Paramount Theatre: Cats Review
Anakin Jace White plays Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat
Paramount Theatre Presents CATS Review - Le Cirque de Chats
TLDR: Taking one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musicals, Cats, Paramount Theatre sets it in a circus world where each of the cats has their own headline act. It still captures the original feel as the costume and makeup design sputs actors in catsuits and full cat makeup. It’s a fun and over the top show many will love.
The cast of Paramount’s production of Cats
Come One, Come All, The Circus is in Town!
As the full moon with misty clouds fades away, a screen shows us the featured acts for the evening. We know we’re here for a circus, but tonight it's Le Cirque de Chats as it’s the night of the Jellicle Ball! Photos styled like old time-y circus posters pop up on a video screen introducing each of the cats performing this evening. We see familiar names like Magical Mister Mistoffelees, Rumpleteazer, and Old Deuteronomy pop up.
As the curtain rises, we’re immediately greeted by the sight of a circus big top with bright, flashing lights surrounding the stage. We see the big red and white striped draping of the tent to start and our eyes dart around from the trapeze bar hanging above the audience, to aerial silks, to the center ring. The moon is still visible through the top of the tent and one by one the cats all come out to play.
Singing and Dancing To Please All Theatre Lovers
Everything about Paramount’s production of Cats is an over the top spectacle from the set design, to the costumes, to the energy coming from the cast. The cast puts on a show stopping performance as they all sing and dance along with all kinds of acrobatics, aerial arts, and other circus tricks.
The opening act is electric with what seems like every cast member performing a circus trick all at once. Aerial silks drop from the ceiling and Kat Harvey and Ryan Huemmer climb up only to twirl down again wrapped in them. Kat Hoil plays Jennyanydots who does daring twists and turns on an aerial hoop high above the stage.
Then it’s time for some solo acts. First comes the amazing pipes of Donovan Hoffer kicking us off as Rum Tum Tugger. He saunters around the stage with a rock ‘n roll vibe donning a leather vest.
Grizabella played by Emily Rohm takes center stage bathed in moonlight and stares up at the trapeze where she once was a star before she became a shell of what she once was. She belts out “Memory” and we feel the longing in her voice.
Lorenzo Rush Jr. as Old Deuteronomy.feels like a combination of Dumbledore and Hagrid as he stands tall amongst the other cats looking up to him. He peers over his half moon spectacles and has a wizened and commanding presence and his voice soars throughout the theater.
And those who love musicals with big dance numbers are sure to be pleased as Cats puts the entire ensemble to work with many full cast numbers.
Circus artists Ryan Huemmer (Coricopat, left) and Kat Hoil (Jennyanydots)
Staying True to The Heart of the Show
While there are all these circus elements added to Cats, this production does stay faithful to the story and structure of the original work. We still get each of the cats performing their various numbers one by one. Paired with choreography by Kasey Alfonso, all the cast members move with agility and fluidity like you would expect from a cat.
The costume, wig, and makeup designs by Izumi Inaba and Katie Cordts create a uniform look for all the cats that make us believe they’re all part of this world. But as we look closer, we see each character has many design elements that make them all unique. Orange stripes for Rum Tum Tugger. Matching catsuits for Demeter and Bombalurina though each has a different color. Electric and spiky red for McCavity while Gus is dressed like a traditional clown.
The After Party Thoughts
To me Cats is always this strange concept of a show, but in my opinion the more out there you get with the setting and framing of it, the better it becomes. Otherwise the story is just being introduced to cats one by one in their annual gathering under the full moon. With director Trent Stork’s circus vision, it makes Cats pop so much more. We get more than just songs introducing each of the cats, each one also gets a circus act and we’re never bored for a second.
I’m still shaking my head in disbelief as I write this because the cast truly has some incredible athletic skills to be able to not only perform the regular musical demands of singing and dancing, but add all these circus and cat-like movements on top of that and it truly is an amazing feat.
Paramount’s production of Cats is astounding with the amount of all around talent this cast has. It’s a fun twist on the original musical that will have everyone in the audience enraptured by the spectacle. If you’re a fan of Cats or just love new takes on classic works, this production would be a good fit for you.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
When
Now through June 15, 2025
Where
Paramount Theatre
23 E Galena Blvd
Aurora, IL 60506
Runtime: 2hrs 30min, including an intermission
Tickets
$28+
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office 630-896-6666 or through the Paramount Theatre website
Photos
Brett Beiner Photography
The cast of Cats
CAST
Emily Rohm (Grizabella)
Lorenzo Rush Jr. (Old Deuteronomy)
Gene Weygandt (Asparagus/Bustopher Jones/Peter)
Jake DiMaggio Lopez (Munkustrap)
Donovan Hoffer (Rum Tum Tugger)
Tiffany Topol (Bombalurina)
Alexandra Palkovic (Demeter)
Allison Sill (Jellylorum)
Christopher Kelley (Mistoffelees)
Anakin Jace White (Skimbleshanks)
Matthew Millin (Tumblebrutus)
Dani Goldberg (Rumpleteazer)
Kara Brody (Victoria)
Kat Hoil (Jennyanydots)
Emma Ogea (Sillabub)
Brian Bandura (Carbuckety)
Matty Bettencourt (Pouncival)
Liam Bradley (Admetus)
Sophie Liu David (Etcetera)
Shaun Dennison White (George)
Evan C. Dolan (Alonzo)
Kat Harvey (Tantomile)
Joe Giovannetti (The Cats Chorus)
Ryan Huemmer (Coricopat)
Brian Hupp (The Cats Chorus)
Hayley Larson (Electra)
Michael Lunder (Mungojerrie)
Emilie Lynn (The Cats Chorus)
Selena Robinson (Cassandra)
Emily Scinto (Exotica)
Nellie Shuford (The Cats Chorus)
Matthew Weidenbener (Macavity/Plato)
CREATIVE
Trent Stork (Director)
Kasey Alfonso (Choreographer)
Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (Circus Choreographer)
Amanda Crockett (Clown Consultant and Associate Circus Choreographer)
Kory Danielson (Music Director, Conductor)
Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Designer)
Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer)
Greg Hofmann (Lighting Designer)
Adam Rosenthal (Sound Designer)
Paul Deziel (Projection Designer)
Katie Cordts (Wig, Hair and Makeup Designer)
Ivy Thomas (Properties Designer)
Benjamin Barnes (Illusion Consultant)
Max Fabian (Fight, Stunt & Intimacy Director)
Ethan Deppe (Electronic Music Designer)
Susan Gosdick (Dialect Coach)
Tracy Nunnally (Flight Director)
Devon Hayakawa (Associate Director)
Kara Brody (Associate Choreographer)
Kevin Reeks (Associate Music Director)
Cameron Tragesser (Associate Conductor)
Amber R. Dettmers (Stage Manager)
Natalie Cohen (Assistant Stage Manager)
Lanita VanderSchaaf (Assistant Stage Manager)