"Remember what you said about the train light? I saw CATS a few days ago in Japan. I saw the Japanese production and you're absolutely right. The train light shined directly into my face." This episode features John Zamborsky who played Skimbleshanks on the US National Tours 6 of CATS. Hear John discuss seeing the show the first time as a kid, some amazing Skimbleshanks canon derived from Tumblr, and, as you can see in the quote, experiencing the excruciating pain that is the light hitting...

"​​Cats is one of those shows that made me fall in love with theater. It was the first show that I ever saw as a kid." This episode features The Broadway Bob who is an incredible theatre content creator and performer who has hot takes on CATS. Hear Bob talk about how he got into content creation, his experience seeing CATS as his very first musical, and all of his fun takes on the show. Plus, Bob and Mike create a new cat called "Snifflebottom," share the cat's backstory, and make it's case...

"Even though I didn’t have a big role, I made an impression on the stage." This episode features Leigh Webster who played Casandra and was a Dance Captain on the US National Tours 2 & 4 of CATS as well as the Original Broadway Production. Hear Leigh talk being a behind the scenes dance captain, how each show had to adapt to each theater, and some of the crazy tour stories. Plus, Leigh shares some fun stories about celebrities who came to visit backstage on tour. Produced by: Alan Seales...

"As a kitten, I want to go up on that tire. I don't know where it's going or anything like that, but why can't I go up there? It looks like a fun ride, right?" This episode features Nancy Melius who played Rumpleteazer on the US National Tour 4 of CATS. Hear Nancy talk about her auditions before booking the show, how each dance movement has a specific meaning, and how she interpreted the relationship for Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. Plus, Nancy shares crazy stories about how their bus and...

"​​The first thing we did when we got the new programs to get ready to sell for the first show is we opened up all the inserts to check out the girls in the show. As we went through the girls in the show, I picked out Leslie's picture, and I said, I'm gonna marry that one." This episode features Kevin & Leslie Harvey who met on the US National Tour 4 of CATS. Hear Kevin and Leslie (Trayer) tell the story of how they met on tour, how Leslie played Syllabub while Kevin was selling...

"​​This production is something that you’ve never seen before." This episode features Sam Larielle-Jones who plays Quaxo in Australia's Willoughby Theatre Company production of CATS. Hear Sam talk about how his production differs from previous versions, how he created his character story for Quaxo and how he got involved with this particular production. Plus, Sam shares the synopsis that was shared at his cast's first rehearsal including the three themes the story centers around. Check out...

"​​At the end of the show after the bows when the cats sort of dance offstage I remember we were dancing together and then he picked me up and twirled me. He carried me offstage and that's one of my favorite memories from that show." On the US National Tour 4 of CATS, Helen Frank was performing as Demeter and Bombalurina and Steve Watkins was in the CATS Chorus where they met and married on tour. Fast forward to 2014 and their daughter Lauren, who was 17 at the time, performed with Steve in...

"I couldn't wait to learn the shadow dance. I got to rehearsal and it wasn't happening. I finally got up enough nerve and I went up to T Michael Reed and said, ‘am I going to learn the shadow dance?’ And he said, ‘we don't do that on the tour.’" This episode features General McArthur Hambrick who played Alonzo in the Original Broadway Production and on the US National Tour 4 of CATS. Hear General talk about his auditions for the US National Tour 3 before getting cast in the 4th tour, how...

"I got to final callbacks and I was like, I should maybe watch this cause I don't know what I'm auditioning for. I got to Mungo and Rump and then I don't even think I finished it." This episode features Maria Briggs who performed as a swing and as Victoria in the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS and is currently in the ensemble of SPAMALOT. Hear Maria discuss how she twice booked tours of CATS but did not take the jobs, what it was like making a Broadway debut as Tantomile, and how surreal it...

"I didn’t know who Pouncival was from a hole in the wall." This episode features Shane Hall who played the magical Mr. Mistoffelees on the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Shane talk about how he fell asleep the first time he saw CATS, how he learned the show with just one other cast member, the different ways Mr. Mistoffelees entered the stage, and some really fun stories from life on tour. Plus, Shane shares a really cool story about how the costumes changed to make the dancing a little...

"In the ball, most of the names stay the same. Copeland was Copeland, Jutters was Jutters. But I believe in the States, there's a section called American Airlines and in Germany it was Lufthansa." This episode features Lynette Tompkins Engel who was Tantomile in the Hamburg Production of CATS. Hear Lynette discuss learning the show in German, how she was taught to perform as a cat (including not meowing), and a super fun story about how covers had to sit at certain restaurants to wait for a...

"People talk about the ‘I Want’ song in a musical. CATS is full of ‘I Am’ songs and that is the biggest difference with this show compared to a lot of others." This episode features Harry Francis who played Mungojerrie in the West End Revival as well as Mr. Mistoffelees on the International tour and regional production of CATS. Hear Harry share his experiences working with the incredible Gillian Lynne, what it was like getting to perform with the infamous "Street Tugger," how he was allowed...

