"People talk about the ‘I Want’ song in a musical. CATS is full of ‘I Am’ songs and that is the biggest difference with this show compared to a lot of others." This episode features Harry Francis who played Mungojerrie in the West End Revival as well as Mr. Mistoffelees on the International tour and regional production of CATS. Hear Harry share his experiences working with the incredible Gillian Lynne, what it was like getting to perform with the infamous "Street Tugger," how he was allowed to d...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 138
"I didn't really get into the headspace of what the character Tugger was until probably a month or two into the run because I was so concerned about the logistics of being there and doing this and singing this and making sure my riffs were right." This episode features Stan Stanley who was the Rum Tum Tugger on the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Stan discuss how his vocal coach got him into the audition process, how the CATS are numbered in the production, and some fun stories from his tour. P...
Oct 17, 2023•56 min•Ep. 137
"Once I got the list, I think I chose cinnamon because it was fall and I think I just probably added it always to my Starbucks order." This BONUS episode features Lauren Buege who performed with our last guest Lexie Plath as Cinnamon in Arrowhead High School Center for Arts award winning production of CATS. Hear all of the fun that went into creating a show with over 40 ensemble cats and some of the memories from the experience. Plus, Lauren makes her case for Old Deuteronomy as her Jellicle cho...
Oct 13, 2023•16 min
"In high school we had a huge ensemble. More than a normal show and they gave everyone random names. My best friend Lauren was Cinnamon. And then I remember we had a whole day where we had to create our own backstory for our character." This episode features Lexie Plath who played Bombalurina on the US National Tour 6 of CATS in 2019 and in an award winning production in high school. Hear Lexie talk about her audition process as a "shorter" Bombalurina, how her three words changed her thoughts o...
Oct 10, 2023•47 min•Ep. 136
"From the lips of Gillian Lynne. What she said about Victoria is that she is a pulsating plum ready to be picked." This episode features Natasha Davison who was Victoria on the US National Tour 4. Hear Natasha talk about how she paused a producing career to join the CATS tour, how she was explained Victoria's backstory, and some sound advice she was given on other tours that applies to CATS. Plus, Natasha shares a very unique thought on how "stage time" impacts how to view Grizabella being welco...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 135
"For Misto, to me, he always felt like he was ‘periphery’ to the tribe. He's definitely a part of the tribe but he comes and goes when he pleases. And then when he needs to show off and do something fun or cool or help the cats out with some magic, he's like, I got you guys." This episode features Paul Giarratano who played the magical Mr. Mistoffelees on the US National Tour 6 of CATS. Hear Paul discussing what the audition process was like during covid, how he was introduced to the Mistoffelee...
Sep 26, 2023•42 min•Ep. 134
"I went in and spent two days listening to the story of the cats and the interrelationships of all the characters. You know, Tugger and Munkustrap are brothers. They're all sons of Old Deuteronomy. And then, they follow it up with, but none of this is important for the audience to know." This episode features Lee Lobenhofer who was Gus on the US National Tour 4 and was in the CATS Chorus in the original Broadway Production. Hear Lee talk about spending two full days learning the story (but it's ...
Sep 19, 2023•51 min•Ep. 133
"Especially going through the rehearsal process as well. Every single little moment has a meaning, which was crazy to me. A lot of the time the audience wouldn't even see that. But in order for us to be able to tell an authentic story in a way of being cats, we had to know all these little things." This episode features Lucy Rice who was Bombalurina on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Oasis of the Seas production of CATS and then was a swing on the 2022-2023 Asia Tour of CATS performing in Taiwan. ...
Sep 12, 2023•48 min•Ep. 132
"I learned the show in six days. I remember telling the sound guy at Westchester the day I went on. I said don't turn my microphone on because I don’t know all the words yet." This episode features Joey Abramowicz who was Tumblebrutus on the US National Tour 5 and in 9 other regional productions of CATS. Hear Joey talk about his time in the various different productions, how he worked to help cast CATS with Marc Robin who has a slightly different take on the plot, and many other CATS theories. P...
Sep 05, 2023•55 min•Ep. 131
"It was the first Broadway show I ever went to and it is probably responsible for my personality." This episode features the amazingly talented writer, comedian, actress, and CATS fan Julie Klausner. Hear Julie discuss her fandom of the musical, it's influence on the rest of pop culture, and her CATS party trick. Plus, Julie and Mike have a detailed conversation on what it means to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and Julie gives a passionate defense for Grizabella as her Jellicle Choice. Check out...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 130
"Princely Plato. He’s the price and kind to everyone. Flirtatious and fun but a teenager. And then you get to do a little quick change and jump into Macavity which is the super villain." This episode features Aiden Pressel who was Plato/Macavity on the 6th US National Tour of CATS. Hear Aiden discuss doing the tour promotional video before even being cast, the backstory behind the Plato/Victoria love story, and why his Jellice choice is Gus. Plus, Aiden and Mike dive deep into the Plato backstor...
Aug 22, 2023•48 min•Ep. 129
"I literally couldn't remember Macavity's name because their names are all so ridiculously complicated. I really think that that was the seed of the idea. It truly came from a - what the f*** is that one cat with the spooky song." This episode features Jaime Lyn Beatty and Jon Matteson who created the viral YouTube video Spadattimy: The Reliable Cat and are big CATS fans. Hear Jamie and Jon discuss the nuances of the plot, the genesis of their video, and all kinds of funny stories from the time ...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 128
"It was just a brown and gray generic cat. They made my shoes still in Spike colors but they made them look like the shoes like Alonzo would wear or Pouncival would wear so that when I was on stage I could look down at my feet and not get confused about which cat I was playing that day at that show." This episode features Tucker Ty Davis who played the infamous Spike as a swing on the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Tucker explain the internet lore of Spike, how the cast made the most of Spike,...
Aug 09, 2023•54 min•Ep. 127
"You know when people say they can taste colors… I kind of get that with CATS in a weird way." This episode features fellow Broadway Podcast Network podcast host Chris Adams who hosts a show called Out For Blood about the infamous Carrie musical. Hear Chris share the similarities between Carrie and CATS, how the 80s musicals all influenced each other, and a few other fun CATS crossovers with Carrie. Plus, Chris shares more information about how he's documented his story with a new book! Check ou...
Aug 01, 2023•40 min
LIVE from BroadwayCon 2023 in New York City! Mike was joined by an amazing panel of Jonalyn Saxer (Swing in 2016 Broadway Revival and episode 29), Hank Santos (Rum Tum Tugger in US National Tour 6 and episode 126), and Will and Rachael (meme-making founders of The Theater Lovers and episode 125) to have the greatest CATS debate in Jellicle history. We split into two teams and discussed all of the controversial theories throughout the CATS fandom making sure to get audience input. After listening...
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 3 min
"Me and Misto are homies. We have a little handshake that’s like a finger flip. Very nineties kind of surfer moment." This episode features Hank Santos who was the Rum Tum Tugger on the 6th US National Tour of CATS. Hear Hank discuss Tuggers relationships with the other cats, his life on tour, and his belief in the Tugger-Teazer relationship possibilities. Plus, Hank shares a fun story about how his Gus made jokes about not being the Jellicle choice. Check out Hank on Instagram: @hanksantos Chec...
Jul 25, 2023•57 min•Ep. 126
"I like to ask the question in theater, is this a good character or a good song? Don't confuse a good song with a good man." This episode features The Theater Lovers Will and Rachael who are two of the funniest theater content creators in the game today. Hear Will and Rachael discuss how they got into theater meme making, some of the fun hidden gems in their content, how they approach content on different platforms, and their thoughts on CATS. Plus, Rachael reveals the secret that she has been t...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 125
"Where was the little white pussycat, grand darling? Come here. And it was like the parting of the seas and I was like, oh my gosh." This episode features Jean Michelle Sayeg who played Victoria on the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Jean Michelle discuss watching the 1998 movie the night before auditions, what it was like transitioning from ballet to musical theater, and some of her theories on Victoria's story. Plus, hear Jean Michelle introduce us to "Spike" the swing cat who causes chaos. C...
Jul 11, 2023•48 min•Ep. 124
"I did a lot of character study with Tumblebrutus and I chose that he was abandoned and his way of surviving the trauma of losing his family was to just really lash out." This episode features Andrew Wilson who was Tumblebrutus in the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS and is currently Richard Parker in Life of Pi on Broadway. Hear Andrew discuss doing the show four different times, how the choreography is mostly different due to the way the dancing is tied to the lighting, his love for Bustopher Jon...
Jul 05, 2023•57 min•Ep. 123
"The Friends are very Jellicle. I find them as a community to be very Jellicle." This episode features Carolyn Bacon who was a swing on the 6th US National Tour of CATS and is currently Rachel Green in Friends! The Musical Parody. Hear Carolyn discuss singing multiple tracks in the booth, her experience working with Chrissie Cartwright, and why Gus is her Jellicle choice. Plus, Carolyn and Mike compare the CATS to the Friends characters. Check out Carolyn on Instagram: @carolyn.bacon Check out C...
