Cats Previews- Page 2

[Buffalo Bill]

Posted: 7/13/16 at 12:07pm

I work at The Simon, it's a really cool set. The theatre has been transformed. I'm guessing here, no inside info, just observations: it's sort of a "world within a world" concept, perhaps? It's stunning and extremely detailed.   To my untrained eye (I have an M.A. in Theatre history with a minor in Theatrical Architecture) it appears as if they've ripped the theatre open to reveal to us the world where CATS takes place. 

The ceiling of the orchestra is strewn with strings of multicolored lights with bulbs just popping color everywhere during certain numbers. (I am revealing my ignorance here, I've never seen the show before.)

The great ceiling of the balcony now appears to be torn open to reveal a majestic skyline, resplendent with magical pinpoints of starlight and the occasional stray moonbeam, emanating from a gigantic moon which appears at the back of the set. It's mesmerizing.

 

[Rockyfan2000]

Posted: 7/13/16 at 12:59pm

These still zero news or info on their homepage. No cast list etc. Wonder when it'll be updated....

http://www.catsthemusical.com/broadway/

[TaylorF221]

Posted: 7/13/16 at 11:25pm

There was a very small/exclusive final dress tonight so I can't say much.

 

First things first, weird people are spreading rumors about the quick death of the show. It has been selling extremely well (especially in group sales) and already has a multi-million dollar advance.  Love or hate it, Cats will be taking up the Simon for a while.

 

Also, Andy was attached to help choreograph the show long before Hamilton. He was observing with Gillian in the rehearsal room for the first London revival. 

 

The show was fantastic. I mean it is the CATS we know and love, but some of the new elements really bring the show to another level. The set was awesome. Built out into the house and throughout the ceiling. Lot's of new "trash junk" and bits and bobs for the cast to play with. The Heaviside Layer "tire" is very very cool. The cast is young and energetic, really brings a freshness to the show. There is a lot of the original choreography there, and Andy's new choreography is AMAZING. He really built on Gillian's work. Mr. Mistoffelees has been totally re-choreographed and is seriously worth the price of admission alone. A showstopper. 

 

Leona Lewis is great. She can sing the hell out of Memory. Her acting needs some work but she will get comfortable with the role over the preview period. Not the crash and burn many on here were hoping for.

 

The original Tugger is back as well. Neither Growltiger & Billy McCaw are in this production. You'll have to see what they put in their place, but it absolutely works and surprised they never did it before. 

 

Not trying to be a shill for this production as I am not involved in any way, but in all it was a great night. This production won't change the minds of people who hate the show but everyone else will enjoy. There are enough new surprises that make it worth a see, even if you know the production intimately. They did a great job of keeping everything that worked with the original production and tweaking the things that didn't. 

 

[chernjam]

Posted: 7/13/16 at 11:41pm

Taylor - Thanks for sharing... I'm not a huge Cats fan (am a huge ALW fan, but was never as big a fan of Cats as his other works) but was curious about the revival and was planning on checking it out.  Never can understand the "rooting" for shows to fail just because people don't care for them...  

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/13/16 at 11:52pm

TaylorF221 said: "The show was fantastic. I mean it is the CATS we know and love, but some of the new elements really bring the show to another level."

Without Growltiger it's not the Cats I know and love.

 

[Glitter]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 1:28am

adore Cats.  Love Growltiger, but wish there was a way of doing it without being enormously racist.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 3:27am

Glitter said: "adore Cats.  Love Growltiger, but wish there was a way of doing it without being enormously racist."

If you're referring to the use of the word "Chinks" that's usually changed to "Siamese" now. I know there's a bit more to it than just that word though.

 

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 8:24am

Who is Billy McCaw?  I don't remember that cat from the original production.  I take it that even though Growltiger is not in the current revival that Jellylorum has something to do.

[binau]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 8:28am

CATSNYrevival said: "TaylorF221 said: "The show was fantastic. I mean it is the CATS we know and love, but some of the new elements really bring the show to another level."

Without Growltiger it's not the Cats I know and love.
 

"

I love that it has taken 12 years old for your screen name to become relevant here haha :P.

[schubox]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 8:35am

Glad to hear people think it will stick around at least a little bit. I have tickets in October. I don't have any real desire to see it but my girlfriend will be crushed if it closes early.

[Justin D]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 8:37am

Back in the original London version they had a song called the ballad of billy Mccaw which got replaced by that italian aria in growltiger's last stand

 

I will miss growltiger dearly but am interested to see what it has been replaced by, I see the actor in the playbill now is credited as a character called "Peter" as well as Gus and Bustopher so I am curious to see what thats all about

 

regarding the set, what was said earlier about the roof being opened up sounds very interesting, I;d love to hear more about this.

