One of the most iconic parts of Cats is its music…certainly one of the things that people love most about it. So we’ll take you on a brief journey through the Heaviside Layer to a different type of cat…a magical, musical cat!
Thank you, Nathan, for joining us in this series! We know you’re the Musical Director for Cats. But tell us, why did you want to come out and be a part of this whole thing with Bambi?
Nathan Scavilla: Well I always love coming back to Cockpit, I’ve been doing it for so many years now. James (Artistic Director James Hunnicutt) alongside Bambi, and I hadn’t done a project with Bambi in a couple of years. She was the one who convinced me to do it. Initially, I said no but she convinced me, she said “you know we’ll have fun together.” And that was it. And then my wife (Sara Ulrich) was coming out to audition and I thought, “oh! A potential to do a project with her” and she ended up in the cast, Bambi roped me in, and I’m having a blast.
Now do you have cats at home?
Nathan: Yes. Sara and I have a cat. Hanks.
Fantastic. Now, Nathan, if you could be any cat in the show, who would you be?
Nathan: Honestly? And I told Wayne (playing the role of Bustopher Jones, Wayne Ivusich) this the other day, Bustopher Jones gets to sit most of the show and just sing and that sounds like a great gig. So I’d be Bustopher Jones because I could just sit and sing my parts.
Heck yeah! Now what does it mean to you to be a Jellicle Cat?
Nathan: To be a Jellicle Cat means it’s okay to be whatever kind of cat you’re going to be. Because we’re all accepting here. We all have the potential and the ability to move onto that next phase. And when you’re invited to attend the Jellicle Ball as a Jellicle Cat, it’s such a thing of inclusivity. And that’s what I think is interesting about that whole Jellicle scene. In that whole opening sequence, they talk about all the different types of cats that there are and it’s ultimately a very accepting show, especially toward the own.
If you had to come up with a name for your Musical Director-Cat persona, what would we be calling you?
Nathan: Let’s see. My cat name would probably be Joe the Ticklin’ Ivories Cat. Joe is a jazzy piano player name.
Why do you want people to come out and see Cats at Cockpit in Court?
Nathan: Honestly, it’s because it’s one of those shows that it doesn’t matter what theatre it’s at— we’ve got a bunch of people who have come out to be a part of this who can really sing and dance. Every musical rehearsal we’ve had, I’ve been blessed because they’ve held all of their harmonies the entire time. I don’t get that nowadays. I don’t always get that when I do a show. I’m very lucky with this cast. I’ve invited my parents and my grandma to see this show, it’s going to be that good. They’re going to be blown away by not only the vocals but by Bambi’s choreography and Thomas’ lighting (Lighting Designer Thomas P. Gardner) and it’s just going to be a fantastic show. And this is coming from someone who did not like Cats going into it. I’ve become a fan. And this show is going to be a hit over the summer.
If you had to sum up your experience here at Cockpit in Court with Bambi and Cats using just one word, which word would you use?
Nathan: Beautiful.
Cats plays July 19th 2024 through August 4th 2024 in the F. Scott Black Theatre of The Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center at the Community College of Baltimore County Essex Campus— 7201 Rossville Boulevard, Essex MD. For tickets call the box office at (443) 840-2787 or purchase them online.
Follow along in the “Return to the Jellicle Ball” Series here:
