We can balance on bars…we can walk on a wire…the other half of the ‘psychic twins’ cats, is our dear, delightful Tantomile!
Thank you so very much for giving us a moment or two (or nine?) of your time! Tell us who you are and who you are playing!
Erin Acerno: My name is Erin Acerno and I play Tantomile.
Ooh. Tell me about Tantomile.
Erin: Well she’s a very naïve kitten. She’s very curious. And she just wants to know everything. She is very inquisitive.
Why did you want to be a part of Cats?
Erin: Because I wanted to work with Bambi (director Bambi Johnson) and because I knew that this show was about dance. I saw it on Broadway in 2016 and I loved it.
What does it mean to you to be a Jellicle Cat?
Erin: It means to be magical and to inspire other people.
Do you have cats?
Erin: No, I don’t. I have three dogs, though.
Do you wish you had cats?
Erin: No. Not really.
Oh dear. Well, I guess you can tell me about your dogs…if you want.
Erin: Well they’re all named after Disney characters! We have Mickey, Jasmine, and Winnie.
What’s it like being a part of this production of Cats so far?
Erin: It’s awesome. I’ve met so many new people! I haven’t worked with a lot of these guys before so it’s really cool to meet all these new people. I feel like it’s a star-studded cast because everyone is just so talented.
We learn that all cats have three names. Tantomile is your cat’s ‘more dignified name’ and while we can never know the ‘secret name’ that she calls herself, what do you think her ‘family daily use’ name is? What are the humans calling her every day?
Erin: Oh, I don’t know. That’s a hard question. She’s very curious. So maybe they’d call her trouble. Trouble. I think they’d call her Trouble.
What’s the biggest thing that you’ve learned so far in being a part of this production of Cats?
Erin: I’m definitely one of the youngest people in the show so it’s been really cool to learn from all of these adults and to be in the constant presence of so many talented people. It’s just been awesome.
If you had to sum up the experience of Cats in just one word, what is the word you would use?
Erin: I don’t want to say magical again! So…moving.
Cats plays September 16th 2022 through September 25th 2022 with Tidewater Players, in residence at the Cultural Center at The Havre de Grace Opera House— 121 N. Union Street in historic downtown Havre de Grace, MD. For tickets call the box office at 667-225-8433 or purchase them online.
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