| Cats | |
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| Music | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
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| Lyrics | T. S. Eliot Trevor Nunn |
| Book | Andrew Lloyd Webber Trevor Nunn Gillian Lynne |
| Based upon | Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot |
| Productions | 1980 Concert 1981 West End 1982 Broadway 1983 Budapest 1998 video version 2002 UK tour 2003 US tour 2005 Russia 2007 Tokyo 2007 Budapest 2008 National Tour |
| Awards | Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Olivier Award for Choreography Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award for Best Book Tony Award for Best Original Score |
Cats is an award-winning musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber Thomas Stearns Eliot, OM (September 26 1888 – January 4 1965 was a poet Dramatist, and Literary critic. Trevor Robert Nunn CBE (born 14 January 1940) is an English theatre- and Film director. Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber Trevor Robert Nunn CBE (born 14 January 1940) is an English theatre- and Film director. Gillian Lynne CBE (b February 20 1926 Bromley, Kent, England is a British ballerina dancer actor theatre director, television director Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is a set of whimsical Poems by T Thomas Stearns Eliot, OM (September 26 1888 – January 4 1965 was a poet Dramatist, and Literary critic. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Cats is a 1998 direct-to- VHS film of the long-running West End production of Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber 's musical based The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A concert is a live Performance, usually of Music, before an Audience. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, The Laurence Olivier Award is regarded as the most prestigious award in British theatre and is presented in recognition of artistic achievement in London theatre This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical first awarded in 1949 The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of the spoken non-sung dialogue and storyline of a musical play The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the Composers and Lyricists of the best original score written for a musical Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is a set of whimsical Poems by T Thomas Stearns Eliot, OM (September 26 1888 – January 4 1965 was a poet Dramatist, and Literary critic. The show has been performed around the world in numerous productions and has been translated into more than 20 languages. [1]
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Production history
Cats was first shown in London's West End, at the New London Theatre, on May 11, 1981. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" The New London Theatre is a West End theatre located on the corners of Drury Lane and Parker Street in Covent Garden, in the London Borough of Camden Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 It was originally produced onstage by Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group. Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born) is a British Theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals The Really Useful Group (RUG is an international company set up in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was directed by Trevor Nunn, associate director and choreographer Gillian Lynne, designed by John Napier with lighting by David Hersey. Trevor Robert Nunn CBE (born 14 January 1940) is an English theatre- and Film director. Gillian Lynne CBE (b February 20 1926 Bromley, Kent, England is a British ballerina dancer actor theatre director, television director For other people with the same name see John Napier (disambiguation. David Hersey (born November 30, 1939) is a Lighting designer who has designed the lighting for over 250 plays, Musicals, Operas It played a total of 8,949 performances in London. Its final performance in London's West End was on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002, and broadcast on a large screen in Covent Garden to the delight of fans who could not acquire a ticket for the final performance. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Covent Garden (Pronunciation kɒvʌnt is a district in London, England, located on the easternmost parts of the City of Westminster and the southwest It held the record as the world's longest running musical until October 8, 2006, when it was surpassed by Les Misérables. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Les Misérables ( in French, le mize'ʁaːbl colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz, is a musical composed
The show made its debut on Broadway on October 7, 1982, at the Winter Garden Theatre with the same production team. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown- Manhattan. On June 19, 1997, Cats became the longest running musical in Broadway history with 6,138 performances. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar It played a total of 7,485 performances in New York. Its New York record was surpassed on January 9, 2006, by The Phantom of the Opera, which was also composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the book written by the French novelist Gaston Leroux Cats' final performance on Broadway was on September 10, 2000. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.
In 1998, Andrew Lloyd Webber produced a video version [2] of Cats, based upon the stage performance augmented for the medium of film, starring Elaine Paige, who originated the role of Grizabella in London; Ken Page, who originated Old Deuteronomy on Broadway; Sir John Mills as Gus; Michael Gruber as Munkustrap; John Partridge as The Rum Tum Tugger; and many other dancers and singers drawn largely from stage productions of the show. Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber Elaine Paige OBE (née Bickerstaff born 5 March 1948 is an English Singer and actress, best known for her work in Musical theatre Ken Page (born in January 20, 1954) is an American Singer and Actor from St Sir John Mills CBE (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 1908 &ndash 23 April 2005) was an English Michael Thomas Gruber is an actor born on November 1, 1964 in Cincinnati, Ohio. for others with the same name see John Partridge John Partridge (born July 24 1971 in Bury, England It was directed for film by David Mallet, with choreography and musical staging by the show's respected original creator Gillian Lynne in London's Adelphi Theatre, and was released on VHS and DVD, as well as broadcast on Television worldwide. David Mallet is a director particularly noted for his work on Music videos including David Bowie 's innovative " Ashes to Ashes " and Queen Gillian Lynne CBE (b February 20 1926 Bromley, Kent, England is a British ballerina dancer actor theatre director, television director The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster.
Detailed synopsis
Act One - When Cats are Maddened by the Midnight Dance
After the overture, the cats gather on stage and explain the Jellicle tribe and their purpose (Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats). The Jellicle cats, or simply the Jellicles, are a type of feline mentioned in T The cats then give details on how the different cats of the tribe are named (The Naming of Cats).
Munkustrap appears and introduces the first cat named Jennyanydots (The Old Gumbie Cat). Munkustrap is a Jellicle cat named in T S Eliot 's poem "The Naming of Cats" In the Musical play Cats, Jennyanydots is the old Gumbie cat who teaches the mice music crocheting and Tatting. She "sits and sits and sits" all day, while at night she rules over the mice and cockroaches, teaching various activities to them. Jennyanydots finishes, greets the other cats, but is interrupted. The music instantly changes, and The Rum Tum Tugger makes an extravagant entrance (The Rum Tum Tugger). Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T The Rum Tum Tugger is a tom with a wild mane and leopard spots on his chest. He is very fickle and unappeasable, "for he will do as he do do and there's no doing anything about it".
An old grey cat stumbles out and looks around. It is Grizabella. Grizabella is the "Glamour Cat" in the musical production Cats. All the cats back away and glare at her with resentment. The cats sing of her saddened, unfortunate state (Grizabella: The Glamour Cat). Grizabella leaves and the music becomes upbeat. Bustopher Jones, a fat cat in "a coat of fastidious black", appears (Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town). " Bustopher Jones The Cat About Town " is a poem from T Bustopher Jones is among the elite of the cats, belonging to many prestigious clubs.
At the end of Bustopher Jones' song, we hear a crash from the evil cat Macavity, and the cats run off the stage in fright. Macavity is a fictional character who is described in a poem in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, by T Distant giggling signals the entrance of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, two black and orange calico cats. "Mungojerrie" is a character in T S Eliot 's book "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" which was made into a Musical by Director David Mallet. Rumpleteazer (or Rumpelteazer) is a character in T S Eliot 's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber 's They are petty burglars, very mischievous, and enjoy causing trouble for human families (Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer).
Finally, the Jellicle Patriarch, Old Deuteronomy, shows up (Old Deuteronomy). Old Deuteronomy is a character in T S Eliot 's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and its musical adaptation Cats. He is a large old cat that “has lived many lives” and “buried nine wives (And more--I am tempted to say, ninety-nine)”. He is the one who will choose which Jellicle cat will go to the Heaviside layer.
In most productions, at this point, the cats perform a song (The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles) for Old Deuteronomy. It is a story about two dog tribes clashing in the street and subsequently being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat. The Great Rumpus Cat is a fictional cat from TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and from Andrew Lloyd Webber Immediately afterwards, the main celebration begins (The Jellicle Ball). After the Ball, Grizabella reappears, refusing to be left out of the festivities. Once again, she is shunned by the other cats, but that does not stop her from singing a short version of (Memory).
Act Two - Why Will the Summer Day Delay — When Will Time Flow Away?
Then comes another crash from the villanous Macavity. The cats scatter, but Old Deuteronomy calms them down by singing of “what happiness is” (The Moments of Happiness). Gus — short for Asparagus — shuffles forward (Gus: The Theatre Cat). He is the cat that once was a famous actor but now he is old and “suffers from palsy which makes his paws shake”. He is accompanied by Jellylorum, who tells of his exploits. Jellylorum is one of the characters from the musical Cats. She is generally a mature female role principally a vocalist Gus then remembers how he once played the infamous Growltiger, Terror of the Thames (Growltiger's Last Stand). He tells the story about the pirate's romance with Griddlebone and how he was overtaken by the Siamese and forced to walk the plank.
A sleeping cat in the corner (Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat) is Skimbleshanks, who is unofficially in charge of the railway train. Skimbleshanks is a Cat character in T S Eliot 's book of poetry Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and in Andrew Lloyd Webber He is very clever and very important because if he is gone “the train can’t start”.
With a third crash and an evil laugh (Macavity: The Mystery Cat), the "most wanted" cat, Macavity appears. He is a “master criminal” and never is found at the scene of the crime. He is a horrifying looking cat and a “villain” of the Jellicle Tribe. Macavity shows up and captures Old Deuteronomy. As the other cats try to follow him, Demeter and Bombalurina sing what they know about Macavity, as they have had some sort of past with him. When they are finished, Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy. When revealed by Demeter, he fights with Munkustrap. Demeter is a main character in Andrew Lloyd Webber 's Cats. Her name is given in "the Naming Of Cats"
The Rum Tum Tugger suggests that the cats find Mr. Mistoffelees (Magical Mr. Mr Mistoffelees (sometimes written as Mistoffolees) is a character in T Mistoffelees). Mr. Mistoffelees is black and small and can perform many feats of magic that no other cat can do. The magical cat succeeds in bringing back Old Deuteronomy. He is praised by all the cats. The Jellicle choice can now be made.
Old Deuteronomy sits down and Grizabella appears for the final time. Old Deuteronomy allows her to have a chance to address the cats. Her faded appearance and lonely disposition have little effect on her song (Memory). The appeal succeeds and she is chosen to be the one (Journey to the Heaviside Layer). A large tire (though it may be something else, i. e. , a huge paw, a chair festooned with ivy, a literal 'stairway to heaven', etc. ) rises up with Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella. Once at the top Grizabella finishes the journey herself. Old Deuteronomy gives his closing speech to the human audience (The Ad-dressing of Cats) and the show comes to a close.
Musical numbers
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Characters
Principal characters
These are primary vocal leads who usually appear in most productions. These descriptions are based on more recent versions of the show as they appear in London and European tours. Costumes and characterizations vary by place and time of production.
- Asparagus / Gus - The theatre cat. On stage the same actor usually plays Asparagus as a general chorus cat, and a younger version of Gus, up to the song "Gus the Theatre Cat," in which he portrays an older Gus, and Growltiger, then afterwards continues to play younger Gus, "Asparagus. " In the filmed version, Gus and Asparagus are two separate characters.
- Bombalurina - A saucy red female, often believed to be the leader of the female "queen" cats. Bombalurina is a Jellicle from Andrew Lloyd Webber 's Cats. She's a flirtatious red Queen with a white chest She is close friends with Demeter, and seems to have a thing for Rum Tum Tugger.
- Bustopher Jones - A fat cat, a "twenty-five pounder. " Bustopher Jones The Cat About Town " is a poem from T " Dresses in a snappy tuxedo and spats. Respected by all, as the upper class "St James' Street Cat. " In most productions, the actor playing Gus also plays Bustopher, though in early productions the part was handled by the actor playing Old Deuteronomy.
- Demeter - A very skittish female cat, and seemingly has some sort of relationship with Macavity, or did so in the past. Demeter is a main character in Andrew Lloyd Webber 's Cats. Her name is given in "the Naming Of Cats" She is close with Bombalurina.
- Grizabella - The former Glamour Cat who has lost her sparkle and now only wants to be accepted. Grizabella is the "Glamour Cat" in the musical production Cats. Grizabella left the tribe when she was younger to see the world for herself. In doing so she faced the harshness of the outside world.
- Griddlebone - A fluffy white Persian cat, and Growltiger's lover in "Growltiger's Last Stand," where she sings "The Ballad of Billy McCaw" or the mock Italian aria "In Una Tepida Notte" (depending on production) with Growltiger. Griddlebone is a cat character who appears in T S Eliot 's collection of poems Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and also the musical Cats Almost always played by the actress playing Jellylorum. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand," such as the video production.
- Growltiger - A theatrical character Gus recalls playing in his youth, and who appears in Gus' memory of the production of "Growltiger's Last Stand. " In some productions he is portrayed as a vicious pirate; in others he's more of a parody of a pirate. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand. "
- Jennyanydots - The old Gumbie cat. In the Musical play Cats, Jennyanydots is the old Gumbie cat who teaches the mice music crocheting and Tatting. She sits all day and rules the mice and cockroaches at night.
