BWW Reviews: CATS at the Muny

Despite the fact that I'm not exactly what you'd call a fan of the show Cats, I've always tried to keep an open mind whenever I've attended a production of it (just as I would with any other show I'm not particularly fond of), because you never know when you're going to be beguiled by an especially well done presentation that confounds your expectations. The Muny's current production of Cats does just that, and I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than any of the other versions I've seen to this point.

For the uninitiated, Cats utilizes the wordplay of poet T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, regarding the various types of felines that inhabit this planet, as its backbone. Andrew Lloyd Webber's tuneful score, here given a very dynamic workout, is lively and spirited, providing a whimsical foundation for these fanciful interludes. There isn't any real plot to speak of, only the thread of one aging cat's passage toward heaven and the "catnapping" of wise sage, Old Deuteronomy.

Standing out among a talented cast are: Ken Page's commanding presence and vocals as Old Deuteronomy; Stephanie J. Block's torn and tattered Grizabella, complete with a soaring and heartbreaking rendition of "Memory"; Kevin Loreque's pelvic-gyrating turn on Rum Tum Tugger; the gymnastic athleticism of Joseph Medeiros as Mistoffelees, Michael Brian Dunn's corpulent cat, Bustofer Jones, as well as his amusing role as Asparagus, the theatre cat; Christine Negherbon's tap dancing take on the chubby and contented Jennyanydots; Drew Humphrey's nimble Skimbleshanks; and Lara Teeter's work as Munkustrap

Director/Choreographer Suzanne Viverito does nice work staging this charming and delightful show. She's aided by Steve Gilliam's evocative junkyard scenic design, the flashy lighting scheme of David Landers, and James Cunningham's wonderful music direction, which neatly replaces most of the dated sounding synthesizers with a full-bodied orchestra, and revitalizes the score in the process.

The Muny's splendid production of Cats continues through July 25, 2010.

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