CAST:
ALONZO
ASPARAGUS
BOMBALURINA
BUSTOPHER JONES
CASSANDRA
DEMETER
GENGHIS
GRIDDLEBONE
GRIZABELLA
GROWLTIGER
JELLYLORUM
JENNYANYDOTS
MACAVITY
MISTOFFELEES
MUNGOJERRIE
MUNKUSTRAP
OLD DEUTERONOMY
PLATO
POUNCIVAL
RUMPELTEAZER
RUM TUM TUGGER
SILLABUB
SKIMBLESHANKS
TUMBLEBRUTUS
VICTORIA
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NAME -- McCALLUM THEATRE -- March 30th
William Sweet
Christopher E. Sidoli -- Nathan Morgan
Bethany Moore
Christopher E. Sidoli -- Nathan Morgan
Julie Nelson -- Shannon Lea Smith / Eva Kasmowski
Kendal Hartse -- Samantha Strum
Andrew Parker Greenwood / Dann Dunn
Anissa Hartline -- Kendall Kelly
Tricia Tanguy
Christopher E. Sidoli -- Nathan Morgan
Anissa Hartline -- Kendall Kelly
Cara Michelle Fish
Daniel A Rysak
Chris MacKethun
Andrew Parker Greenwood / Dann Dunn *
Justin Huebener
Seth Lerner
Daniel A Rysak
Joshua Schulteis -- Dann Dunn *
Kristy Cavanaugh / Jillian Dierking
Zander Meisner
Sari Feldman
Felix Hess
Andy Mills
Melinda Hall -- Molly Stewart
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NAME -- CALIFORNIA THEATRE -- April 4th
William Sweet
Christopher E. Sidoli -- Nathan Morgan
Bethany Moore
Christopher E. Sidoli -- Nathan Morgan
Julie Nelson -- Eva Kasmowski
Kendal Harste -- Samantha Strum
Andrew Parker Greenwood
Kedall Kelly
Tricia Tanguy
Christopher E. Sidoli -- Nathan Morgan
Kendall Kelly
Cara Michelle Fish
Daniel A Rysak
Chris MacKethun
Andrew Parker Greenwood
Justin Huebener
Seth Lerner
Daniel A Rysak
Joshua Schulteis -- Brad Landers
Kristy Cavanaugh
Zander Meisner
Sari Feldman
Felix Hess
Andy Mills
Melinda Hall -- Molly Stewart
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CYAN means replaced main performer
LIME means original performer in first show.
MAGENTA means replaced original performer in first show only.
RED replaced main performer in second show only.
* - Dann Dunn played Pouncival in the first show, and then played Mungojerrie in the second show . Pouncival was not played in the second show.
TOUR REVIEW
McCALLUM THEATRE -- March 30th -- Matinee and Evening
CALIFORNIA THEATRE -- April 4th -- Evening
I had extremely good seats for all three performances (BB, AA and AA), and my seat-mate for the McCALLUM was VTWC (aka Christine). If you are in SoCAL or can get to our lovely half of the State, I really suggest you see this cast before they go off... Very strong cast in singing and dance, some good acting and character work, and, OK, so I am biased, but I thought they had some very pretty ladies in the cast... We think the cast had food brought in between shows because we could smell food during the second act, and the MAC does NOT have a restaurant in it or nearby... A good half-dozen cast members sat out and swings took over. My definition of a good cast is one where the swings do just as good as a main... My only regret is that Christopher Sidoli (GUS) was not there.
In my opinion, the cast is very strong in all roles so it was very hard for me to really single out performers. If not the top choice of casts, this one is very high on my list. The venue also had some bearing on this because the McCallum Theatre is smaller, had good sightlines and no orchestra pit. This factor alone allowed the performers to interact better with the audience. Having Tugger dance in the front row, and Bomba and Cassie play a bit of a spat in front of a guy in the front left being examples (Mine… No, mine… I saw him first… hiss…). The California Theatre had an open pit this time which separated the cast from the audience, and took away Tugger’s dance and any contact during the naming or otherwise. However, Green Eyes was played in the front AND up on the balcony. An interesting plus at the California Theatre was that we could actually see the conductor, and I noted particularly the baton work for the 13/8 time in Skimbleshanks. The only other plus is that I do like to applause the “band”. Another thing that was very evident this year is the amount of “defensive hissing” that takes place when someone is a bit 'out of place’ (Griz -- hiss, kittens playing around -- hiss, too close to me -- hiss, looking at me wrong -- hiss…).
Highlights for me -- Having Plato touch "paws" with me at the end of the McCallum Evening; having Tugger do the dance with Christine; and playing head-tilting with Bomba (both at the McCallum and then at the California). She must have seen me at the first show on house left, and then saw me house right at the MAC and California. Wearing white long-sleeve shirt, black vest and the CATS ballcap helped. She tilted her head one way, and then I tilted my head the other... back and forth for a few seconds... Hey, it was Bomba -- what more can I say? Bethany Moore played the Scarlet Queen, and she was tall, slender, foxy, extremely flirtatious, and had a leg kick that could probably make field goal kickers envious... Nathan Morgan (who played Gus/BJ/Growlie) did an excellent job with a little more expression as Gus, the Theatre Cat... Kendall Kelly’s Jellylorum was beautiful in presence and voice. I enjoyed her concern when Gus was on his feet. We had two different Cassandra-s at the McCallum, and both very nice to watch... Her 'Snootyness' was well-played, and Eva Kosmowski might be finishing the role. Misto (played by Chris MacKenthun) was a pouting conjuring kitty -- hissed and sulked a lot -- that is a little different to see played. However, he was consistent about it, so you got used to it, and it fit. But, he definitely enjoyed the spotlight. And Molly Steward, as Victoria, once more amazed me with control work on the Invitation Dance. I believe they added a little bit of emphasis about rising up en Pointe. I enjoyed Cara Fish’s Jennyanydots flirting in BJ. For the Munkustrap enthusiasts -- you would definitely enjoy a good baritone and stage presence of Justin Huebener as the Silver Tabby. And Felix Hess? This is his second year as the energetic Orange Tabby, and he still is all over the stage, micro-managing everything. I do not know if a new bit was added, or I just saw it this time, but he gets bowled over by BJ just before the “inspection of the troops”… I still say BJ hits a slice to the right…
Tricia Tanguy’s Grizabella was hit-and-miss for me. She used syllable emphasis in Memory (mem-mor-ree instead of Mem-mree) and her 'gait’ always looked like she would fall with every step. Maybe, I am just used to a drag-step for Griz… I did enjoy her character -- especially when she reacted to things being said about her -- as well as her voice… The same could be said for Seth Lerner as Old Deuteronomy. His voice was excellent, and his use of the “shaman” gestures I feel is part of the character was nicely played. At times, though, I just felt he was a bit to “spry” for the “Old” Dee… Finally, Zander Meisner’s Tugger seemed a bit toned down. He had his moments, but the 'fire’ seemed missing. Part of the reason, I felt, was that his upper voice was not always there.
This show is the type that you really have to see at least twice, maybe three times because you miss all the things going on around the main action. I have now sold myself on seeing a matinee and then the evening show on the same day. If I had my choices though, I should have seen the show all three times at the McCallum. I may have been sitting in the wrong place for a good sound blend at the California Theatre because I could not hear the vocals as well.
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat
***** Finis *****
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