A Jellicle Cat is a theatre cat! And a theatre cat in more ways than one!
Thank you for joining us again, Sam. Pleasure to have you back! Why don’t you remind the readers out there who you are and tell us who you’re playing this time with Cats?
Sam Ranocchia: I’m still Sam Ranocchia but this time I’m playing Gus, the Theatre Cat!
And remind me— and everybody else— who you played last time at Tidewater.
Sam: Last time I was Victor.
Victor. Got it. So now tell us a little bit about Gus the Theatre Cat.
Sam: Gus is one of the members of the clowder that has been around for a long time, almost as long as Old Deuteronomy. He is a theatre cat, he’s a classically trained theatre cat. In his heyday, he did so many wonderful performances, he was classically trained at Oxford but at this point, he’s now just living those performances out in his head.
How are you and Gus similar and or different?
Sam: So Gus and I are similar in the fact that we both suffer from a neurological disorder. He’s got palsy and I’ve got multiple sclerosis. We both like theatre. The one difference is he prefers gin and I prefer vodka.
See, I think I’m team Gus because I also prefer gin. I’m a gin girl! Tell us, how is Gus different from when you played Victor in 2022 at Tidewater?
Sam: With Gus he’s got a lot more mannerisms to conquer because he’s such an older character. I have to make sure that I relay that to the audience, whereas Victor was so much younger, he was full of vigor. Gus, while he’s probably still full of it, he’s too old to show it.
What made you decide that you wanted to come out and audition for Cats this time around?
Sam: So it’s a Bambi production. That says it all right there. But Cats has always been my favorite show. It’s the show I saw that got me into theatre to begin with. This time around, I was talking with Bambi and she said she had some newer ideas for the production. I’m just loving what she’s doing with it this time around.
That’s fantastic. And what is it like getting to work with Bambi this time around? We know you’ve done at least one show with her in the past.
Sam: This time around, Bambi is much more in depth with how she’s bringing her vision across. Before, she sort of let us develop things on our own, but with this time around, she’s pulling stuff from original productions to inspire us. She’s having us watch videos of the Broadway cast for reference as to how they get into their characters and what they do to become these cats. It’s much more ‘behind the stories and poems’ of each song; we’re really going much more in depth with these backgrounds of these cats.
Wow. That sounds incredible. What does it mean to you this time around to be a Jellicle Cat?
Sam: To be a Jellicle Cat this time around, it is definitely making sure that when we’re together as a group, that we do everything together. We sing together, we dance together. A Jellicle Cat is something truly special. Our director, Bambi, is something truly special. And she is doing everything she can to bring out what a Jellicle Cat truly means and I mean for everybody. With the people who have done it before, with the new folks, with everybody.
Remind me, do you have cats at home?
Sam: I used to have two cats. That last time we did the show, one of them had just passed. And unfortunately, this time, the other one has joined them over the rainbow bridge. But I do have a tattoo on my left wrist that has both of their names and their paw prints so that they are always with me.
That is really very touching and I am so very sorry for your loss. Now, 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 Gus?
Sam: On the daily they call him Gus. Just Gus. Asparagus is the more sophisticated name. And I’m not telling you his secret name.
What has been your big personal takeaway from this experience?
Sam: This time around I’d have to say the biggest takeaway is family. Unity.
Why do you want people to come out and see Cats?
Sam: Because it’s one of the best productions of it that I have ever seen— and not just because I’m in it. But I’ve seen it many times and this time around it is truly special.
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?
Sam: Magical.
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:
