Remembering DRAT THE CAT! on its 50th Anniversary

50 years ago today the show opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre. Starring Lesley Anne Warren, in her only lead role in a Broadway musical, as well as Elliot Gould. Jane Connell and Charles Durning were also in the cast. It was an undeniable flop running only 8 performances.

I know little to nothing of the plot but based on the pictures it has a 19th Century setting. Although there is no cast album the score is one of many that has had a bootleg supposed soundboard released on shady LPs through the Blue Pear label.

Did anyone see it back in '65?

I love the 1997 Studio Cast Recording with Susan Egan, Judy Kaye, Elaine Stritch, Jonathan Freeman, Lee Wilkof, Jason Graae, & Gregory Jbara

I only bought it for Susan. She has such a unique speaking & singing voice.

I saw it and loved it. I was only 15 at the time, so it was one of my earliest shows, although I had already seen Hello Dolly, Fiddler, and Funny Girl. I loved it. I remember being very surprised that it closed so quickly, because I thought it was very funny, had a very good score (as can be proven by the album previously referenced, terrific sets, and solid performances by Warren, Gould, And Connell. I seem to remember that it got some good reviews, and that Walter Kerr really liked it. numbers that I still remember include She Touched Me, Wild and Reckless, Its Your Fault, and I Like Him.

i have stated before that I think this should be a candidate for Encores, because the score really is very good and, with the right cast, it would be a lot of fun

I've always loved the show's poster and logo. If anyone here knows who designed it please let me know! The only song I know from this score is "She/He Touched Me" because of the famous Streisand version. Warren and Gould would re-unite in the 1970s to co-star in HARRY AND WALTER GO TO NEW YORK. More infamously, Warren's husband Jon Peters had an affair with Streisand and divorced Warren to be with her.

I saw the Opening Doors (now sadly defunct) production a few years ago and had a blast. I've always loved the score and the book was equally as goofy and fun. I don't think it's something that Encores would do, but it's right up MUFTI's alley.

The studio album is a must-own, plus the audio of the OBC apparently floated around for years and is pretty easy to get your hands on. A shame an official OBCR was never released.

All of my life, I have been obsessed with the fact that Elliott Gould introduced the song as "She Touched Me" only to witness as his soon-to-be ex-wife made it a classic as "He Touched Me."

Ob-SESSED.

Updated On: 10/11/15 at 06:03 PM

I never had a clue, no matter how many times I've seen the poster, that the guy who wrote DEATHTRAP and Rosemary's Baby wrote the book and lyrics. Quite different from his more famous works!

"Drat! The Cat! is the escape we've all been looking for!"- Walter Kerr.

Wonderful score, wonderfully witty lyrics. Joe Layton at his peak. If the show lasted longer (as it should have), it would have produced a number of standards. Let's Go is a terrific song. I Like Him (recorded on the flip side of He Touched by Streisand ) is terrific, too. Why she never included it one] one of her albums is a mystery.

It is a cd I listen to with great regularity. And I can't say that about a heck of a lot of musicals in this century. Wish the producers were not so quick to pull the plug.

That logo -- "...and I swear to you, Miss Warren looks exactly like that drawing on the poster." - Walter Kerr (paraphrased)

Mr Roxy said: "Levin's plays also included

Dr Cook's Garden

Veronica's Room

He also wrote The Boys From Brazil"

In my opinion his BEST play is DEATHTRAP

If it's of interest, J2 Spotlight is doing a small-scale run of this show at the moment.

https://www.j2spotlightnyc.com/drat-cat