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CATS and The TECHNICAL SIDE
The Backstage Tour of CATS
By Dennis C. Callin (Rumblepurr)
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FOREWORD
This article has been compiled from research material as well as first-hand knowledge. Although CATS is a world-wide production, this article takes into consideration the following productions: The New London (UK West End), The Winter Gardens (US Broadway), the UK Tour III (Edinburgh 2003), and the US Tour V. As soon as I can compile my notes and hopefully complete my research, I will include some information concerning the US Tour V's inflatable set... I wish to thank Neil Frazer for allowing photos of the UK Tour set, Michael Orsino for allowing photos of the US Tour V set and backstage; "Belle" of MdN for the last NLT photos, "*asterix* and friends" for more US Tour V photos, and reserach photos taken from various materials (credits in Bibliography).
If you see anything in this article that should be credited, please contact me concerning the material/media, and who should be credited.
NOTE: Some pictures have larger versions. Click on the photo to see the larger picture.
INTRODUCTION
The average theater patrons or audience members probably do not realize that an entire environment awaits them when they enter the house. They have purchased their ticket, received a program or playbill or they may have even bought a brochure, and the usher has shown them to their seat. In front of them is the stage. With CATS, they see a set that represents a junkyard (or some other location depending upon the production). The lighting is muted as if we are looking at the location under a full moon. And then, the Overture begins and the first “cat” appears…
Here, many theatre patrons do not comprehend that the musical contains elements that are not part of the actual story, or a song, or a character. However, without these elements, the musical could not take place. Without the technical side of CATS, the stage would be bare, dark and full of artistically talented performers. But, the technical side is hidden, unseen, unknown and mostly unnoticed (unless something goes wrong), or, it is “hidden in plain sight.”
This particular chapter is dedicated to the many people who hide behind the action, or makes it possible for the action to happen. The directors, the managers, the carpenters (“stage hands”), electricians (“lighting techs”), spot operators, audio engineers, dressers and makeup artists are all listed on the program, but are never truly seen when the “cats” are on the prowl. With their crafting talents, a set is built, and then lit, and littered with props. The performer is dressed, enters and then, it is “Curtain.”
THE SET
The most noticeable element the audience member sees is the Junkyard. Other productions can change this setting to another location, but, for simplicity sake, this chapter will deal with the musical as created by Stage Designer, John Napier, and adapted for portability by the various Touring Companies. John Napier’s goal was “to come up with a way of presenting this visually because it was always contemplated there would be a large flat area on which people could dance. […] Places from which cats could be discovered or bring stuff to that space.” (Napier, 2002) John Napier’s set design for the New London Theatre (London, England) and the Winter Gardens Theater (New York, USA) achieved his goal of a cat’s playground from a human’s perspective by actually placing parts of the audience seating “inside” in the set. The Junkyard is a fully functional set, “littered” with items of “garbage” which can be used by the performers as props and parts of their costume. When Napier constructed his model and then the set, the pieces had to be in “cat’s scale” -- which was placed at “three and a bit” times normal size.
CATS uses dance as one of the main elements of the musical. With that in mind, the stage floor, and any platforms in the set pieces, become very important to the illusion. What would an audience member see if they looked at the ground from the orchestra seating or from a balcony? As part of the dancing surface, the flooring is “painted” with labels of containers, pieces of newspapers, or flattened objects -- all blown up to three times their normal size. As a signature, a tiger occupies seemingly the left center part of the dance floor. A common question might be, “Why paint or decorate the floor?” At the New London Theatre and at the Winter Gardens Theatre, the audience was either on the floor or could see it at all times. With the various touring shows, the flooring is tilted at a 10-15 degree angle -- backstage down to the forestage -- so even the orchestra seating can see the dancing surface. If the audience can see the floor, then it becomes part of the illusion and must be considered -- and therefore it has to be painted.
The rest of the set serves more as scenery for the dancing and major activities. In a junkyard, we expect to see mounds and piles of litter, broken and bent items, cast-offs, old and neglected things, and just plain trash. An enterprising stage designer and a crew of enthusiastic stagehands can do quite a bit to such a set, if it were a normal junkyard. The daunting thing about the CATS’ Junkyard is that every item has to be expanded up to three times its size. Plus, the Junkyard also has to contain all the props a “cat” would use during the course of the show. For example, during “Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat,” the performers are required to create a “Train’s Steam Engine” out of the items in the piles: a car grill for the cowcatcher, a lantern for the headlight, a lamp for the smokestack, and large bicycle tires for the wheels. All of the “junk” has to be specially designed to appear larger than life -- which in turn helps keep the illusion of the size of the performers as “cats.”
At the New London Theatre, the audience actually sat IN the Junkyard. Thus, the junkyard items were not only on the “fourth-wall,” but were also all around the audience. The orchestra was hidden by a wall of junk, and clothing and trash hung on the walls of the theatre, and from the railing of the balconies. The New London Theatre was referred to as a three-quarter Round, which meant the audience sat on three sides of the stage, which could be rotated.
One of the innovations of the show was the “Star Trap.” This device is literally a catapult designed to vault objects or even people out of the “floor.” Only the fixed sets (The Winter Gardens and the New London Theatres) used the star trap because of the set-up. A special section of the floor, placed within the tiger design, has a hexagonal cutout with a six-section door that opens upward. For the New London set, the star trap was located in the tiger’s forehead (Left). At the Winter Garden’s set, the star trap was practically on the bridge of its nose (See above left). When the appearance of the Rumpus Cat was required, the performer was literally shot out of the flooring. To achieve this feat, a platform was counterbalanced below the stage with 700-800 pounds (310-365 kg) of weights (Right). A specific area was taped on the platform to show where the performer was to stand to go through the star trap’s opening. When the cue is given, a stagehand pulled a pin that kept the weights in place -- the weights dropped and propelled the performer through the opening. The performer wears a helmet under the Rumpus Cat’s wig, and this “hardhat” opens the hinged doors in the stage. According to some performers, the star trap’s catapult placed them 4-5 feet in the air. Keith Wilson, Plato/Macavity/Rumpus Cat for the last Broadway performances, describes the actor’s point of view on this unit:
All I can say is that when I first saw the show after getting hired to do Cats, and I saw Rumpuscat get shot up out of the floor, I almost packed my bags and moved back to Florida. Believe it or not, I knew nothing about the Broadway show as I'd never seen it before. But, after a few weeks of getting the hang of jumping up 10 feet in the air with a helmet/mask covering most of my vision, trying to make it look good and then land on the stage without falling down, I was able to relax and enjoy the whole process.
