The musical Cats is the fourth longest running show on Broadway. This show with colorful
costumes, non-stop energized dancing and a beautiful musical score by Andrew
Loyd Webber, was all the rage in the 80’s when I first saw it with my parents. The show revolves around the annual Jellicle
Ball where cats gather to choose the one among them that will be reborn to a
new life. This show now seemed more applicable to my human life because this blog
is all about trying new things and new beings after a life change. Cats
was a “purrfect” night to celebrate the chosen Jellicle cat’s rebirth and to embellish
the idea of a life “do over” -a new beginning.
Refection
Cats is based on T.S
Eliot’s poems, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. It is a fanciful introduction to a
variety of feline personalities through only song and dance. I had forgotten how
much dancing until the opening song, “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.” Cats
with glowing eyes entered through the aisles and then burst into motion with
over 20 on stage. The all white cat,Victoria (Caitlin Bond), preformed a ballet
solo in the “Invitation to the Jellicle Ball” where the narrator, Munkutrap (Zachary
S. Berger) explained that Old Deuteronmy (Adam Richardson) would choose a
cat to begin a new life.
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| The cats burst into motion with over 20 dancing on stage. |
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| Gizabella (Donna Vivino) singing "Memory" gave me goose bumps. |
In the
second half, high octane fueled the dance to the song,“The Magical Mister Mistoffelees,” that
told the tale of the Magician Cat. Mistoffeless (PJ DiGaetano) powered jumps
and made consecutive ballet turns while sporting a multi colored lighted vest. It was a big production but nothing stopped
the show like the Glamour Cat, Grizabella’s (Donna Vivino) song “Memory.” This melancholy
ballad of her remembrance and longing of a past glamorous life gave me goose
bumps and had the audience clapping wildly. Grizabella
got her life do over as smoke seemly propelled a rising platform on the stage
and then she ascended into the air to begin anew.
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| This show sparks the youth in us. |
I noticed a lot
of cat ears worn by both adults and children in the audience. There is
something about this show that sparks the youth in us all. As I move closer in age to life’s second half,
I could sing “Memory” along with Grizabella,
missing the good old times but this show reminds us that there are still many more good times yet
to come. This is especially true when you have the spirit of adventure to try new things.
(PNC
Broadway 2019 -20 Season is a great way to find a new adventure at trustarts.org and for more information on the Cats North American tour go here.)
Spiritual Reflection
Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is
here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Other Sources