THEATRE REVIEW: "Cats" at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (Chicago, IL)

      On May 1st, 2012, Theo and I went to see the Andrew Lloyd Webber / T.S. Eliot / Trevor Nunn / Richard Stilgoe musical "Cats" at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, IL.  The non-equity touring production was in town for only a week, and all eight performances were nearly sold out.  Fortunately, the seats I got were in the center section.  But they were in the back row of the balcony.  There was not a lot of leg room, but I was able to see the entire stage.  What I  couldn't see from my seat was the top of the backdrop where the glowing moon had claw marks through it.  Also, during the song "The Rum Tum Tugger," when the title character climbs off the stage and bonds with the orchestra level audience, none of that was visible.  

     While looking through the playbill, I noticed that some of the cast members were also part of the production team for the tour.  I'm not sure if that's usual for non-equity tours, or if that was just for this production of "Cats."  I don't remember what jobs the various cast members had as members of the production team--whether it be changing a tire on the tour bus,  or doing a wellness check on Old Deuteronomy while he sits on stage during intermission.  I think the actress who played Grizabella also directed the touring production--or she was tour manager.  

    

      Seeing this production was my first time seeing "Cats" on stage.  I had seen the 1998 production that was filmed at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End.  While the lack of leg room was excruciating after awhile, I liked seeing it live on stage better.  The production still featured scenic design by John Napier, though on a scaled-down level.  During "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" and "The Ad-dressing of Cats," there was barely enough room on stage for the entire cast to move around freely.  Yet, somehow, they made it work.

Melissa Grohowski as Grizabella in "Cats" (photo taken by Joan Marcus).

     The cast of this production included Melissa Grohowski (Grizabella), Chaz Wolcott (Mr. Mistoffelees), Daniel J. Self (Munkustrap), Nathan Morgan (Old Deuteronomy), Chris Stevens (Rum Tum Tugger), and Christopher E. Sidori (Gus / Growltiger / Bustopher Jones).  As of December 13th, 2011 (shortly before this particular touring production of "Cats" launched at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts), the cast also included Felipe Barbosa Bombonato, Ashley Chasteen, Molly Emerson, Erica Leigh Hansen, Amanda Lamotte, Madison Mitchell, Hillary Porter, Brad Trump, Rachel Boone, Craig Donnelly, Blayne Gregg-Miller, Katharine Heaton, Larry A. Lazier, Jr., Kristen A. Quarterone, Clinton James Sherwood, Daniel Switzer, Robert Burke, Jordan Dunlap, Jamie Joseph, Candace Lyn Luther, Louie Napoleon, Elizabeth Ruff, and Lucas Thompson.  

     At the time my mom purchased the theatre tickets for Theo and I, I was nearly certain this would be my last chance to see "Cats" live on stage.  Little did I know there would be a revival of the musical in the West-End  (2014), on Broadway (2016), then a National Tour of that revival which would come to Chicago for a three-week engagement (2019).  Then again,  had Theo and I not seen "Cats" in 2012, I would have had to wait seven years to see the show in Chicago.  I doubt I would have seen it in New York, and there was no way I would have gone to London.  If I were to go to see a show in the West-End, I would see "The Woman in Black" again.  

      This was an enjoyable production of "Cats," even though it had pre-recorded music instead of an actual orchestra.  Luckily it was pre-recorded orchestrations, rather than a recording of someone humming the music of "Cats."  Imagine that!  "Hmm hmmm hum dooo dum meow meow meow hem hemmm do dooo dum dem dum meow meow..."  It's not exactly "The One.  The Only.  The Original" with pre-recorded orchestrations though.  Is it?  Also, if it were my job to hum the music to the show, I would end up singing along too.  Then, the star would be me... meee... meeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

     

The touring company of "Cats" (photo by Joan Marcus).

      

     There are numerous cast recordings of "Cats."  My favorite English-speaking, or rather English-singing, cast recording of the musical isn't the 1981 Original London Cast Recording or the 1982 Original Broadway Cast Recording.  My favorite cast recording of "Cats," sung in the English language, is the 1985 Australian Cast Recording.  It's not that I think Debra Byrne is any better than Betty Buckley (Broadway) or Elaine Paige (London) when it comes to portraying the role of Grizabella.  I like the Australian Cast Recording better because it features the necessary revisions made to the show after the Broadway and London Cast Recordings were released.  Unfortunately, it still features politically incorrect lyrics in at least two songs.   More revisions to the show were to come later.  My favorite cast recording of "Cats" ever is the 1989 French Cast Recording (Version Française Intégrale). It's a complete recording (around two hours long) and the more annoying songs from the musical are, well, slightly less annoying since I am not fluent in French (it's harder for the songs to get stuck in my head).  Plus,  Gay Marshall sings "Memory" ("Chanson De Grisabelle 2") beautifully.  So, with that,  you have my somewhat sarcastic yet sincere opinion about the musical "Cats."