"I didn't really get into the headspace of what the character Tugger was until probably a month or two into the run because I was so concerned about the logistics of being there and doing this and singing this and making sure my riffs were right." This episode features Stan Stanley who was the Rum Tum Tugger on the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Stan discuss how his vocal coach got him into the audition process, how the CATS are numbered in the production, and some fun stories from his...

"Once I got the list, I think I chose cinnamon because it was fall and I think I just probably added it always to my Starbucks order." This BONUS episode features Lauren Buege who performed with our last guest Lexie Plath as Cinnamon in Arrowhead High School Center for Arts award winning production of CATS. Hear all of the fun that went into creating a show with over 40 ensemble cats and some of the memories from the experience. Plus, Lauren makes her case for Old Deuteronomy as her Jellicle...

"In high school we had a huge ensemble. More than a normal show and they gave everyone random names. My best friend Lauren was Cinnamon. And then I remember we had a whole day where we had to create our own backstory for our character." This episode features Lexie Plath who played Bombalurina on the US National Tour 6 of CATS in 2019 and in an award winning production in high school. Hear Lexie talk about her audition process as a "shorter" Bombalurina, how her three words changed her...

"From the lips of Gillian Lynne. What she said about Victoria is that she is a pulsating plum ready to be picked." This episode features Natasha Davison who was Victoria on the US National Tour 4. Hear Natasha talk about how she paused a producing career to join the CATS tour, how she was explained Victoria's backstory, and some sound advice she was given on other tours that applies to CATS. Plus, Natasha shares a very unique thought on how "stage time" impacts how to view Grizabella being...

"For Misto, to me, he always felt like he was ‘periphery’ to the tribe. He's definitely a part of the tribe but he comes and goes when he pleases. And then when he needs to show off and do something fun or cool or help the cats out with some magic, he's like, I got you guys." This episode features Paul Giarratano who played the magical Mr. Mistoffelees on the US National Tour 6 of CATS. Hear Paul discussing what the audition process was like during covid, how he was introduced to the...

"I went in and spent two days listening to the story of the cats and the interrelationships of all the characters. You know, Tugger and Munkustrap are brothers. They're all sons of Old Deuteronomy. And then, they follow it up with, but none of this is important for the audience to know." This episode features Lee Lobenhofer who was Gus on the US National Tour 4 and was in the CATS Chorus in the original Broadway Production. Hear Lee talk about spending two full days learning the story (but...

"Especially going through the rehearsal process as well. Every single little moment has a meaning, which was crazy to me. A lot of the time the audience wouldn't even see that. But in order for us to be able to tell an authentic story in a way of being cats, we had to know all these little things." This episode features Lucy Rice who was Bombalurina on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Oasis of the Seas production of CATS and then was a swing on the 2022-2023 Asia Tour of CATS performing in...

"I learned the show in six days. I remember telling the sound guy at Westchester the day I went on. I said don't turn my microphone on because I don’t know all the words yet." This episode features Joey Abramowicz who was Tumblebrutus on the US National Tour 5 and in 9 other regional productions of CATS. Hear Joey talk about his time in the various different productions, how he worked to help cast CATS with Marc Robin who has a slightly different take on the plot, and many other CATS...

"It was the first Broadway show I ever went to and it is probably responsible for my personality." This episode features the amazingly talented writer, comedian, actress, and CATS fan Julie Klausner. Hear Julie discuss her fandom of the musical, it's influence on the rest of pop culture, and her CATS party trick. Plus, Julie and Mike have a detailed conversation on what it means to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and Julie gives a passionate defense for Grizabella as her Jellicle...

"Princely Plato. He’s the price and kind to everyone. Flirtatious and fun but a teenager. And then you get to do a little quick change and jump into Macavity which is the super villain." This episode features Aiden Pressel who was Plato/Macavity on the 6th US National Tour of CATS. Hear Aiden discuss doing the tour promotional video before even being cast, the backstory behind the Plato/Victoria love story, and why his Jellice choice is Gus. Plus, Aiden and Mike dive deep into the Plato...

"I literally couldn't remember Macavity's name because their names are all so ridiculously complicated. I really think that that was the seed of the idea. It truly came from a - what the f*** is that one cat with the spooky song." This episode features Jaime Lyn Beatty and Jon Matteson who created the viral YouTube video Spadattimy: The Reliable Cat and are big CATS fans. Hear Jamie and Jon discuss the nuances of the plot, the genesis of their video, and all kinds of funny stories from the...

"It was just a brown and gray generic cat. They made my shoes still in Spike colors but they made them look like the shoes like Alonzo would wear or Pouncival would wear so that when I was on stage I could look down at my feet and not get confused about which cat I was playing that day at that show." This episode features Tucker Ty Davis who played the infamous Spike as a swing on the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Tucker explain the internet lore of Spike, how the cast made the most of...

"You know when people say they can taste colors… I kind of get that with CATS in a weird way." This episode features fellow Broadway Podcast Network podcast host Chris Adams who hosts a show called Out For Blood about the infamous Carrie musical. Hear Chris share the similarities between Carrie and CATS, how the 80s musicals all inflluenced each other, and a few other fun CATS crossovers with Carrie. Plus, Chris shares more information about how he's documented his story with a new...