RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Old Deuteronomy

Father of the clowder, leader of the tribe, revered and exalted, he now hath arrived! Make for…

Thank you for joining us today, tell us who you are and I think given the lead-in to this interview we all know who you play, but please do tell us anyhow.

Ryan Garbee: I’m Ryan Garbee and I am in fact playing Old Deuteronomy.

Ryan Garbee as Old Deuteronomy in Cats at Cockpit in Court

Tell us all about Old Deuteronomy.

Ryan: He is the leader of the clowder. He loves everyone. He is the omnipresent force over everything and he enjoys watching everyone have a good time over the course of the Jellicle Ball.

That’s lovely! How are you and Old Deuteronomy similar and or different?

Ryan: I’m similar to Old Deuteronomy. I have a presence, I’m big, I’m loud, I’m larger than life in general. I think we’re different in the arena of decision making. I definitely don’t like making the decisions. I’m usually the person who says, “Yeah, I can implement that. Don’t worry, I can do it but please don’t make me decide what it is that needs to be done or implemented.” That’s our big difference.

Why did you want to come out and audition to be a part of Cats?

Ryan: I did Cats in college as the Sound Designer. I fell in love with it watching my friends do it. I feel like Cats is one of those shows where you either immediately fall in love with it or after watching someone you know in it. And it was just one of those opportunities that I saw, and I thought, “I should do Cats!” And I auditioned and here I am.

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

Ryan: Ooh.

I did in fact, before we started, never said the questions would be easy. I said they would be questions.

Ryan: Yes you did. Wow. Hmm. It means to be part of a community. To be able to help someone and people around that community, to be able to expand your influence and community over the course of years, decades, generations. I think?

That’s perfectly fine. No wrong answers here. So long as there are words coming out of your mouth. Now, are you a dancer?

Ryan: Yes. But I don’t dance in the show. I was a dance minor at Wagner College and I have been dancing since I was 16…so that’s the last 13 years? But I don’t actually get to dance as Old Deuteronomy.

Ironic. Do you have any cats at home?

Ophelia (gray cat) and Benny (black cat) both belonging to Ryan Garbee as they are investigating sushi.

Ryan: I do. I have two. Their names are Benedict and Ophelia. We have a Shakespeare theme going on. One is a black cat. One is a gray striped cat. We don’t really know ‘types’ we adopted them. They’re cats.

That’s generally how it is with cats. You ask a dog person what kind of dog and they can rattle off a breed. With most cat people it’s “it’s a cat. It’s x-color, y-shaped, z-personalied.”

Ryan: Ha! Very true. My two are the friendliest cats on the face of the earth. Benny has been trained to associate new people with treats so he will just run up to you with this “Hey, how’s it going, what’s going on, can I have a treat?” attitude. And Ophelia has “I’m the queen of the castle” attitude going on but she’s welcoming.

We know that cats have three names. The name that the humans call them or their daily use name, their more dignified name, and their third, secret name that we can never know. What do you think the humans are calling Old Deuteronomy?

Ryan: Wallace.

That might be the quickest answer I have ever had to that question. I love it. What has been your big personal takeaway from this experience?

Ryan: My personal takeaway is that I want to be a part of a Bambi production when I can dance in it. I sing, I’m there. But I haven’t been a part of her dancing because of who Old Deuteronomy is and I want to do her dancing!

Oh wow. Is this your first Bambi show? What’s that been like?

Ryan: Yes. It’s been great. She’s amazing. Everyone loves her and everyone here is amazing too!

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?

Ryan: Magical.

Cats plays July 19^th 2024 through August 4^th 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: