Cats National Tour

I know there is a tour out now--I know the company manager and the stage manager, but I'm not sure of their schedule

that's real nice, WonderBoy...unreal

I agree ChiChi, and I'll tell you why:

Ive seen several showcases here in the city with both equity and non-equity actors and the simple truth is I can't tell the difference, at least for beginning actors. I try to keep in mind the MANY ways of getting equity cards and rationalize it that way.

I think people believe equity actors are better because those are the people who have lasted. My roommate for example, went equity and has yet to work again. Not that she isn't talented, but she joined equity far too soon, and with too few contacts in the theatre world. I think that happens alot, which also explains why so many actos are unemployed--there are just too many with equity cards.

I didn't mean that a non-Equity cast would be untalented. I said it would be sloppy. I've yet to see a tour of CATS Equity or non that was as clean as the Broadway production. Believe me, I've seen it enough to know. I could also tell you that the make-up isn't the same too. It is more cartoonish on tour but then you would probably think I was being a @ss about that as well.

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Of course there will be differences in a Broadway show and a touring production. It has to travel for God's sake! It's the same for the make-up--think about it: the actors are in a new place and may not have a whole lot of time to get ready--especially with the non-eq tours--it's nothing to drive in for a matinee/evening show, pack up, travel and do the same thing the next day only 300 miles away. It's a rough job, and the tickets for touring shows are almost always lower than those of a regular Bway show...so perhaps the expectations of seeing a Bway show in Peoria shouldn't be the same as in NYC, though the performers are the same pool of folks

Umm...helloooo...guys?
I'm extremely appreciative of all the feedback, but can we...um...get back to my question? My reason for wanting to know is that I sit on a board of a rather large Connecticut theatre that will produce a non-equity run of 'Cats' for April 2006. I recently read in Playbill.com that AEA auditions will be held soon for a national tour. If so, I want to be sure that our stage company producers have ample time to announce another selection. I 'm getting tired of our schedule being 'a go' until a tour or revival is announced and the rights get pulled from us at the last minute.

And to continue your thread regarding Equity/non-Equity. I say, hang equity. I've worked for them and I've worked with them and all has led to a major headache! However the time this really irks me is at an audition. Equity always gets to be seen first. And I resent not being heard/seen just because I am not union affiliated. And just when I 'm told that "we have run out of time and we will not be hearing non-union actors", and I'm trying to contain my anger, I hear an equity card carrier sing (and sing badly)through the open studio door and I want to vomit. Too many equity cards in the hands of actors with less than zero talent. I have actually refused equity offers just so I can work. I'll stick with my commitment to perfection & the rest will follow.

Updated On: 7/25/05 at 11:00 PM

This show is to be produced by our own stage company. This is not a tour rental.

Well, she show overall is just plain EFFING hard to do. its rarley pulled off well. But I belive that non-equity can be good, if not better then an equity show.

except they cut out my favorite song so I hate them for it... why produce a national tour if you're gonna do it half-ass? otherwise everything else was okay...

Boy, that tour is going to some SMALL cities.

The last Troika tour of CATS apparently had inflatable sets.

This is the same tour. It is hitting the small cities because it has been out for a pretty long time.

I could not tell they were inflatable...just a quicker way to load in/out for the short stops. No problem with that.

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