The Startrap was located under the stage and was a very basic machine. There was a very small round platform that I stood on with a square outline of tape for me to stand in the middle of. I would basically be a dead cat if I stood outside the lines. Shoulders firmly by my side, a slight bend at the knees to absorb the impact of moving upward, I would concentrate on the red light in front of my face that would be turned off the second before I was launched up through the startrap. The machine was very simple and was basically like a small elevator. Me on a small launching pad between 4 steel bars in a square with 700 pounds of weights being held up in the air by a steel pin. Pull the pin, the weights drop, up I go. Scary at first, but I did get the hang of it and came to enjoy the whole process. There was always a little bit of nervous energy right before the red light went off, but as far as I know, no one ever got hurt doing the Rumpus jump. (Wilson, 2003)
Keith Wilson also related that being the Rumpus Cat was not without its hazards. During one performance, Wilson had an incident where the costume tail got caught in the trapdoors, and the Rumpus Cat’s tail is not removable from the costume.
It was about a month into me doing the show and I was finally getting the hang of the startrap so that I could jump really high, do a Russian jump and land with ease. I was commenting to Roger Kachel right before I went down stairs to get ready, that I had finally gotten the hang of it and that I was going to jump really high that evening. Yeah, right. The trick to getting a good jump from the startrap was to jump right before it stopped. That way, you'd have the upward momentum for a big jump. Unfortunately, I waited about a second too long and didn't jump until the startrap stopped thus giving me no upward momentum and causing me to try to jump, fall on my butt and get my tail caught. But I didn't know my tail was caught until I started walking towards Munk. Thank God I had that mask on because I probably made a very funny face. After pulling on the tail for what seemed several minutes, it came free and I made it to Munk. Then, to make the rest of the number worse, I couldn't find the cord to pull so that the hair on top would stand up. Yeah, I was the epitome of grace and elegance that evening. (Wilson, 2003)
The Winter Garden Theatre was an old-style proscenium arch stage where the audience sat in front of the stage. Gerald Schoenfeld (Chairman of the Shubert Organization) recalled the changes made to the Winter Garden Theatre just for CATS:
Putting a show into a theater represents a tremendous investment. And we had to make substantial changes in the Winter Garden Theater. We had a fire in our property, which is part of the Winter Garden theater building. There was no fire in the theater, which we had just completely remodeled. But I never really understood what smoke damage was. And the smoke damage in the Winter Garden was extensive. And it lays a film over everything in the theater. So, we had to redo it. And then, in the process of redoing it we were asked if we would paint the theater up to a certain level black. That sent shivers up and down our spine to do that but we agreed. Then we were asked to paint it up to the balcony level, which we did. And finally, we were asked to paint the dome, which was magnificent and the whole theater black, which we did. We then had to cut a hole in the roof so that Grizabella can ascend to heaven. Well, cutting a hole in the roof was also an intake of breath. But we got more publicity for doing that which inured to the benefit of the show than we had dreamed of. So the show not only came with the impetus of its London success but it was enhanced because of the renovations we made to accommodate the show. (Schoenfeld, 2002)
To convert this stage to somewhat match New London, the set was actually extended 24 feet over the orchestra pit and into the first few rows of seats (which were transferred to the sides of the stage). For CATS in the Winter Garden Theater, center stage was actually 15 feet in front of the proscenium arch. Regardless, the Junkyard moved closer to the audience, and sometimes placed the performer in close proximity.
When the show went on tour, the set had to take on two more traits -- transportability and feasibility. A tour set is not permanent like the stage productions. To allow for transporting the set, the set pieces have to be modular, or made into sections that not only can be put together and taken apart easily, but also able to fit aboard trucks or even aircraft. The modular set also must accommodate lighting instruments that shine from the floor. Thus, this set must be capable to move from place to place, and still keep the illusion intact. To partially aid this, the bracing for the set pieces are made of aluminum with molded plastic fronts. Steel pins are inserted where set pieces abut, and wheels are mounted in hidden areas. Thus, when takedown is ready, the fronting is taken off, the brace pins are removed and the set frame can be tipped onto its wheels. Another part of the set is the decking. This flooring is where everything is anchored. Sometimes, the set does not quite “fit” a theater. In Santa Barbara, California, the back of the set cleared the stage area with only six inches (15 cm) to spare. However, that lack of space prevented anyone from crossing behind the set to go from one side of the theatre to the other. In order to do so, the people had to go outside -- which gave some people at a local convenience store something to remember…
To allow the transition from theatre to theatre, a touring set has a strict building (“Load In”) and takedown (“Load Out”) schedule. This schedule allows the stage crew to put the set together with minimum problems, and with all the cast safety in mind. According to the Master Carpenter of the US Tour V, Jim Brown (who goes by his nickname: “JB”), indicated that there are 74 pieces that make up the decking and dance floor, and 21 wall units (junkyard pile fronts). When the set is first placed, at least 72 crewmembers are required. During the show’s run, the crew goes down to 37 members of which 12 are touring crewmembers. The rest of the crew is made up of local theatre workers. During the load-in, the lighting instruments are placed first, since they need to be attached on lowered pipes (also called “beams”). Because of the use of either a saucer or staircase for the Heavyside scene, and the large use of intelligent lighting, a tour set now has a light truss or bridge to place. On proscenium stages, this unit goes up just behind the curtain line. Once the lights are hung, and the pipes are taken up into the fly, the flooring and set frames are anchored, the junk panels are placed, and then the props are added. Lighting instruments, such as the “cat’s eyes,” and strobes, in the set pieces are checked and wired. And items like Mister Mistoffelees’ flash pots, and Macavity’s jumper mini-flashpots are installed and checked. That same schedule -- run in reverse -- makes certain that all items are accounted for, marked for repair (if required), and made ready for transport with minimal fuss. The preparation time for the loadings can dictate how far each tour stop can go. Typical set-up for the UK Tour III is approximately two mornings.-- The US Tour V set takes an average of 7 hours to load-in and 3 hours to load-out.-- To get the set from place to place, the UK Tour III requires eight lorries (trucks). The US Tour V requires five semi tractor/trailer trucks, of which one is used to cart the entire Light Truss Assembly.