Having only ever seen the london production, they were in a modern theatre that was very flexible (I guess you could compare it to something like the Gershwin or Circle in the Square. They took out the proscenium (like they can do in the Gershwin, and the set was in the round with rows of seating in the balcony basically going into what would usually be backstage. The stage also rotated, pointless but a cool effect at the time, particularly if you were sitting in the rows that moved.

as for the roof, being that the theatre didnt have anything special about its roof (modern so think of the Marquis) they had fibre optic strands all over the roof that would twinkle like stars and also glow different colours which was very pretty to see (in addition to the 'christmas lights' all over)

Perhaps (asside from no pirate ship, just a matress and some cat foot shaped footlights in growltiger) the other dissapointing bit of set was the whole heaviside lair thing, the wall above the moon just had a basic ladder come out of it with some rainbow lights shining through the hole, nothing fancy like what they used in the DVD

[10086sunset]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 10:45am

Taylor and Bill, appreciate the thoughts and insight.

I'm excited to see this, especially the set in a few weeks.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 11:00am

I must be the only person who hates Growltiger. Actually, I found much of the show to be long and boring with a hint of brilliance. For me, the dance breaks were just too long; I think the pacing and choreography and orchestrations combined just weren't compelling enough for the extended routines (I think it's why I am able to gtet through the video version, all of that was cut).

[Tom5]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 11:01am

Might be successful with a new generation, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to see what could only be a copy of the original.

[Glitter]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 11:57am

it's not just the word "chinks"  that I find appalling, it's the whole use of fake asian accents. The whole sequence is sooooo fun, but even as a kid, I winced at that.  Hope it's in but they find a way to fix it!  I loooooove Cats and am excited for the show :) 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 12:03pm

qolbinau said: "I love that it has taken 12 years old for your screen name to become relevant here haha :P."

This is one of those "be careful what you wish for" scenarios. 

 

[Princeton78]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 3:19pm

I'm SO happy to hear that they've done some modification to the Simon.  I think a lot of the CATS haters might have changed their minds had they seen the original production at the Winter Garden.  The tours and London may have had talented performers, but the environmental set at the WG is really what made that production extraordinary.  It seems they haven't gone nearly as far at the Simon, but they've started, and perhaps if it's a hit, they may do more.  I for one am SO excited to hear reports from tonight, and plan to see it as soon as I can get to NYC. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 3:55pm

Hey maybe if Cats is successful we'll get a revival of Starlight Express.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 4:42pm

If anyone is going, can you report back or take pics of any merch on sale? I wanted to see if there was a tie-in edition of the T. S. Eliot book (they were selling one during the UK run), a windowcard, etc.

[RW3]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 5:57pm

Can't wait to see what Whizzer says. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 6:01pm

I'm afraid of what Whizzer will say but this revival has it coming.

Updated On: 7/14/16 at 06:01 PM

[supersam1026]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 7:53pm

I'm sure some are interested, so here's the song list (sorry, not letting me post a picture from my phone!). I'll put a spoiler tag just to be safe. I'm in the theater now and they did a pretty good job bringing the set into the house (I'm row L in the mezz).

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Act I

Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats

The Naming of Cats

Invitation to the Jellicle Ball

The Old Gumbie Cat

The Rum Tum Tugger

Entry of Grizabella

Bustopher Jones

Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer

Old Deuteronomy

The Jellicle Ball

Memory

Act II

The Moments of Happiness

Gus the Theatre Cat

The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat

Macavity

Mr. Mistoffelees

Memory

Journey to the Heaviside Layer

The Ad-dressing of Cats

Finale

 

 

Updated On: 7/14/16 at 07:53 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 8:33pm

I can't with this. How ridiculous.

[HGR2]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 8:44pm

I would love to see it - I don't know if I am going to have the opportunity. Lots of hope, some hopes come true - I am happy with that.

[ZAKtheWEST]

Posted: 7/14/16 at 9:01pm

Well I really enjoyed the first ten minutes of cats. The man next to me however was not in a good metal place. He was using his phone, I didn't say anything during the overture and about halfway through the opening number he was still recording so I asked him to put it away. He told me to shut up and that I should leave if I knew what was good for me. I didn't say anything. An usher eventually shined a light at him and he put his phone away. We get to the first applause and I am clapping. He looks at me, call me a faggot and starts shoving me. I got up. Found the house manager. He post dated my seat. 

Theatre etiquette has hit an all time high!