What a fantastic night at Susquehanna Stage. While "Cats" might not be everyone's favorite Broadway show, due to its limited plot and almost music review format, there is no denying that the energy of this cast, the creativity of the choreography, the amazing costuming, and live orchestra made this production of "Cats" outstanding.
"Cats" loosely tells the story of an aging feline and her passing on into the heavens. With actors dressed in a variety of creative cat costumes (John White and Jacquee Johnson), the majority of the show uses upbeat music and many outstanding dance routines to introduce us to the characters. With a script such as "Cats", having very little story, audience members must rely on the pacing, the music, and the energy of the cast to keep their attention. In this way, It is a challenging show to produce in any theater and a very brave choice for a community theater. Susquehanna Stage is known for its quality performances, outstanding live music, and professional productions, however, having so many amazing singers and dancers made for a truly special evening.
The high-energy choreography by Jill Gagliano not only set a wonderful pace, but cleverly utilized the unique individual talents of the dancers. While it was clear that many of the cast members are talented dancers, several stood out. Joy Singer (Victoria) is clearly an experienced dancer who brought her beautiful lines and amazing control to the stage. Gagliano's choreography utilizes Singer's skills, in partnership with Rashard Dennis (Quaxo) and Gerson Malave (Macavity), to create many of the evening's most beautiful dance sequences. Other outstanding dancers include the duos of Brian Silva (Mungojerrie) and Emma Buettner (Rumpleteazer) and the slinky moves of Chrissy Nickel (Demeter) and Jordyn Johnson (Bombalurina).
The fun night of dance was matched by the incredible vocal talent of this cast. Katelyn Pilsner (Jemina), with her sweet gentle voice, was perfectly suited for "Moments of Happiness". Keel Warner (Rum Tum Tugger) was not only fun to watch but vocally very strong. The booming voice of Michael Kohler was exactly what Old Deuteronomy needed.
This review cannot end, however, without mentioning some of the crowd favorites. "Old Gumbie Cat", a tap number, was so wonderfully paced and beautifully choreographed. It was certainly a highlight of the evening. "Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat" was a high-energy ride. Ryan Kimbark's (Skimbleshanks) vocals were very impressive, even more impressive was his beautiful voice was not shaken by all his running, jumping, and dancing around the stage. The crowd nearly lept to their feet after Karey Getz's performance of the show's most famous song "Memory". A powerful and moving voice. A personal favorite of the night was "Gus the Theater Cat" featuring the beautiful voice of Liz Boyer and the talented Jim Johnson.
This is a show you don't want to miss. Tickets are selling out quickly. To learn more about this and other shows at Susquehanna Stage, visit: https://www.susquehannastage.com
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