CATS is a record breaking sung-through British musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The haunting and ever popular song ‘Memory’ sung by Grizabella is featured and is a fan favourite.
The original production of CATS played for 18 years on Broadway and the West End, becoming the longest running musical in history and breaking box-office records around the world. In recent years, CATS has enjoyed revival productions which continue to play to sold out audiences in London and New York.
Now, the Albury Wodonga Theatre Company (AWTCo) is bringing the magic of CATS to the Border for the first time from 5-13 October 2018 at the Albury Entertainment Centre.
Complete with the extravagant CATS costumes and the recognisable junk yard set which has been purposely built by the members of AWTCo, this show will not disappoint.
Rehearsals are in full swing with a talented line-up of local performers who are all transforming into their Cat persona’s. Such as Lauren Schmutter who plays the role of the ‘Glamour Cat’ Grizabella, Jason Parker will transform into the rogue Rum Tum Tugger and John Parry will don white spats to play the distinguished Bustopher Jones.
Tim McLaren is excited to be Directing his first show with the Albury Wodonga Theatre Company after spending many years Directing full scale musicals in Tasmania. The Orchestra is being conducted by local Musical Director, Damien Jones who is the Artistic Director at the Murray Conservatorium. And local Choreographer, Susan Vaccaro has worked tirelessly with the cast to perfect the cat mannerisms and signature moves of each number.
CATS is set on the one special night of the year when the tribe of Jellicle Cats reunites to celebrate who they are. They emerge singing of their unique abilities and special traits. The cats are at first suspicious and proud, reluctant to allow an audience into their domain.
As they wait for their leader, one by one we are introduced to the many more characters that make up the Jellicle Cats, including Jennyanydots, The Old Gumbie Cat, who sleeps and lounges all day long; The Rum Tum Tugger, a playful prankster that the female cats find extremely attractive, Bustopher Jones, a large “twenty five pounder”, always clad in signature white spats, and Grizabella, The Glamour Cat, who is shunned by the rest of the tribe despite being a Jellicle Cat.
At last the time has come for Old Deuteronomy to make the Jellicle Choice and decide which cat will be reborn into a new Jellicle life. At that moment, Grizabella reappears. She recalls her “Memory” of how things used to be, when she knew what happiness was, before she was shunned.
Will she finally be accepted back into the Jellicle Cats, and who will be chosen by Old Deuteronomy to ascend to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn?
Details and tickets: https://alburyentertainmentcentre.com.au/whatson/cats-the-musical