Jun 27, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 122
"There is so much of The Wizard of Friendship that is really based off our friendship and our history, like who we are as people." This episode features musical comedy trio Lewberger (Hughie Stone Fish, Keith Habersberger and Alex Lewis) who recently finished their hilarious sold-out off-Broadway show The Wizard of Friendship which featured special guests Wayne Brady, Alex Brightman, and Dashaun Wesley. Lewberger joined Mike to discuss Broadway, CATS, and their upcoming original cast recording o...
Jun 20, 2023•52 min•Ep. 121
"My introduction to CATS was when I took piano as a kid and Memory was the first song I ever learned to play on the piano." This episode features Jessica Hendy who performed as Grizabella on the US National Tour 4, the Original Broadway Production, and the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS and is currently performing her one woman show Walking With Bubbles. Hear Jessica discuss her experience performing both the old and new choreography, her experience coming in as a replacement Grizabella, and how ...
Jun 13, 2023•42 min•Ep. 120
"I distinctly remember every time I had to stay home from school sick my mom would put on the VHS of CATS." This episode features Maggie McCown who performed as Bombalurina in the City Springs Theatre Company regional production of CATS in Atlanta. Hear Maggie discuss how she learned about the show from the legendary Jacob Brent, some of the relationships her cast has created for the cats, and how she embraced CATS Tik Tok. Plus, Maggie and Mike discuss the similarities between CATS and A Chorus...
Jun 06, 2023•53 min•Ep. 119
"There is a beat in the song where she isn't singing and she just mouths to me - Oh My God" This BONUS episode features Nick Rizzo who went to the MetLife Taylor Swift Eras Tour dressed as Bombalurina. Hear Nick tell the story of how he was able to get Taylor's attention on stage, the crowd reaction to his outfit, and what it was like traveling to the concert through downtown Brooklyn. Plus, hear Nick share his thoughts on the 2019 CATS movie. Check out Nick on Social Media: @nickrizzo815 Check ...
Jun 03, 2023•28 min
"CATS has been in my blood since I was three years old." This episode features Leslie Blake Walker who performed as Sillabub as a ten year old in the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre regional production of CATS and is currently in the ensemble in Funny Girl on Broadway. Hear Leslie discuss her experience being cast as a ten year old in a show full of adults, her thoughts on the different choreography, and her passionate defense for Gus as the Jellicle choice. Plus, Leslie and Mike discuss which cat mat...
May 30, 2023•52 min•Ep. 118
"One pet peeve I have is when I see a movie say which character falls in which zodiac sign and every sign is represented. Highly unlikely." This episode features Yoanna Nikolova who writes horoscopes for Playbill. It's been a goal of mine to discuss the CATS astrology and zodiac signs ever since I found them on the head cannon page of the CATS wikipedia fan website. Yoanna takes us through every single zodiac sun sign and we discuss which cat should be which sign. Plus, Yoanna and Mike discuss w...
May 23, 2023•54 min•Ep. 117
"She asked who we thought should go to heaven and I immediately put my hand up and said I think it should be the Rum Tum Tugger." This episode features Ed Kingsley Wade who played the Rum Tum Tugger on the most recent UK/International Tour of CATS. Hear Ed discuss how we was put into the South Korea production in two days, how he helped influence a change to help with inclusivity, and his passionate argument for Gus as his Jellicle choice. Plus, Ed and Mike discuss ideas for CATS 2 including an ...
May 16, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 116
"I remember one night this lady at the end of Memory yelled out - SING IT AGIN!" This episode features McCree O'Kelley who played the magical Mr. Mistoffelees to kick off the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear McCree discuss how he knew he wanted to be a dancer after seeing Mistoffelees perform in CATS on Broadway during his 6th grade trip, share some wild stories about doing previews in Atlantic City, and how he lived out a real live Tuggoffelees on tour dating his Rum Tum Tugger. Plus, hear McCr...
May 09, 2023•50 min•Ep. 115
"You become a cat when you get your costume on." This episode features Ella Kemp who played Rumpleteazer on the most recent UK/International Tour of CATS. Hear Ella discuss her introduction to CATS, her Rumpleteazer theories, and why she thinks Grizabella is the correct Jellicle choice. Plus, Ella and Mike discuss which cat would be best competing in Eurovision. Check out Ella on Instagram: @ellaa.kemp Produced by: Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network Instagram/Twitter/Tik Tok: @TheWrongCa...
May 02, 2023•39 min•Ep. 114
"It's probably the hardest thing I'll do in my life. I loved it." This episode features Haley Fish who was Rumpleteazer in the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS. Hear Haley discuss doing a middle school production of CATS in Kentucky growing up, making her Broadway debut in CATS, and why Gus is her Jellicle choice. Plus, Haley talks about what to expect when you come to see her in the new Broadway show New York, New York. Check out Haley on Instagram: @oh_hayfish Check out Haley on Tik Tok: @haleyfi...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 113
