head Electrician & Light Board Programmer)
Anthony Churchill (Media Designer)
Kenny Foster (Media Technician)
Matt Reich (Sound Designer)
Forrest Gregor (Production Sound Engineer)
Ian Weber (Production Sound Engineer Cover)
Cody Kressmann (Load-In Supervisor)
Ben Lipinski (Scenic Charge)
Graham Pond (Great Lakes Scenic)
John Gruber (Chicago Flyhouse)
Jake Reich (NSCPA Technical Director)
Keely Vasquez (Casting Director)
Chris Chase (Production Manager)
Katie Meine (Company Manager)
Kyle Dougan-LeBlanc (Producing Artistic Director)