A fancier, sensible cat. T.S. Eliot might have even named this one in that one poem about naming the cats! Are you ready to meet another Jellicle Tom? No, there are no cats called Tom.
Thank you for joining us! Could you tell us who you are and who you play here at Cats?
Michael Shipman: I am Michael Shipman and I play Admetus.
Tell me a little bit about Admetus.
Riffraff. Streetcat. I don’t buy that! Man, I’ve been spending too much time on the Disney channel. But announcing in this corner, the talking-weight-champion of the Cats interview series, weighing in at 9 minutes and 24 seconds… a record previously held by Rob Tucker in the 2022 production of Cats (8 minutes and 9 seconds though while holding the role of Quaxo/Rumpus Cat…not Mungojerrie, which he did play in the 2016 production of Bambi’s Cats…anyone need a graph-chart yet?) We are pleased to present MUNGOJERRIE!
Which one is which? Is it Mungojerrie? Or Rumpleteazer? Rumpleteazer? Or Mungojerrie? (Well, we’ve learned that if you’ve ever or are currently playing Mungojerrie you have the potential to have had…or hold…the longest ‘talking cat’ record… IYKYK) So this must be…
Thank you for joining us! Why don’t you tell us who you are and which one of the frick-n-frack twins you happen to be playing?
Veronica Lane: I’m Veronica Lane and I play Rumpleteazer!
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?
I am glad you have a cat but I do not believe it so remarkable a cat as my cat…there never was such a Lilliecat…and its name is…
Tell us who you are and who you’re playing, and thank you, of course, for joining us!
Sara Ulrich: I’m Sara Ulrich and I’m playing Jellylorum.
Tell me a little bit about Jellylorum.
Sara: Jellylorum is like the Mama Bear of the kittens.
Oh! Well, I never! Was there ever a cat so magical as magical… well, you know who…
Thank you for joining us! Why don’t you tell us who you are and who you’re playing for this production of Cats, as you are in fact one of five Erin/Aarons in this production! (I swear it comes in Bambi’s rider that any production of Cats must have at least two or more Erin/Aarons in it…)
Aaron Fletcher: My name is Aaron Fletcher and I’m playing Mr.
For he’s a fiend in feline shape! A monster of depravity… you guessed it! It’s time to meet— *GASP* where’d he go?
Thank you so much for joining us! Please tell us who you are and who you’re playing in this production of Cats!
Kapone Washington: I’m Kapone Washington. And I play Macavity. And I’m also Tumbulbrutus.
That’s awesome. Can you tell me a little bit about Macavity?
Peculiar and more dignified, so says that magical, Jellicle book of poems…a combination of bombastic and ballerina…can you guess, can you really, really guess which cat we’re meeting today?
Thank you so much for joining us! Tell who you are and who you’re playing!
Lizzie Detar: I’m Lizzie Detar and I play Bombalurina.
Tell us a little bit about Bombalurina.
Lizzie: Bombalurina is the sultry,
Three times ascended through the Heaviside Layer. A rare three-peat, as it were, and rarer still that this Cat has only ever played one role…are we ready to meet Demeter?
Erin, it’s such a pleasure to see you again! Welcome back! And thank you for joining us! And this is officially your third time performing as Demeter with Bambi in Cats. Why keep throwing your hat into the ring for this show?
Jellicle Cats are Scenography Cats! And Scenography Cats are Jellicle Cats! I don’t think T.S. Eliot or Andrew Lloyd Webber had any idea that cats could build sets! Or maybe they did and just wanted to keep that a secret…like a hidden third name…from all the rest of us!
Thank you for giving us some of your time today! Tell us who you are and how you fit into this Cats configuration!
Jellicle Cats are choreographical cats!
While this cat is no stranger to cats…she’s on the techie-side layer for this production…please meet the first of two threepeaters, our very own— Queenie Cat!
Thank you so much for joining us, Whitney! We’re thrilled to have you back with us again! Now you are a rare cat— just one of two— who is what we call a magical Threepeater!
Whitney Russell: I am!
Jellicle Cats have moonlit eyes…to dance by the light of the Jellicle Moon… and one such Jellicle Cat has taken herself up into the stratosphere to get as close to the moon as possible! Who knew that Jellicles could also freestyle on the Lyra Hoop?
Thank you so much for joining us! Tell us who you are pretty please? And who you are playing this time around as we know you are Tidewater Cat in addition to being a Jellicle Cat!
Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes and the signal went “ALL CLEAR!” And as the next in the series of ‘RttJB’— it’s Skimbleshanks— he’s here!
Thank you for joining us! Tell us who you are? And we know you’re playing The Railway Cat!
Ethan Howard: I’m Ethan Howard and I do play Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat.
Tell me about Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat.
Ethan: I think he’s one of the younger characters in the cast,
More than half the cast’s new this year— but the crowd still cheers— opera! They’ve cut out old Growltiger, but dear Griddlebone is pleasantly still here! Had to borrow some other ALW lyrics there…sort of, as we are just thrillified to welcome yet another ‘Tidewater Cat’ to the ‘Return to the Jellicle Ball’ series this year!
Thank you for sitting with us! Remind us who you are, please?
Anne Acerno: I’m Anne Acerno.
Pssp-pssp-pssp-pssp! Heeeere— Etcetera, Etcetera, Etcetera! Ooh— and here she is!
Thank you for joining us— one of the first ‘Tidewater’ Cats to sit with us this season. (A Tidewater Cat is black and white…a Tidewater Cat has moonlit eyes…no seriously, a Tidewater Cat was a part of Cats at Tidewater Players in 2022 and ascended the Heaviside Layer to Cockpit in Court for 2024)— please tell us who you are, who you are playing in this incarnation of Cats and who you were last time as a ‘Tidewater Cat’?
They put a spell on you… wait— that’s not a stage musical (either). But these witchy cats could totally be a part of that stage show…when it becomes a stage show. You met Coricopat this morning…now it’s time to meet the other half of the Psychic Kitty Cat duo…
Thank you for joining us! Tell us who you are and who you play!
Lisa Rigsby Geiger: I’m Lisa and I am Tantomile.
Double…double…toil and trouble…something meowy this way comes?
Thanks for joining us this morning! Tell us who you are and who you’re playing in Cats.
Anthony Case: I’m Anthony Case. And I’m playing Coricopat. You know, the one whose name I could not pronounce for a straight month.
I feel you. I feel like I also still cannot pronounce Coricopat…and I’ve interviewed a Coricopat before! But tell me about Coricopat!
A troublesome kitty? Never. An inquisitive kitty? Perhaps! Meet the next in our long lineup of Jellicle Cats here at Cockpit in Court…
Thank you for joining us today, on I’m soon will be called the “CatClaw Takeover of TheatreBloom.” Could you tell us who you are and who you’re playing in this production of Cats?
Tristan Goodenaugh: I’m Tristan Goodenaugh and I play Pouncival.
Tell me a little bit about Pouncival.
Meow.
Or— ♫Meoooow. That seems appropriate for this cat. No. It’s not Griz.
Thank you for joining us! Would you tell us your name and who you’re playing in this production of Cats?
Hanna Lyons: My name is Hanna Lyons and I play the kitten Aria.
Tell me a little bit about Aria.
Hanna: Aria to me is an anxious kitten.
Okay.
A pinch of sugar— and spice— and everything nice— and that’s how you get— whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. Is this cooking class or Cats? I think we got ourselves a little mixed up on account of this cat’s particular, more dignified name!
Thank you kindly for sitting with us this morning and giving us a few moments of your time. Would you tell us who you are and who you play in this production of Cats?
This is this and that is that…a fancier but sensible cat! Can you guess who? Or maybe just read along and see!
Thank you for joining us— tell us who you are and who you play here at The Jellicle Ball?
Emma Hammett: I am Emma Hammett and I am Electra!
Tell me about Electra!
Emma: Well, she’s a twin. She’s a kitten. She’s more on the skittish side.
You’ve heard of several kinds of cats. And my opinion now is that— you should need no interpreter… to guess which fluffy ball of fur…is next!
Thank you for joining here at the Jellicle Ball! Or what will become the Jellicle Ball by the time folks read this interview and get their tickets to Cats! Why don’t you tell us who you are and who you are playing?
Shannon Lloyd-Ragan: I’m Shannon Lloyd-Ragan and I play Bill Bailey.
Names must never belong to more than one cat! And that seems to be true at least for this cat…as we cannot find a cat with this name from the 2022 production… Can you guess which cat this might be?
Thank you for joining us today! Tell us who you are and which cat you’re playing and we’ll get going!
Erin Bourn: I’m Erin. Erin Bourn, because there are so many Erins in this show!
A knockabout cat. Rough and boisterous. If you delve into the source material for this particular kitty-cat, T.S. Eliot and his lovely book of poems will tell you that he made up the name Carbucketty! And so, are you ready today, dear readers, as we continue on with introductions in the clowder— to meet— Carbucketty?
Thank you for joining us! If you’ll tell us who you are, we can go ahead and get started!
Memory! All alone in the moonlight! I can dream of the old days…life was beautiful then…
I remember the time I knew when Cats was on stage…
Now it’s time…for it to be back on stage again!
For those not yet privileged enough to experience one of Broadway’s longest running musicals, the Andrew Lloyd Webber sensation, Cats, you once more have your chance! Appearing live on the main stage at Cockpit in Court this summer,
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Ain’t it a fine life? Carrying the banner to the hall (The lecture hall— of the admin building!) A mighty fine life! Carrying the banner tough and tall! And boy oh boy is them kids doing exactly that with this brilliant and energetic production of Disney’s Newsies! You read it here first, folks! And the papes don’t lie! Some sensationally talented kids are giving you two weekends worth of summertime entertainment over at Cockpit in Court Jr.
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Call it hell, call it heaven, it’s a probable 12-ta-7 that HCST is doing— Guys & Dolls! That iconic, classic musical where the dice and the prayers are rolling all over New York City has landed (once again after being Howard County Summer Theatre’s inaugural production in 1975 and was produced again in 2008) at Marriotts Ridge High School for a two-week engagement and this ain’t no fly-by-night-Broadway-romance!
author: Amanda N. Gunther
They’ve taken the photographs and still-frames in their mind and hung them on a shelf— well, a stage— in good health and good times… Small Town Stars Theatre Company is putting tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial with their striking and impressive production of Green Day’s American Idiot. Directed by Miranda Secula-Rosell (with Assistant Director Erik Secula) with Vocal Direction by Jude Sims, and Choreography by Delaney Goodwin &
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Hundreds and hundreds of girls! At least they didn’t just get off of the train…though that might be a different composer. And actually, it’s only six— six girls— and no, three of them are not named Katherine. Different six- ~Casey~ * ~Heather~ * ~Holly~ * ~Izzy~ * ~Lizzie~ * ~Meli~ and Steven. And while they may not be famous dead queens formerly married to a tyrant, they are certainly queens of the stage with their vocal prowess as they tackle this musical revue-cabaret of Jerry’s Girls,
author: Amanda N. Gunther
The thing you have to remember is spirit and teamwork! And that happiness is anything and anyone that’s loved by you. And you’ll just love all the spirit and teamwork that’s coming together in Stand Up For…Theatre’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! It may not be the Broadway revival version (so no Sally, no “Beethoven Day” and no “That’s My New Philosophy”) but it’s still adorable,