Of the pieces of the set, probably the most important and often the most temperamental piece is the Tire. The Tire is about 5 to 6 feet (2m) in diameter at its widest point (The Tire is not round, but actually oval in shape), and about 18 inches (50cm) high. A “board” (actually part of the Tire mold) flattens the top a little, allowing people to stand as well as sit more comfortably on it. Its moment of glory is during Grizabella’s “Journey to the Heavyside Layer.” For the UK Tour III, the tire is made of metal (aluminum). In the US Tour V, the Tire is made of fiberglass and wood. To achieve the lift, the Tire is placed on a scissors hydraulic lift -- the type used to work on phone lines, painting walls and the like. The unit is fitted to a track in the rear of the dance floor, and, as the lift thrusts the tire up in the air, the unit rolls forward in the track. A steel plate embedded in the dance floor tells a sensor when to apply the breaks. To mask the lift, a plastic curtain is placed in front of it, and both lights and fog do the rest. In pictures of the earlier productions at West End and Broadway, the hydraulic mechanism for the Tire was not hidden.
One other notable set piece is the old wrecked car. This piece has the show’s identifier seen by its license plate.
The Toronto [1985] production, which is used as the base for the Canadian Tour, has its own unique design features. If you look carefully at the license plate on the trunk of the old car on stage you will see it reads “NAP 7” and below it in smaller print “HUESSY 5”. These are the designers’ signatures, John NAPier and Raymond HUESSY. The numbers are significant too. The Canadian set is the seventh production of CATS using Napier’s design and this is the associate designer Raymond Huessy’s fifth show. With each production, only the numbers on the license plate change. (Taylor and Smith, 1989)
Below is a list of the known license plates of the productions:
NAP 1 -- London 1981
NAP 2 -- Broadway (US) 1982
NAP 3 -- Wien 1983
NAP 4 -- Japan 1983 (?)
NAP 5 -- US Tour I (1983) (?)
NAP 6 -- Los Angeles 1985-86 (?)
NAP 7 -- Toronto 1985
NAP 8 -- Sydney 1985
NAP 9 -- Hamburg 1986
NAP 10 -- Melbourne 1987
NAP 11 -- Possible US Tour III set -- NAP 11A was first used as US Tour IV
NAP 11A -- US Tour V 2001 (to present)
NAP 12 -- Zurich/Euro Tour 1991/Amsterdam 1993
NAP 13 -- Possible Canadian Tour or Australian 2003
NAP 14 -- UK Tour II (Paris?)
NAP 15 -- Antwerp/Stuttgard/Berlin
NAP 16 -- UK Tour III 2002 (to present)
NAP 17 -- Madrid/Dutch/Russia 2006-07
TSE 1 -- The CATS Video
NT 001 -- Australian Tent Tour
AUS 03 -- Australian
J-AR 12 -- South Korea
The Inflatable Set
The US Tour V recently (2005) began using what can be referred to as an “inflatable” set. Each scene piece is constructed like the tubing configuration of an air-mattress. Objects, such as the Oil Drum, are stitched into a “tube” section to define the piece. Then, fans pump the air into the set pieces by flexible tubing, and a constant supply is provided during the performance. To support the set, aluminum struts are placed behind each piece. If the piece has “cat’s eyes” lighting, cables enter the rear of the set piece, and the cabling is sealed shut.
In the pictures below, the Stage Right shot (left) has the best detailing of the quality of the inflatable set. In the picture, the Oven is the only solid part of that wall, along with some of the props. The “pillow” effect can be seen, under this lighting, in the window frame. In the next picture (left center), the Oil Drum also shows the “fabric” texture. Under stage lighting, the effect is muted but still can be seen from the front seating. In picture number three (right center), this panel is the backside of the Oil Drum piece. Here, the frame and cabling can be seen as well as the “tubular” structure of the inflatable set. Because the set pieces are not solid, the cast is restricted to certain pathways, the old car, the tunnels, the over and the like. The last picture (right) shows another shot of the back of the Oil Drum set piece, but with the steps and the platform for the upstage left entrance (e.g. Munkustrap's initial entrance) For backing, the inflatable set has black panels as well.
Because of change to the inflatable set, the entire set walls can be packed into two shipping crates (a double-side and a regular). The set Load-In has the inflatable pieces coming in last, and first in the Load-Out. Because of the construction of the set pieces, the set walls take up less room, and both erect and takedown in less time than the “hard” set. When asked, Michael Orsino (Company Manager, 2007) indicated that the set has not developed a problem (e.g. air leaks)… yet… So far, the only real problem with the inflatable set is the operation of the fans, which can be quite audible during quiet periods.
THE LIGHTS
In theatre, this element is required for obvious reasons -- without lighting, everyone sits in the dark. And yet, for the most part, the audience tends to forget the stage lights are actually there (unless they shine out in your eyes). In CATS, and other stage works, Stage Lighting has actually two main purposes: illumination and mood. Illumination is relatively easy. Simply shine white light everywhere that requires it. Mood, however, requires color.
