Review: CATS IS A “MEMORY” YOU WON'T FORGET at City Springs Theatre Company

City Springs Theatre Company is closing its fifth season with world-renowned CATS, one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most infamous shows, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.

I'm going to preface this review by saying that I have made it more than thirty years of life without seeing or experiencing CATS beyond "Memory." This was a new experience.

CATS is the poetry of T.S. Eliot put to music (by Andrew Lloyd Webber). It doesn't follow traditional musical "rules" in that there is no real plot line. It follows Jellicle cats, coming together at the annual ball to decide who will essentially go to heaven and be reborn to a better life. The majority of musical numbers are simply the different "contestants" introducing themselves.

The set was fairly simple in that it did not change much. There were multiple levels, and cast members filled it out the whole time. Additionally, one very clever touch from designer Kelley Tighe was that the set was climbable. Not just in the traditional steps or ladders route, but with hidden footholds that allowed the cast to look like they were climbing like actual cats. It was a nice touch.

The real standout of CSTC's production of CATS was Baayork Lee's choreography. Since this was my first experience with the show, I cannot say to what extent hers deviated from Gillian Lynne's original choreography (she is credited in the program). CATS does rely heavily on dance, and those actors on stage performed. The sheer athleticism across the board was amazing. During intermission, you could hear everyone talking about how well the cast danced and how hard they were working. In fact, I made the joke later in the night that CATS is more of a ballet that just happens to have singing in it.

One of the most fun things of this production was that the cast got into character with a visit from some feline friends courtesy of LifeLine Animal Project. It allowed each and every cast member to learn and develop their own personality. You could see the variations, even amongst the members of the ensemble.

Due to the nature of the show, there isn't a traditional "lead." Each named Jellicle cat gets their turn to shine. We kick off with a lively tap number led by Munkstrap (Nick Hagelin) and Jennyanydots (Lauren Brooke Tatum), followed by the lovable, Adam Lambert-like rocker of Rum Tum Tugger (Spencer Dean). Soon after, we meet the mysterious Old Deutoronomy (Kevin Harry) who actually entered from the back of the theatre.

Act II welcomes Skimbleshanks (Danny Iktomi Bevins) and the creative staging of a locomotive. Next up is Macavity (Noah A. Lyon), properly named "The Mystery Cat" as he barely made an appearance beyond the fight (which was well staged). Our last Jellicle "contestant" is the standout Mr. Mistoffelees (Harry Francis) who blew the audience away with his dancing. He commanded the stage.

While these vignettes mean that no specific cat was the star, it was clear that everyone had their chance to shine. Even ensemble members had choreographed solos, which is such a nice touch from Lee.

With all of that being said, Grizabella (Jalise Wilson) brought the house down with her version of "Memory." The character is on stage for less than 10 minutes throughout the entire production, and she made the most of every single second. Her performance was so heartfelt that she received a standing ovation (in the middle of the second act). It was very well deserved.

If I were to have one criticism of the production, it was the amount of time the cats spent in the audience. There were a few entrances made from the back of the theatre, and sometimes the cats came down into the seats. While it wasn't distracting in and of itself, any time an audience member got up to step out, you weren't quite sure if it was part of the production or just one of your fellow theatergoers.

CATS is at The Byers Theatre through May 21, 2023. For more information and to grab your tickets, head to www.CitySpringsTheatre.com.

Photos courtesy of www.benrosephotography.com.

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