- Mr. Mistoffelees - A young tom with magical powers. Mr Mistoffelees (sometimes written as Mistoffolees) is a character in T His signature dance move is "The Conjuring Turn," which is approximately twenty-five spins on one foot. In UK and US productions, Mistoffelees has an alter-ego named Quaxo, who appears as a general chorus cat throughout the show, and is dressed slightly differently. In other productions Quaxo is a separate character.
- Mungojerrie - Half of a pair of notorious cat-burglars, with Rumpleteazer. "Mungojerrie" is a character in T S Eliot 's book "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" which was made into a Musical by Director David Mallet.
- Munkustrap - The show's de facto narrator. Munkustrap is a Jellicle cat named in T S Eliot 's poem "The Naming of Cats" A black and silver tom who is storyteller and protector of the Jellicle tribe. He is thought to be second in command after Old Deuteronomy.
- Old Deuteronomy - The lovable patriarch of the Jellicle Tribe. Old Deuteronomy is a character in T S Eliot 's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and its musical adaptation Cats. He is very old and dignified. The leader of the Jellicle Tribe.
- Rumpleteazer - Female half of a pair of notorious cat-burglars, with Mungojerrie. Rumpleteazer (or Rumpelteazer) is a character in T S Eliot 's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber 's
- The Rum Tum Tugger - The ladies' tom. Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T His temperament ranges from clownish to serious, and often sexual depending on the production; however, he is always flirtatious, and usually portrayed as a feline equivalent of Mick Jagger or Elvis Presley, and recognisable by his wild mane. Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger, Kt (born 26 July 1943 is a Golden Globe -winning and two-time Grammy -winning English rock
- Skimbleshanks - The railway cat. Skimbleshanks is a Cat character in T S Eliot 's book of poetry Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and in Andrew Lloyd Webber An active orange tabby cat, who lives on the trains and acts as an unofficial chaperone.
- Macavity - He is the show's only real villain. The character is a literary allusion to the Sherlock Holmes character Professor Moriarty. An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference or representation of or to a well-known person place event literary work myth, or work of art Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 Professor James Moriarty is a Fictional character who is the best known Antagonist (and Nemesis) of the detective Sherlock Holmes. Usually played by the same actor as Plato or Admetus.
Other characters
Chorus and dance roles. Many characters are production-specific versions of the same role. Often non-principal characters are omitted from smaller productions.
- Admetus - A young cat, who in many productions, also doubles as Macavity. Macavity is a fictional character who is described in a poem in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, by T In the video, he doubles as the Rumpus Cat. Generally productions have either Admetus or Plato filling the same function.
- Alonzo - A black and white tom in most productions; in the US and the early European productions, he is depicted as being a black and gold tabby. Alonzo is a character in T S Eliot`s Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber`s musical Cats. Sometimes considered the third in command after Munkustrap as he also fights Macavity.
- Bill Bailey - Primarily from the London production, a young white, and brown male. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Tumblebrutus.
- Carbucketty - The name was one of T. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. S. Eliot's ideas for cat names for a "knockabout cat. " Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Pouncival.
- Cassandra - A brown and cream Abyssinian queen, with a braided tail. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The Abyssinian is a breed of domesticated Cat believed to originate from one Egyptian female kitten called Zula that was taken from a port in Alexandria Unique and somewhat mysterious.
- Coricopat - Male twin to Tantomile. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Both are highly intuitive or possibly psychic.
- Electra - A tabby kitten who seems to be friends with Etcetera as well as a fan of Rum Tum Tugger. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
- Etcetera - A happy, energetic kitten who is a big Rum Tum Tugger fan. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. She is generally a pale tabby pattern.
- Exotica - A female character who first appeared in the filmed version, and was a role initially created specially for Femi Taylor. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Femi Taylor is a British Dancer and Actress. She is best known for playing Jabba the Hutt 's Twi'lek slave dancer Oola in The character also appears in the South African and World Tour.
- George - A young patchy male kitten. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Only appeared in the London production.
- Ghengis or Gilbert - The leader of the crew of Siamese cats who lead to Growltiger's demise. Usually played by the actor who portrays Mungojerrie, Tumblebrutus, or Coricopat. In Japan Gilbert is a separate character.