Before the role of the lighting in CATS is discussed, an overview of the lighting instruments themselves might be in order. The most general-use lighting instruments employed in theatres today are floods, strips and the “fresnel” spotlight. The first two instruments are designed to spray a large amount of light over a large area, but their trouble is in that design. For CATS, that type of lighting is rarely needed. The fresnel still throws a pool of light, but this instrument has the advantage of being able to be focused. This particular light is used during CATS on the dance floor and generally on the set pieces. Striplights, however, are not ruled out in certain cases. In the US Tour V, a set of striplights can be seen at the downstage lip of the dance floor. In certain dance floors, a set of floor lights were placed to come up during Growltiger [Note: see the eBay stage floor. This set of lights can be seen as black rectangles extending to the left of the tiger’s nose.] These footlights are part of the illusion that a vaudevillian act is being presented
The workhorse of the lightning design is the ellipsoidal spotlight. This spotlight is capable of being focused and shuttered. A talented lighting technician should be able to focus a “Leko” (a common nickname used by lighting techs) on a postage stamp, if it really was required. Depending upon the capacity of the lamp powering the light, this instrument is placed as a long-range spotlight in various places visible to the audience: overhead on the house ceiling, the side of the stage, or from the balconies. They shine on the front of the stage where the performers mostly stand, on the backstage areas, and anything that needs an extra amount of focused light. Because they are adaptive, they are more widely used than any generic light instrument.
Photos by Martin Professional A/S
With the computer, lighting instruments have evolved as well. Lights can be “generic” or “intelligent” -- depending upon the equipment added to the lamp. An intelligent lamp is equipped with motors that can aim the light (spin and tilt), as well as open and close shutters, zoom, focus, add color, and move a gobo (a patterned template). At the console, the lighting operator can manually motor an instrument, and program the movement into the lighting computer program. The lighting effect seen at the beginning of the show -- namely, a car/motorcycle headlight shining on Demeter -- is a spotlight, or an intelligent lamp. During the show, anytime a light is moving that is not from a manual spotlight, the movement is that of an intelligent lamp. The four featured above are the MAC 500 (Profile Spot), the MAC 600 (area wash), the MAC 2000 Profile (high-performance spot) and the MAC 2000 Wash.
With the use of the computer, the intelligent lights solved (to a higher degree anyway) many of the problems with fast-paced light changes and slow gradual changes. Using specialized applications, lighting technicians can create the multiple spots seen in the “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” opening, or in a gradual sunrise/sunset. An interesting effect can be seen during the Jellicle Ball. Moving patterns are projected onto the floor, the walls of the house and into the audience. A metal or metal-coated glass disk, called a gobo, mounted inside the intelligent lighting instrument produces this effect. The disk has the pattern cut or etched into it, and is rotated by internal motors. This effect is enhanced by the addition of “mist” created by fog machines. Here, the moving pattern is meant to be visual.
The typical computerized console for modern lighting is a communication system known as the DMX512 -- “Digital Multiplexer.” The 512 number comes from the computer memory 2x256 bytes. The DMX512 has 512 channels, and each channel can be set to 256 levels.-- Essentially, the computerized light board permits a broad range of light settings, transitions, shades and combinations of colors. For the UK Tour III, the unit is called a HOG II. A computer monitor and drive is connected to a large console similar to a soundboard. The heart of the system is the computer programming, which is designed for use with DMX lighting systems. The program allows the lighting operator to input the cues and the lighting controls to the various lighting instruments. Once programmed, a show is almost composed of highlighting a cue, and pressing a button. Should the main computer go down during a show, another computer system is used as a backup. An example of such a program is the ProScenium DMX by Martin, a company based in Denmark. The programming is Windows 95/98 compatible, and can use remote control devices.
Of the lighting instruments, the ones most noticeable by the audience are the “spots.” To emphasize a performer, a more intense light is cast from instruments that are more powerful. The classic spots produce an intense blue-white light by sending electricity through two carbon posts, which then arcs between them. With iris and shutters, they can circle the entire performer or parts of that performer. The most visible example of this ability is Mister Mistoffelees at the end of his number. A classic mime piece, Mister Mistoffelees takes the spotlight’s light beam and slowly compacts it, until it occupies only his face seen over his white glove palm. The spot operator irises his/her beam as the performer directs, and waits for him to blow on his palm to extinguish the light. There are incandescent spots available that only use lamp power, but their disadvantage is they are only short-range, and their beam is “weaker” that the carbon-arc spotlights. In CATS, the audience may also note that spotlights not only come from the back of the house, but also from the backstage. Fly spots are used to light the performer from the back or from above.
To demonstrate the immense amount of equipment and the complexity of the show’s demands on lighting, the following observation was made during the Toronto 1985 production.
The mysterious back alley paradise is also one of the most complex junk heaps in Canada. There are over 2,000 light sources used in the show and 225 lighting cues to make sure they all flash and twinkle on time. Embedded in the stage backdrop is an entire optic system containing over 1,000 light sources with 5 indexing colour wheels that, when turned on, create the impression of thousands of stars. It goes on! There are 450 stage lights with 192 dimmers plus dozens of strobe and spot lights. As well, there are 2,500 feet of circus-like garlands of red, green, yellow and blue lights, a further 900 feet of white lights draped troughout the theatre proper, taking 2,443 festoon bulbs to illuminate. The cost of replacing light bulbs is approximately $50,000 per year. The overture lighting is so complex it couldn’t be done without computer technology -- there are too many buttons to be pushed too quickly. (Taylor and Smith, 1989)
Prior to the intelligent instruments, color was applied to lightning by placing colored “gels” in a slot in front of, or inside of, the instrument. The original color media was made out of gelatin, hence the nickname, but modern gels are colored transparent plastic sheets. Inside the computerized instruments, circuitry controls RGB (or Red-Green-Blue) output very similar to TV screens and computer monitors. The combination of all three colors at the same intensity will create white light. By manipulating the intensities, any color in the spectrum can be produced. One example that seems like a strange combination is the same intensity of red and green, and no blue -- this combination produces yellow. To clarify the color scheme of RGB, these three colors are primary colors in light -- all other colors are the result of blending frequencies. Pigments (used in painting) use Red, Yellow and Blue as primary colors for blends. However, printing actually requires that the colors be represented in quantities of Cyan (blue), Magenta (red) and Yellow -- or CMY.
But lighting needs to do more than illuminate the stage and the performers. Depending upon the mood, the color of the light must change. Standard lighting for a theatrical production typically uses a pink tint on one side of the stage, and a steel-blue on the other side. The effect of this two-color combination will produce a whitish light, and prevents the light from washing out the actor’s face. (The pink/blue combination is also evident in 3-D presentations.) If an amber or straw yellow replaces the pink, the mood of the lighting appears warmer, and approximates sunlight. When the blue dominates, and green is added at a low intensity, the effect becomes moonlight. When CATS begins, the moonlight effect immediately follows the pyrotechnic displays of the overture.
Colors have a “temperature” that is seen instead of felt. When viewing the spectrum, the feeling changes as light goes from one end to the other. Red, orange and yellow light tend to produce a warm mood -- with the intensity increasing in the red direction of the spectrum. Conversely, moods cool as the light goes from green to blue and purple. If CATS were to try for realism, then the entire musical would be seen under the bluish color of moonlight. However, moonlight would not do justice to the musical numbers. The best example of this change from moonlight to a warm mood comes when “Rum Tum Tugger” begins. The character of Rum Tum Tugger is sensual, so warm colors are required. yellows and reds dominate during this number to accent the warmth. A similar change occurs during the Jellicle Ball when Bombalurina enters with a “bump-and-grind” rhythm -- the lighting color immediately turns reddish. Each time Macavity interrupts the action, the lights go red. With the villain’s disruption, another element can be inferred by Demeter’s warning shout -- “danger.” On the other side of the spectrum, “Moments of Happiness” is performed under bluer lighting. Here the mood is somber, more ethereal, and the music is calmer. “Memory” is also done in blues and greens, even though Grizabella is spotlighted for the solo. Green is a nature color, but, as a colored light, its effect on skin tones is not aesthetic. Blue is a water color and moonlight, so the psyche is calmed and “cooled.” The two together produces a slightly disturbing feeling -- just right for these two musical numbers. At the end of “The Ad-Dressing of Cats,” the lights primarily go to white. Being neutral, this color presentation tells the audience that the final lyrics are being delivered theatrically -- as a closer. In a way, the musical ends “as the dawn is breaking…”
SPECIAL EFFECTS
When the audience member is told the show is ready to start, the words “pyrotechnics,” “fog” and “strobe” are given as a caution. The warning is given to prepare the audience for theatrical special effects.
The latter two special effects are seen during the Overture -- strobe lights and stage fog. The strobe light is a special light that “flashes” at a controlled rate. Typically, a strobe light is blue-white, and very intense. Scattered in the set pieces are individual strobes, and there are switched on through the lighting board. Strobes are basically used anytime “Macavity” disturbs the show. Both lights and sound act simultaneously to create the disruption -- the crashing of junk and the explosion of light. The main lights dim, and the strobes wink on and off. The effect of a strobe light shocks the mind through visual cues almost as much as the explosions do through sound. Thus, the audience is jarred by the strobes and the sound cue.
The stage fog, or “smoke,” is produced through machines appropriately “Fog Machines.” For the US Tour V, the Fog Machine (of which there are four (4) of them) is the F100 (a standard machine), which employs a 2.5-gallon (9.5L) juice tank. For the UK Tour III, liquid nitrogen is used to create the ground fog -- in which the “fog juice” is super-chilled for a nice thick ground fog that quickly dissipates. Fog machines use a Gylcol-water formula that comes in three formulas -- HQ (High-Quality), which is a thick white fog that dissipates into a haze; Stage, which also creates a good white fog that quickly dissipates into the air; and Cold Flow, which is chilled and sent out as a ground fog. As it warms, it rises and dissipates. For CATS, the opening number is either HQ or stage fog. During the Heavyside part, Cold Flow is used.-- Grizabella’s escape route to the Heavyside has at least two methods. The UK Tour III incorporates the “Golden” staircase (with fiber optics and fog), while the US Tour V has the “Flying Saucer” (also with fiber optics and fog). Both units operate off the light truss (bridge), and are drawn up next to the truss. Likewise, the truss has a trapdoor in the center of the bridge. Using a rope that has a foot loop and a hand loop, Mister Mistoffelees is lowered down from this unit either by hand or by motorized winch.
Pyrotechnics is the use of any explosive devices in a production. The “Bang” part of the show occurs primarily in two places -- during the fight scene with Macavity, and during “Mister Mistoffelees.” When Macavity is chased up onto the car trunk (or boot), he grabs simulated jumper cables. In the UK Tour III show, Macavity drags the jumpers over parts of the set (a car grill and a battery), and the mini-flashpots are set off to simulate sparks caused by contact. In the US Tour III, Macavity does not touch any part of the set. The main explosion occurs when Macavity touches the two contacts, which causes the power unit to “overload.” At this point, a larger flashpot is set off. Behind the set, one of the crew is standing by with a fire extinguisher -- just in case. During “Mister Mistoffelees,” there are at least four flashpots on the floor, and possibly three or four up in the junk. A “flashpot” looks very much like an electrical junction box (or a metal “ashtray”). These boxes are filled with flash powder during the set-up. Ushers are usually positioned near the stage during the house opening and intermission to prevent any tampering with the pots on the edge of the stage. During the number, the Stage Manager will be watching the Mistoffelees performer very closely. When he makes a certain gesture, the Stage Manager will flick a switch, and the powder is ignited. Unless the sound crew adds the “POP!” to the show, the flashpot will only go off with a bright “poof” and nothing more.
Part of what might be considered special effects are the twinkling lights that are positioned as stars on the scrim around the Jellicle Moon, and are now incorporated into Mistoffelees’ light jacket. Before the technology changed, the stars and the flashing lights on the jacket used to be made by wiring a mini-light bulb (the type made for train sets and the radio controlled cars). Now, fiber optic cables make up a sizable amount of that, and at a fraction of the weight. Both the scrim and Mistoffelees’ jacket now use fiber optics. Although considered as part of Mistoffelees’ costume, the beaded jacket is technically a special effect. The battery and light source is situated inside the liner in the back of the jacket at the bottom hem. With fiber optics, this jacket weights about three pounds (1.4 kg) instead of the conventionally wired jacket’s nearly seven pounds (3 kg).
When examining the archive jackets worn by Mister Mistoffelees, the device that makes the lights flicker on the jacket was revealed. The early jackets (such as the one worn by Jacob Brett in the video) had two bare-tipped wires. The actor had to manually touch the wires together to close the circuit, and thereby light up the bulbs. When the fiber optics was placed inside the jacket, the actor was finally given a button that fit in the palm of his hand.
PROPS
Troika Tour (US V)
When the audience member looks at the stage from where they sit, many do not realize that the Junkyard is “littered” with props. Perhaps, this element is another example of beauty of the musical. That wheel, or shoe, or lampshade, or other such item is just part of the “trash” (or scenery) until a performer “cat” picks it up.
Anything that is handled by the performers are technically props, including pieces of what might be considered part of a set. Most of the props seen in CATS are designed to be handled by the performers, and yet appear to be “cat-sized” and part of the Junkyard. In an interview, Trevor Nunn commented:
Everything in the design could be, as it were, at the cat scale. You could have all sorts of objects that had been tossed away thoughtlessly by human beings that would take on a magical life because, suddenly they were five, six, seven, eight times bigger than we'd ever seen them before. And so the dumped, wrecked car and the tire and an old gas stove and 78 records that suddenly become completely fascinating when they're three-foot wide. Once we hit on the idea that everything could be scaled differently and therefore every human being disguised as a cat we'd never go out of scale with the arrival of a real human. (Nunn 2002)
Practically all the props in CATS have to be designed and created out of sturdy materials to represent that piece of junk. Very few of these items can be picked up and used as a “human” would. John Napier designed most of the props and items in the junk piles to be at least three times the normal size. An ordinary soupspoon is about seven inches (18 cm) long. For Bustopher Jones, the same soupspoon is as long as a short golf club. The original Broadway stage version used cigarette wrappers for gloves and cereal boxes for shoes during “The Aweful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles,” as well as actual “shoes,” burlap bags and pails for headgear. Again, all of them had to be enlarged to look right, which meant they were made-- not found in a real junkyard.
The first step in designing a CATS prop actually depends on what it represents. Some of the props and set dressing are articles of clothing, and were constructed in the costume shop. Even so, the costumer has to know what the original piece looks like, and then what its new dimensions will be. The brassiere hanging from a balcony railing at the New London Theatre had to be constructed -- otherwise, the costume shop ordered a 98EEEE somewhere (Left -- the piece is just above the man -- New London Theatre -- after the last performance on May 12, 2002).
Most of the props, however, are built in the scene shop. Some of the items are foam or latex models, which are sculpted in clay, cast, and then filled with the medium. Then, the model is prepped and painted. Others are made of papier-mâché, PCV pipe, carved wood, cut form, or any number of materials -- even metal. In an examination of the “silverware” used by the cockroaches during “The Old Gumbie Cat” in the US Tour V, the two-foot-long knives, forks and spoons, were made out of light metal. Using various resins, fabrics, paints and odds-and-ends, a prop craftsman can make quite a few things look very realistic --- like the normal junked lamp that is taller than the performer seen in the US Tour V and the pictures of Broadway’s production.
Some pieces probably were fashioned by special shops -- such as the bicycle tires. Normally, a bicycle tire rim is about 26 inches at most. And yet, when the performers create the Skimbleshanks train, the wheels are taller than a six foot Munkustrap. So, these pieces were probably created in a bicycle shop to fit a “seven-foot” tire…
The final part of the props distribution is where the set designer gets creative. The props are not haphazardly spread around the set, but are placed in certain locations to be esthetically part of the overall appearance, and yet be capable of being picked up by the performers. During the run of the West End and Broadway productions, the props could be “hidden in plain sight,” or hidden in the set pieces where the performer knew where to find them. For the touring shows, most of the props are found just off stage in the tunnels. Veteran audience members familiar with “The Aweful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles” can notice one interesting sight. In the US Tour V, even though the musical number is cut from the show, the cereal boxes and huge shoes that would be worn as costume pieces can be easily seen as part of the junk.
SOUND (AUDIO)
The final technical part of the show is the “sound system.” At one time, theatre was restricted to whatever sound could be made from objects either on stage or directed offstage. With the advent of the tape recorder, sounds could be manufactured elsewhere, and the recording played at certain points of the production. At first, the sounds were all recorded on spools -- tape stored on reels very much like film. Many times, the show produced a sound spool that had the sound clips spliced together. When the cassette came into being, the sound bits could be recorded on a short tape, and even repeated by "looping" the tape. If a certain sound was needed, a labeled cassette was inserted into the player, the controls where directed to play that cassette, and, hopefully, the proper sound came out over the speakers.
When the CD (Compact Disk) came into being, sound was now programmable and could be played at the touch of a button. The computer added the ability to not only collect sound clips, but also create them. Like the light console, the audio console is now capable of computerizing when and where the sound is sent, as well as its volume.
The crashing of junk, the roaring of a motorcycle or car engine, breaking glass, and even Macavity’s laughter are all examples of the sounds recorded for the show. However, the audio crew has one more function, and this function is extremely important -- microphones. The soundboard used for CATS usually has a separate channel for each performer’s microphone, and they must be set-up, monitored and maintained during the show. Each performer is issued a wireless transmitter and a body mike. Prophylactics (“condoms”) were used to protect the microphone under the costume. Because of the costumes used in CATS, which are painted Lycra unitards; the placement of the transmitter and the microphone under the costume could be very inventive. Keith Wilson described a typical placement as such:
The microphone cord was connected to the mic pac [sic] which was placed in a cloth pouch attached to an elastic waist band and the cord was threaded up the back of the costume, under the wig, and then out through the top of the wig, usually just over the face, between the eyes. Depending on the person and what they had to do in the show, the mic pac was either on the side of the body or [on the small of the back]. It was never all that comfortable if you were a cat that had to roll around a lot, but I never heard of anyone ever getting hurt or bruised from a mic pac. (Wilson, 2003).
THE CREW
Of all the people who work with a performance, the crews are the “unknown artists” of the show. They may get credit in the playbill, but they hardly ever get any of the applause. Speaking of which -- From the US TOUR V playbill, the following crew titles could be found:
Company Manager, Stage Manager, Assistant Stage/Company Manager, Associate (and Assistant) Choreographer, Associate (ditto) Lighting Designer, Assistant Musical Supervisor, Head Carpenter (and Assistants), Master Electrician (and Assistants), Sound Engineer, Head of Wardrobe (and Assistants), and Hair/Makeup Supervisor (and Assistants). (Various authors, 2000:6)
Twenty-one people run the show, and the audience member is rarely aware of them. From the UK TOUR III program, only fifteen positions are listed:
Company Manager, Technical Stage Manager, Deputy Stage Manager, two Assistant Stage Managers, Wardrobe Mistress, Deputy Wardrobe Mistress, Wig Mistress, Chief Sound Engineer, Deputy Sound Engineer, Chief Electrician, Deputy Electrician, Assistant Electrician, and General Technician. (Various Authors 2003)
Once a show enters production, the Director fades into the background. From the moment the house is open until the doors are closed, the one in charge of a production is the Stage Manager (Technical Stage Manager). Much of the time, the Stage Manager sits offstage or in a booth where they can see the stage and forestage. Through the intercom, they announce the opening of the House, cues the performers and other crews, and readies the stage. They are also in charge of pre-show checks, and then keeping the show running smoothly. When the final note is played, and all the cats are gone, they have the various crews shutdown their sections, and ready the set for the next performance, or for teardown.
Stage crews have to be carpenters in the theatre, and they are often referred to as such in productions. Since they set up the stage pieces, they are aware of the wear-and-tear on the set pieces; and they have to maintain the set. The Stage Crew often is part of the original set builders, along with the Set Designer (who sometimes helps build and decorate the set!). During a production, they repair or replace set pieces, maintain the set, and sometimes make minor creations on the fly! Also, the Stage Crew moves set pieces as dictated by the performance. In CATS, the cast does most of the work moving the set (such as Growltiger’s ship). But, the Carpenters are on hand should set pieces require emergency repairs.
The Master Electrician title sounds more impressive than the job. Essentially, the Lighting Crewmembers are called "electricians," but they sometimes are asked to do special effects that involve electric motors and other lights. Along with the designer, this crew hangs the lighting instruments on the various beams and pipes above the stage, in the wings, in the set pieces, and out in the house. Once the lighting instruments are hung, they are focused according to the design, and assigned to particular circuits, and dimmers. Prior to the use of computers, light changes were dictated by how smoothly and quickly the Lighting Crew could move dimmer levers and dials. Presently, computer software and DMX control boards handle a lot of the complex and gradual lighting changes. The intelligent lights take away the need for manual focusing. Here, the lights are mounted on a pre-set light “bridge.” Like the set, this unit is on wheels at first. The bridge is wheeled out onto the stage, the beam is brought down, the bridge is attached and wired, and then taken up into the fly. The console operator can check and adjust the focus of intelligent lighting from the board. Maintenance is a heavy duty with the electricians. Lamps (the “bulbs” inside the instruments) have to be replaced, and the instruments sometimes need to be repaired or replaced.
Technically part of the Lighting Crew, the spotlight operators often have special booths that they shoot the bright lights from, or they stand is certain specified areas of the house. As seen above, some computerized spots can take the place of the spot operator, but the spotlight is going to be used eventually. Otherwise, the principle performer loses a bit of light… Anytime a performer is outlined in a brighter, often “white”, light, they are being lit by a spotlight.
The Sound Engineer (Audio Engineer) is in charge of all audio cues during the production. Any pre-show music or sound (other than the orchestra) falls under their care as well as all audio cues during the production (i.e., the “crash” heard when Macavity is stalking about). In CATS and other productions where microphones are used, the Sound Engineer is in charge of testing and maintaining the microphones around the set and worn by the performers. During the production, they have to maintain the sound levels of the various microphones and speakers, and trigger the sound clips at the appropriate time.
Wardrobe is the title of the costumer -- the people who make and maintain the costumes. During a production run, the costume maintenance factor is the key action of Wardrobe. Because the performers crawl about the stage, they put wear and tear on the costumes. Rips and runs, lost items and emergency repair also fall into Wardrobe’s capable hands. If a performer is seen to be having a problem with a costume, a wardrobe specialist will be offstage waiting to repair it. A “Dresser” is a member of Wardrobe who assists performers into certain types of costumes.
The final crew mentioned in the list is the Hair/Makeup crewmembers. CATS have a special requirement for Makeup, other than the extraordinary facial designs, and that is the wig. According to most sources, the wig is made of yak hair (shaved from the belly hair), which is applied to a specially made skullcap. The hair is treated, brushed into shape, spayed to maintain the shape, and dyed to the specifications of the character. Part of the wig is worked to appear like the cat’s ears. In all cases, the wig is supposed to cover the performer’s actual ears. During the pre-show, the makeup artists are in the dressing rooms to assist the performers, who usually do their own makeup. During a show, they help with touchups.
For the US Tour V show, several other members are relied upon to actually set up and take down the show. Typically, these “local” production members come from the theatre unions, or are members of the local theatre staff, and they augment the show’s production team. One of the groups that helps make part of show go well are the fly crew. In all (or at least the majority) of the theatres that the CATS US Tour V travels to, this crew in invaluable since they are the ones authorized to perform certain functions under union rules. In the fly area above the stage, various pipes hold curtains, set pieces and lighting instruments. Before any stage or lighting crewmember can do anything, they have to allow the fly crew to lower the pipe. Then, once loaded, they send the pipe (or “beam”) back up into place. In the video, the Fly crew lowered and raised that staircase unit for Grizabella. In the stage productions, they raised and lowered the saucer or the staircase. And, they are there to lower Mister Mistoffelees through a trapdoor in the bridge onto the stage via a magician’s “rope.”
THE MUSICIANS
Although these members of the show are not really part of the “technical” crew, they are likewise invisible to the audience. Andrew Lloyd Webber did not want to spoil the illusion of the Junkyard by having the orchestra visible -- not even in the orchestra “pit.” So, in most cases, the orchestra is secreted in a studio backstage, or hidden by a wall of junk (New London Theatre -- at left. Also note the “props” on this wall). The musicians typically fit anywhere there is space. Depending upon the tour, the instrumentation varies but the main instruments are 2 to 3 keyboards, guitar, bass guitar and percussion (which is usually a trap set with an array of other percussion pieces, and played by one or two musicians). Usually, the percussion area is behind a plastic shield. Brass, strings, and woodwinds can be added according the needs of the production.
In the orchestra studio, the Conductor is placed before a closed circuit television camera. Monitors are scattered throughout the stage area and backstage so that the cast and crew can see the conductor’s hands, and get the beat of the music. Some of the monitors are in plain sight at the edge of the stage, or they are hidden by pieces of junk. At the California Theatre in San Bernardino, California (USA), a large-screen TV screen was placed in a control booth easily seen from the stage.
THE HOUSE
Some of the support team members of the theatre meet the patrons outside, take tickets, show patrons to their seat, and give out playbills or programs. Typically, the theatre has a staff for their box office, their refreshments, and the house. The House Manager acts very much like the Stage Manager in this realm. They have to be sure the house is ready to receive the audience members, to be sure that the box office is manned and ready, to be sure that the ushers are present and ready, and that the programs are available. In some theatres, the ushers often times pose as security in keeping people off the stage area, and/or going backstage.
Concessions are considered part of the house environment. Although CATS and the tour companies may control the souvenir booths, they operate under the supervision of the theater’s house. Refreshments also operate under the house and may be contracted to other organizations.
In CATS, the show requires these unsung heroes and heroines in order to present the full impact of the work. Although a great performer can create an illusion from their acting, their costume and their makeup, they lack some, or even most, of their potential without the set, the lighting and the support crews behind them. From the Stage and House Mangers down to the lowliest crewmember, the backstage personnel and their hardware help create the illusion for the performer to act inside. When the applause is sounded, not all the bows that are taken are visible. To see these unseen bows, and unsung heroes and heroines, one must see past the performers and into the nooks and crannies of the set, and in the booths behind the stage and above the house.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Napier, John
2002 Interview in Cats: the Ultimate Edition DVD, United Kingdom, Universal
Pictures (UK) Ltd.
Nunn, Trevor
2002 Interview in Cats: the Ultimate Edition DVD, United Kingdom, Universal
Pictures (UK) Ltd.
Schoenfeld, Gerald
2002 Interview in Cats: the Ultimate Edition DVD, United Kingdom, Universal
Pictures (UK) Ltd.
Taylor, Carolyn and Smith, Kevin
1989 “Flash Theatre: The Design and Concept Behind the “CATS” Set”, Curtain Call, Toronto No. 1 Production, Summer 1989.
Wilson, Keith
2003 Reply from “The NEW CATS Forum” September 4, 2003.
2003 Reply from “The NEW CATS Forum” September 21 2003.
2003 Reply from “The NEW CATS Forum” October 15, 2003.
Various Authors
1983 Cats: the Book of the Musical, Orlando, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
2002 “Staff for CATS”, in CATS Playbill, New York, NY, Tour Direction: Columbia Artists Theatricals
2003 “Technical Team”, in CATS Brochure, produced by Cameron Macintosh and Really Useful Group, Ltd.
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To convert this stage to somewhat match New London, the set was actually extended 24 feet over the orchestra pit and into the first few rows of seats (which were transferred to the sides of the stage). For CATS in the Winter Garden Theater, center stage was actually 15 feet in front of the proscenium arch. Regardless, the Junkyard moved closer to the audience, and sometimes placed the performer in close proximity.
Below is a list of the known license plates of the productions:
The stage fog, or “smoke,” is produced through machines appropriately “Fog Machines.” For the US Tour V, the Fog Machine (of which there are four (4) of them) is the F100 (a standard machine), which employs a 2.5-gallon (9.5L) juice tank. For the UK Tour III, liquid nitrogen is used to create the ground fog -- in which the “fog juice” is super-chilled for a nice thick ground fog that quickly dissipates. Fog machines use a Gylcol-water formula that comes in three formulas -- HQ (High-Quality), which is a thick white fog that dissipates into a haze; Stage, which also creates a good white fog that quickly dissipates into the air; and Cold Flow, which is chilled and sent out as a ground fog. As it warms, it rises and dissipates. For CATS, the opening number is either HQ or stage fog. During the Heavyside part, Cold Flow is used.-- Grizabella’s escape route to the Heavyside has at least two methods. The UK Tour III incorporates the “Golden” staircase (with fiber optics and fog), while the US Tour V has the “Flying Saucer” (also with fiber optics and fog). Both units operate off the light truss (bridge), and are drawn up next to the truss. Likewise, the truss has a trapdoor in the center of the bridge. Using a rope that has a foot loop and a hand loop, Mister Mistoffelees is lowered down from this unit either by hand or by motorized winch.
The first step in designing a CATS prop actually depends on what it represents. Some of the props and set dressing are articles of clothing, and were constructed in the costume shop. Even so, the costumer has to know what the original piece looks like, and then what its new dimensions will be. The brassiere hanging from a balcony railing at the New London Theatre had to be constructed -- otherwise, the costume shop ordered a 98EEEE somewhere (Left -- the piece is just above the man -- New London Theatre -- after the last performance on May 12, 2002).
Although these members of the show are not really part of the “technical” crew, they are likewise invisible to the audience. Andrew Lloyd Webber did not want to spoil the illusion of the Junkyard by having the orchestra visible -- not even in the orchestra “pit.” So, in most cases, the orchestra is secreted in a studio backstage, or hidden by a wall of junk (New London Theatre -- at left. Also note the “props” on this wall). The musicians typically fit anywhere there is space. Depending upon the tour, the instrumentation varies but the main instruments are 2 to 3 keyboards, guitar, bass guitar and percussion (which is usually a trap set with an array of other percussion pieces, and played by one or two musicians). Usually, the percussion area is behind a plastic shield. Brass, strings, and woodwinds can be added according the needs of the production.