A sensible, everyday name for a cat…depending on where in the world you are at…could be perhaps… Jubalong… Cattivo… and Sambal… or perhaps something a little more adult, and a little more tomcat like. Something with bravado but not too certain…meow?

Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! Can you tell us who you are and which cat you play?

Stanton Zacker: I’m Stanton Zacker and I play Alonzo.

Tell me about Alonzo.

Stanton: Honestly, I don’t know a whole heck of a lot about him. When I started looking up the character before, I saw online that he is supposed to be the Rumpus cat. In this incarnation, our Rumpus Cat is Rob Tucker, who plays Quaxo. What Bambi has told me so far about Alonzo is that he’s just too cool for school, and he’s a little bolder. He’s just kind of there. He’s not too intrusive but he’s not a Macavity, hiding away somewhere.

Do you find yourself relating to Alonzo or are you very different?

Stanton: I’m trying to find some common ground. Being older now, slowing down a little bit is definitely a character choice. You know I’m not as flexible as I once was.

Why did you want to be a part of Cats?

Stanton: When we moved back, my wife, Suzie (playing Carbucketty, Suzanne Zacker) needed something to do because she didn’t have any dance opportunities where we were living before. So it was the Pandemic, in another state, for two whole years. Just try to picture it. Once we moved back here and found out that Cats was happening and with Bambi, I told her, “We need to do this. Let’s audition.” It was something we could do together, you know— get away from the kids for a while, get back to our friends and family.

Do you have cats?

Stanton: No. I am actually not a fan of cats. I am a dog person. And I know, I know, you have like 72 cats, that’s great— for you.

Do you have any pets or just the kids?

Stanton: We just have the kids right now and we’re trying to housebreak them. I’ve said for years that we could just buy all the kids’ toys in the dog aisle. Get them a toddler dog bed, some chew toys, it’s perfect. You gotta put them on a leash when you go to a public place so they don’t run away anyhow. So we have pets that speak the toddler-version of English.

What has been your big personal takeaway being a part of Cats?

Stanton: Wow. I need to hit the gym more. Honestly? I never understood Cats. I never understood this show. Everybody has always said, “don’t read too much into it. It’s just dancing cats.” But Bambi has given me a layer of understanding behind it, she’s shared what she feels for it and what’s actually going on for more of the story. I think that has really helped me and I appreciate that.

What does it mean to you to be a Jellicle Cat?

Stanton: I honestly have no clue. I have no desire to die? So I’m not going to compete for the heavy-side layer. I mean, that’s what this show is about maybe? I haven’t given it too much thought, I’m still trying to catch up with all the dancing and just remember the choreography. I’m getting older, remember?

We learn that all cats have three names. Alonzo is your cat’s ‘more dignified name’ and while we can never know the ‘secret name’ that he calls himself, what do you think his ‘family daily use’ name is? What are the humans calling him every day?

Stanton: Probably just like Tom or Jerry. They have some other names called out as their human names. I feel like it would be pretty generic. When did this book of T.S. Eliot book of cat stuff even come out? 18-late, right? So Thomas or Gerald.

If you have to sum up the Cats experience in just one word, what world would you use?

Stanton: Challenging.

Cats plays September 16^th 2022 through September 25^th 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.

Meet Rum Tum Tugger

Meet Carbucketty

Meet Jellylorum

Meet Coricopat

Meet Tantomile

Meet Griddlebone/Sillabub

Meet Cassandra

Meet Euterpeco

Meet Victoria

Meet Mungojerrie

Meet Rumpleteazer

Meet Munkustrap

Meet Demeter