- Jellylorum - A female who watches out for the kittens, along with Jennyanydots. Jellylorum is one of the characters from the musical Cats. She is generally a mature female role principally a vocalist She has a close relationship with Gus. Named after T. S. Eliot's own cat. The actress who plays Jellylorum also plays Griddlebone in "Growltiger's Last Stand. "
- Jemima - A kitten who is also a Rum Tum Tugger fan and friends with Electra, Etcetera, and Victoria. Jemima is a principal character in the Musical play Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber using the poetry of T Can be sometimes used interchangeably with Sillabub, though Jemima is used in most international productions including the video — Sillabub was a name created for the American productions. However, the Japanese and Swedish casts include both Sillabub and Jemima as different characters.
- Plato - Teenage male cat; the actor usually doubles as Macavity. Macavity is a fictional character who is described in a poem in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, by T He does a pas de deux with Victoria during the Jellicle Ball. See also Pas de trois In Ballet, a pas de deux ( French, step/dance for two) is a duet in which ballet steps are performed together
- Pouncival - A playful tom kitten, generally interchangeable with Carbucketty. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
- Rumpus Cat - A spiky-haired cat with glowing red eyes, as mentioned in "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles," seen as a sort of superhero figure among the Jellicles. The Great Rumpus Cat is a fictional cat from TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and from Andrew Lloyd Webber Does not appear in productions which omit the song "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles. " Usually played by Alonzo or Admetus. In some productions the actor is launched through the floor stage via a "star trap".
- Sillabub, the Broadway version of Jemima, although the Japanese and Swedish productions include both. Jemima is a principal character in the Musical play Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber using the poetry of T
- Tantomile - Female twin of Coricopat. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Both are portrayed as highly intuitive or possibly psychic.
- Tumblebrutus - Young brown and white male kitten. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. His UK counterpart is considered to be Bill Bailey.
- Victor - Primarily a character from the London production, a young grey male. Jellicle Cats are characters in the musical play Cats, based primarily on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
- Victoria - A white kitten gifted in dancing. Victoria is the white cat from the musical Cats. Her coat is completely white (although in some versions the tips The "official" Jellicle Ball begins with her solo dance.
Original London cast
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Original Broadway cast
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International productions
| City | Theatre | Premiere | Grizabella | Old Deuteronomy | Munkustrap | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 West End |
New London Theatre | May 11, 1981 | Elaine Paige | Brian Blessed | Jeff Shankley | Sarah Brightman, Stephen Tate, Susan Jane Tanner, |
 Broadway |
The Winter Garden Theatre | October 7, 1982 | Betty Buckley | Ken Page | Harry Groener | Terrence Mann, Bryan Batt |
 Budapest |
Madách Theatre | March 25, 1983 | Ilona Bencze, Viktória Bajza | Balázs Póka | ||
 Vienna |
Theater an der Wien | September 24, 1983 | Angelika Milster | Gordon Bovinet | Pia Douwes, Ute Lemper, Steve Barton, John Yost | |
 Tokyo |
CATS Theater | November 11, 1983 | Akiko Kuno | Takanori Yamamoto | ||
 Sydney |
1985 | Debra Byrne | John Woods | |||
 Toronto |
Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres | March 14, 1985 | Kathy Michael McGlynn | David Walden | ||
 Hamburg |
Operettenhaus | April 18, 1986 | Andrea Bögel | Walter Reynolds | Fred Butter, Karin Ploog, Charlotta Thorell, Stephan Drakulich, Hartwig Rudolz, Steven Kadel, Janette Froud | |
 Mexico City |
Teatro Silvia Pinal | April 19, 1991 | María del Sol | Enrique del Olmo | Susana Zabaleta, Olivia Bucio, Javier Díaz Dueñas, Maru Dueñas, Jeannette Clemenceau | |
 Amsterdam |
Koninklijk Theater Carré | November 27, 1992 | Ellen Evers | Brian Galliford | Fred Butter, Martin Michel, Suzanne Heyne, Wilma Hoornstra | |
 Buenos Aires |
Teatro Lola Membrives | June 1, 1993 | Olivia Bucio | Alfredo Alessandro | Gustavo Wons, Patricia Clark, Martín O'Connor, Robertino Loras, Miguel Angel Elías, María Rojí, Sandy Brandauer, Cristina Girona, Darío Petruzio, Anahí Allué | |
 Madrid |
Teatro Coliseum | December 17, 2003 | Helen de Quiroga | Pedro Ruy Blas | Jack Rebaldi | Enrique Sequero, Víctor Ullate Roche, Edu, Raquel Grijalba, Guadalupe Lancho, Sandra Rausell |
 Warsaw |
Teatr Muzyczny ROMA | January 10, 2004 | Izabela Zając, Daria Druzgała, Joanna Węgrzynowska | Zbigniew Macias, Robert Dymowski, Andrzej Kostrzewski | Grzegorz Staniek, Natalia Wojciechowska, Ewa Lachowicz, Ewa Wlazłowska, Paweł Strymiński, Łukasz Zagrobelny, Paulina |Andrzejewska, |Wojciech Paszkowski, Michał Piróg | |
 Prague |
Divadlo Milenium | November 5, 2004 | Yvetta Blanarovičová, Dita Hořínková, ZUZA | Zdeněk Plech, Dalibor Tolaš, Pavel Vančura | Roman Říčař | Kateřina Nováková, Linda Stránská, Filip Gröger, Gabriela Jemelíková, Kateřina Šildová, Daniela Šinkorová, Josef Zíma, Zuzana Kolářová, Martina Ošlejšková, Lucie Žďárská, Zdeněk Bubák, Hynek Svrček, Laco Hudec, Kateřina Hovorková, Martin Pešek, Ilya Lobukhin, Lenka Vágnerová |
 Moscow |
MDM (Moskovsky Dvorets Molodezhy) | March 18, 2005 | Elena Charkviani[1], Nadezhda Solovyova | Oleg Fed'kushov | Marat Abdrakhimov, Pavel Kotov, Igor Balalayev, Alexey Bobrov, Andrey Bogdanov, Alexandr Babenko, Maxim Ushakov, Ivan Ozhogin, Oxana Kostetskaya, Anna Bagmet, Anna Guchenkova, Viktoria Kanatkina, Maria Shorstova | |
| Dutch national tour |
Various theatres | October 8, 2006 | Anita Meijer, Pia Douwes, Vera Mann, Antje Monteiro, Lone van Roosendaal | Marco Bakker, Jan Polak | Anouk van Nes, Marleen van der Loo, Suzanne Heijne, Roberto de Groot, Mark van Beelen, Marjolein Teepen, Paul Donkers | |
| Brisbane |
Sydney Street Theatre | August 17, 2007 | Angel Dormer | Justin Geange | Wade Colbran-Thomas, Alex Feifers, Jo Heath, David Knijnenburg, Conrad Lange, Callum Mansfield, Jared Misfud, Amanda Richardson, Danika Saal, Danae Stewart, Sharon Stoodley, Justin Truloff | |
| Hobart |
Derwent Entertainment Centre | October 17, 2007 | Debra Byrne | Alan Bacon | Michelle Howell, Nicole Simms, Craig Wellington, Scott Farrow, Craig Irons, Christopher Waterhouse, Michael Lampard, Andrew Casey | |
| 2007 Asia Tour | Various Theatres Taiwan, S. Korea, Thailand | January, 2007 | Francesca Arena | Martin Croft | ||
| 2007 China Tour | Various Theatres Macau, Guangzhou, Beijing,Wuhan,Chengdu,Dongguan,Shenzhen | December 24, 2007 | Francesca Arena | Han Lim | Belinda Allchin, Rohan Browne, Renee Buleigh, Madeline Cain, James Cooper, Anthony Costanzo, Alyse Jai Davies, Mischana Dellora-Cornish, Emma Delmenico, Nicholas Eaton, Tony Farrell, Markham Gannon, Brian Gillespie, Siobhan Ginty, Emily Keane, Sam Marks, Laura McCulloch, Stephen Morgante, Monique Chanel Pitsikas, Justine Puy, Michael Ralph, Shaun Rennie, Adrian Ricks, Ranjeet Starr, Stephen Tannos, Brenton Wilson, Sharyn Winney | |
 2007 Israel |
Beit Zvi Ramat Gan | September, 2007 | Hila Zitun | Noam Talmon | Shahar Yishai, Daniel Efrat, Or Ilan, Yulia Igelnik, Niso Shalev, Ohad Yehudai, Shahar Perez, Elinor Flaxman, Roni Merhavi, Nir Shiber | |
 Lahti |
Lahden Kaupunginteatteri | October 17, 2007 | Sinikka Sokka | Matti Siitonen | Tuukka Leppänen | Laura Huhtamaa, Mikko Jurkka, Tero Porali, Vesa Repo, Lumikki Kouki, Mirja Räty, Anna Vihanto, Toni Wahlström |
| Quebec City |
Salle Albert-Rousseau | April 23, 2008 | Marilou Ferland Daigle | Louis-David Faucher | Yannick Vezina | Justine Bilodeau, Sarah Morin, Laurie Morin, Audrey Dion, Anthony Julien, Estelle Houle-Drapeau, Sabrina Boivin, Raphaël Désilets, Marie-Ève Thomassin, Sophie Gaudreault, Marie-Pier Bouret, Camille Leblanc, Heidi Grunenwald, Marie-Alexandra Matte, Enya Berthiaume, Laurie Drolet, Rachel Laperrière, Isabelle Tardif, Pierre-Marc Paré, Laurence Bélanger, Anne-Julie Langevin, Martine Chamberland, Laurie Poirier, Audrey Goulet, Valérie Goulet-Marceau, Jessica Goulet, Stéphanie Gingras, Dominique Gobeil, Andréanne Gauvin, Antoine Lachance, Laurence Gathier-Brown, Sophie Boutin, Véronique Thibault, Camille Proulx-Cormier, Sandy Carmichael, Valérie Potvin, Émilie Fortin-Gaumond, Sandy Morneau-Bourque, Maude Châteauvert, Erika Côté, Sarah-Danielle Arsenault, Mélissa Lafond, Marie-Claire Peirolo, Laura Cordiano, Catherine Pineault, Joël-Frédéric Sanfaçon-Lavoie, SJE Harmonie 2008 |
| British Columbia |
Longley Theatres | June 22, 2008 | Michelle Greenwood | Rylee Lavec |
Awards
Olivier Awards
1981 Award wins
- Best Musical - Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot
- Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Musicals - Gillian Lynne
Tony Awards
|
1983 Award wins |
1983 Award nominations
|
Revisions to the show
Andrew Lloyd Webber revised the Growltiger's Last Stand sequence for the Broadway production of Cats, incorporating a pastiche of Italian aria (reminiscent of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly) in place of the original "Ballad of Billy McCaw". Terrance Mann was the name of a character in the film Field of Dreams. 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She is best known for playing Jabba the Hutt 's Twi'lek slave dancer Oola in Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown- Manhattan. Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is a Tony Award -winning American Theater, Film, and Television Ken Page (born in January 20, 1954) is an American Singer and Actor from St Harry Groener (born September 10, 1951) is an American Actor and Dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in Terrance Mann was the name of a character in the film Field of Dreams. Bryan Batt (born March 1, 1963, in New Orleans Louisiana) is an American Actor known mostly for his theater work but he has had a Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. The Theater an der Wien (The Theatre on the Wien River is a Theatre in Vienna. Pia Douwes (born on August 5, 1964) is a Dutch musical theatre actress who is very successful in Europe Ute Lemper (born July 4 1963 in Münster, Germany) is a German chanteuse and actress Steve Barton ( June 26, 1954 - July 21, 2001) was an Actor, Singer, Dancer, Choreographer, Stage officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Debra Anne Byrne (born 30 March, 1957 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian Entertainer. John Levene, (born 24 December, 1941) is an English actor His most famous role was that of Sergeant Benton of UNIT on the television series Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Winter Gardenjpg|right|thumb|200px|Interior of Winter Garden Theatre]]The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres are a pair of stacked theatres in Toronto, Canada Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany |-||-||-||-||-||}The Reeperbahn is a street in Hamburg 's St Pauli district one of the two centres of Hamburg's nightlife and also the city's Red-light district Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico María del Sol (born Marisol de las Mercedes Echánove Rojas October 24, 1961 in Guanajuato Guanajuato) is a Mexican singer Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Víctor Ullate (born 9 May 1947, Zaragoza, Spain) is a dancer choreographer and Ballet director Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Pia Douwes (born on August 5, 1964) is a Dutch musical theatre actress who is very successful in Europe Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland David Knijnenburg (born April 3 1967 is a Dutch-Australian stage, Television and Film Actor, best known for playing Alfred Justin Truloff is an Australian stage Actor, best known for his work in musical theatre Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. The Derwent Entertainment Centre is a venue for the people of Hobart to enjoy a wide variety indoor of performances Debra Anne Byrne (born 30 March, 1957 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian Entertainer. WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> Michael Robert Garth Lampard is a Tasmanian Opera singer born in Hobart in Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city ( is the capital of Hubei province and is the most populous city in central People's Republic of China. ( located in southwest People's Republic of China, is the capital of Sichuan province and a Sub-provincial city. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Dongguan administers 3 county-level divisions, all of which are districts. Shenzhen is a city of sub-provincial administrative status in southern China's Guangdong province situated immediately Ramat Gan (רָמַת גַּן is a city in the Tel Aviv district of Israel, which borders Tel Aviv to its west Lahti ( Swedish: Lahtis) is a city and Municipality in Finland. Quebec City ( French: Ville de Québec, or simply Québec) (kwɨˈbɛk or /keˈbɛk/ is the Capital of the Canadian province British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C The Laurence Olivier Award is regarded as the most prestigious award in British theatre and is presented in recognition of artistic achievement in London theatre Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber Thomas Stearns Eliot, OM (September 26 1888 – January 4 1965 was a poet Dramatist, and Literary critic. Gillian Lynne CBE (b February 20 1926 Bromley, Kent, England is a British ballerina dancer actor theatre director, television director The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical first awarded in 1949 The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of the spoken non-sung dialogue and storyline of a