Review: CATS at Seacoast Repertory Theatre

I first saw the musical “Cats” in a professional theater about 20 years ago. The cast was centered more on showing off their costumes and looking great, rather than being entertaining. The dancing was routine, at best, and the vocals were forgettable. I dubbed the show as the worse musical ever written.

After seeing “Cats” at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre, my viewpoint has been changed forever. This production is spectacular.

The show was created by (Sir) Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) a collection of whimsical poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology. Cat lovers relished the different behaviors of cats depicted in the poems from a troublesome pair, to magnificently beautiful cats to frail and aging cats. 

Eliot wrote the poems under his assumed name "Old Possum", in letters to his godchildren.

The musical adaptation of “Cats” premiered in the West End of London in 1981 and on Broadway in 1982. It became the longest-running Broadway show in history until it was overtaken by another musical by Lloyd Webber, “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Fast forward to “Cats” at the Rep and you’ll see a production that is dazzling with outrageously detailed costuming, exceptional vocals, and a cast that brings pure joy to the action. The choreography by show director Shaina Schwartz and Wendy O’Bryne is breathtaking in styles ranging from tap, to ballet, jazz and even a soft shoe. Director Schwartz, manages to package this show into a fluid production that is more awe inspiring that I ever thought possible. 

The plot, as slim as it is, concerns a feline tribe, the Jellicles, who during their annual “Jellicle Ball” must decide which one among their ranks will ascend to the “Heaviside Layer” (think kitty heaven) and be reborn. (Something about their nine lives, perhaps.) Yup, that’s it. No big love story. No earth-shattering escapades. Just a taste from each poem in the cat anthology.

But with each one, there’s a vignette about a different kind of cat, many that feline lovers easily identify with. From one of the first numbers, “The Naming of Cats,” which tells us that cats have three names, one determined by their humans, one given fancy name and one they choose for themselves, you know that the show is on a flight of spirited whimsy.

The various cats are introduced in a series of dance-heavy musical numbers. They include the sassy tomcat Rum Tum Tugger (Robert Fabricio Armstrong); the tribe’s patriarch, Old Deuteronomy (Tobin Moss); the fancily dressed, fat cat, Bustopher Jones (Kevin Mahaney); the theater cat, Gus (Mahaney, again); the magical Mistoffelees (Jacob Duby); and Grizabella (Michelle Faria), the glamor cat whose luster has faded. (Think Norma Desmond from “Sunset Boulevard.”)

I’m pleased to see a few cast members making their Seacoast Rep debut. While it is good to see the regulars from the Rep, it is also good to see some new talent.  

Michelle Faria as Grizabella, is stunning in the breakout tune, “Memory” with reprises equally handled by Ella Luke as Jemima. The number purposely has three key changes in it to show the age difference and, presumedly, different vocal abilities between the two cats. The duo handle each transition brilliantly but Faira’s final rendition is a true show stopper.

Moss as the patriarch of the cluster is in great form in the tunes “Old Deuteronomy” and the “Ad-Dressing of Cats” that ends the show.

Armstrong is a sexually charged Rum Tum Tugger, a  kind of Elvis impersonator with a whole lot of shaking going on. (You can almost picture him breaking out in “Blue Suede Shoes.”)

Scarlett Thomas and Jason Glidden liven up the stage as misbehaving cats, Rumpleteazer and Mugojerrie. The two are marvelously charming in a playful duet with comic flair and fun choreography.

Your eye can’t escape Jacob Duby as Mister Mistoffelees, whose dancing talents light up the stage in solo and ensemble numbers. Peter Murphy as Munkustrap is another performer with amazing stage presence.

Perhaps my favorite of all are Gus, the Theatre Cat and Jellylorum played by Kevin Mahaney Kae Kneisley.  An aging and somewhat frail Gus is fondly recalling his stage career with reminiscent glee. At one point, he recalls a fading memory of a certain role he performed in the past, halted to silence by the memory of it.  Old Deuteronomy suggests not only to think back on it, but to perform it once again. Magically, the aging Gus turns into a vibrant youth singing a triumphant operatic piece with Jellylorum.  Mahaney and Kneiseley share the spotlight in an unexpectedly breathtaking moment. What joy to hear this talented duo.

The costumes are, truly, pieces of art. Each cat is adorned with intricate details, from fur to whiskers, transforming the actors into captivating creatures of the night.  The set design is equally impressive, creating a magical atmosphere with its junkyard setting under a moonlit sky.  I imagine that the Christmas tree, front and center, with the occasional use of  holiday decorations is used only because the Rep is running the show in the pre-Christmas season. (If it were true to life, the tree would have been ravaged by the cast of cats.)

Chalk up another outstanding performance to add to the Rep’s rollout of top notch theatrical adventures. It is so inspiring, I may even see it once again to relive the magic of a very entertaining production.,

And before you ask, should youngsters attend? Yes, if they are theater geeks and have a mature sense of musical theater. No, if you have any doubts of their attention span not lasting the full two hours of the production with intermission.

What is in store for the 2025 Rep season? Can you believe it will feature “Sister Act,” “The Wedding Singer,” “Cinderella,” “Hadestown,” “Shrek,” “Into the Woods,” “Wild Party,” “MacBeth,” “Heathers the Musical,” and “Elf the Musical.” Wow.

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