musical play The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the Composers and Lyricists of the best original score written for a musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is a Tony Award -winning American Theater, Film, and Television This is a list of the winners of the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a play or musical, first presented in 1970 This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the' Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Harry Groener (born September 10, 1951) is an American Actor and Dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the' Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical The Tony award for Choreography has been awarded since 1947 Award winners and nominations 1940s 1947 Agnes de Mille WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini ( December 22, 1858 This new version was subsequently incorporated into most productions of Cats worldwide (A notable exception was the Hungarian production at the Madách Színház in Budapest which opened in 1983 and is still running in repertory as of early 2008 celebrating its 25th anniversary on March 25, 2008, as the longest running musical in Hungarian theatre history. Production in Helsinki and Prague also used the original version. ) The Ballad remained in the London production until some time in the early 1990s when it was replaced with the Italian aria pastiche. It was re-instated for the UK Tours, following the show's closure in London. Lloyd Webber has said that he is pleased with the reinstatement of The Ballad of Billy McCaw as he didn't care for the "Italian aria" version[3].
The song "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" has had three different versions in the past. "Mungojerrie" is a character in T S Eliot 's book "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" which was made into a Musical by Director David Mallet. Rumpleteazer (or Rumpelteazer) is a character in T S Eliot 's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber 's In the original London production, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer sang their song in 12/8 time to a jazzy accompaniment. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Andrew Lloyd Webber later re-wrote the melody for the Broadway production, in which the character, Mr. Mistoffelees, (also called Quaxo), would sing about Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer in the third person. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Mr Mistoffelees (sometimes written as Mistoffolees) is a character in T The tempo remained upbeat (now in 2/4 time) and the mood of the song was similar to the original version. Lloyd Webber's new melody was used for all subsequent productions of Cats, although the song was eventually returned to its protagonists to sing (making the Broadway and London productions identical).
In recent times a lyric in 'Growltiger's Last Stand' was changed in order to remove any racially insensitive language. "With a frightful burst of fireworks the Chinks they swarmed aboard!" became "with a frightful burst of fireworks, the Siamese swarmed aboard!", although the lyric "Heathen Chinese" remains in the tale of the Pekes and the Pollicles. Chink is an Ethnic slur for any person of Chinese descent It is also commonly used to insult people of general East Asian descent The Siamese is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Oriental Cat.
References
- ^ Cats homepage. Really Useful Website. Retrieved on 2008-04-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at
- ^ Cats (filmed version) at Internet Movie Database. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2008-04-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at
- ^ Cats UK Tour. Cats UK Tour. Retrieved on 2008-04-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at
External links
- The Official Site for the Cats UK Tour
- The Really Useful Group
- The Official Andrew Lloyd Webber site
- IBDb page for the Broadway production
- Gillian Lynne and Dance video
- "Rhapsody on a Windy Night" (text and notes)
- "Preludes" (text and notes)
- "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats"
- Photographs from A. Maly
- catscostumes.net - fansite focusing on costumes
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Nine by Maury Yeston |
Tony Award for Best Original Score 1983 by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot |
Succeeded by La Cage aux Folles by Jerry Herman |
| Preceded by Dreamgirls by Tom Eyen |
Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical 1983 by T. S. Eliot |
Succeeded by La Cage aux Folles by Harvey Fierstein |
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