The Wrong Cat Died

"They name the food in Ohio. We were joking that we wanted a Rum Tum Tuna Casserole." This episode features Jamie Grayson who is better known as TheBabyGuyNYC but also played Skimbleshanks in 5 regional productions and designed makeup for 2 more productions. Jamie might know more stories about CATS than anyone else in the world and shares some of his craziest examples. Plus, Jamie reveals a major...

"The joy that I felt when I found out that I was going to be a part of Green Eyes. It was it all had come full circle. It was like, now I could be the person scaring people." This episode features Anne Brummel who played Grizabella on the US National Tour 5. Hear Anne discuss being traumatized seeing the show as a kid, how CATS compare to Wicked characters, and her passionate defense of Grizabella...

"Skimbleshanks is in 13 and that's really kind of fun for me as a musician." This episode features Scott Miller who is the author of a CATS parody book called Theatre Cats. Hear about Scott's first time experiencing the US National Tour 3 of CATS in Boston, the writing process of crafting a parody book, his experience watching the new movie, and his first experience thinking about the Jellicle dec...

"I just remember they were really hanging their hat on Elaine Paige. Commercials on channel four in Tecumseh, Oklahoma and I was like... great whoever she is." This episode features Ben Rimalower & Daniel Nolen who are fellow podcasters on the Broadway Podcast Network and the hosts of a new event called Cast Offs being hosted at Club Cumming in New York City. Hear about Ben's experience falling as...

"When I joined the show that was fifteen years in it was still playing to pack houses every single week." This episode features Damien Delaney who played Bill Bailey on the original West End Production. Hear Damien talk about getting to do the show with some of the original cast, learning the show with incredible Chrissie Cartwright, and why he believes Gus is his Jellicle choice. Check out Damien...

"My first word is cocksure which is a British slang term for not just being cocky but cocky to your own detriment." This episode features Tony d'Alelio who was Mungojerrie on the 6th US CATS National Tour before the pandemic. Hear Tony discuss how he grew up only watching the first act of the musical, his interpretation of the nuances of the show, and his deep defense for Gus as his Jellicle choic...

"And if there's any lens point at which to look at CATS through, it's through the eyes of a cult." This episode features DJ John Michael who you likely know as the Live DJ during your Peloton workouts but who also performed as a hybrid Munkustrap/Rum Tum Tugger cat in the Staten Island Academy of PerformIng Arts production of CATS. Hear DJ John Michael discuss how he collected international cast r...

"If you are just watching the show you probably wouldn't even notice the twins. But if someone knows this show well or if someone happens to catch us and then follow us, they're in for a treat." This episode features Laura Kaufman who was Tantomile on the 6th US CATS National Tour before the pandemic. Hear Laura discuss seeing the show as a teenager, performing in front of friends and family outdo...

"CATS is a lot of damp leotards." This episode features Benjamin Colley who was a swing on the 2020 Asian Tour in South Korea cover Rum Tum Tugger, Munkustrap, Old Deuteronomy, Gus, Bustopher Jones, and Growltiger. Hear Benjamin discuss what it was like being part of one of the only musicals running during the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, how the cast became really close living in their bub...

"I had never seen a stage production before booking the show." This episode features Tanner Ray Wilson who was a swing and a dance captain in the 2016 Broadway revival. Hear Tanner discuss break down Carbuckety's backstory, his theory on how Jennyanydots and Pouncival are actually a couple, and his reasoning for why Cassandra should have been the Jellicle choice. Plus, Tanner gives a ton of differ...

"They asked us what we knew about cats and why we were so excited to be there I got a little bit of attitude because I thought they were cats from space." This episode features Lynn Craig who was a swing on the 5th US CATS National Tour . Hear Lynn discuss her introduction to CATS knowing very little at her first rehearsal, her experience doing CATS in a round theatre, and how her show differed fr...

If the 2019 Bombalurina can re-release her own music, why can't I? As part of the “BROADWAY REBORN, WITH LOVE NOW AND FOREVER, A Celebratory Welcome Back!” event that was recorded live on August 21, 2021, we recorded and released a parody of Memory. Hear it today and watch the music video on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pnXTDssGNY Performed by Melanie Goerlitz Lyrics by Mike Abrams...

"I poke out as as Alonzo singing 'Were you blind when you're born?' full tilt at my father two feet away I will never forget for the rest of my life he noticed me and jumped probably two feet out of his seat." This episode features Jacob Smith who you probably know from his time on Broadway in Frozen but performed as Macavity early in his theater journey at the Waterloo Community Playhouse in Iowa...

"Alonzo is the Rob Kardashian of CATS." This episode features Joshua Burrage who was a swing in the 2016 Broadway revival and an emergency cover on the US National Tour 6. Hear Joshua discuss how CATS was his first time performing as a swing, give a deep character breakdown of his various cats, and how both he and his brother got to perform in the show on tour. Plus, be sure to dig through Joshua'...

"Gillian Lynn would change the choreography which she could do because it's hers." This episode features Heidi Stallings who played Grizabella on Broadway in 1991 after initially being a cover. Hear Heidi talk about how she learned the show from a cassette tape, how she developed her character using inspiration from other performances, and her defense on why Grizabella is her Jellicle choice. Pro...

"She would definitely be a rhythmic gymnast." This episode features Hannah Kenna Thomas who was Victoria on the 2012 West End Revival and is currently in the 2019 Vienna Revival. Hear Hannah talk about her obsession with the show growing up, the story of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Trevor Nunn seeing the UK tour to bring to the West End, and her defense for Grizabella as a Jellicle choice. Plus, Mike...

"At times I was just speaking and had no idea what I was saying." This episode features Matthew Levick who is currently playing Bill Bailey in the 2019 Vienna Revival. Hear Matt talk about his time performing CATS on a cruise ship, what it's like learning multiple characters in a different language, and discuss the amazing theatre community in Vienna. Plus, Matt shares a little of the Bill Bailey...

"It's really Victoria and the rest of the cats who pick Grizabella." This episode features Gavan Pamer who played Mungojerrie in the 4th US CATS National Tour. Hear Gavan talk about how the show was so popular that it sold $1M in one week, how they went on an "arena tour," and what it was like doing the infamous cartwheels in his dance. Plus, Gavan tells his theory that Old Deuteronomy was picking...

Nearly 35 years after their first performance, the National 3 cast of the landmark international musical sensation by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS, reunited for a very special virtual theatrical event, WITH LOVE, NOW AND FOREVER! CATS4COVIDRELIEF, a fundraiser for the Broadway Cares Covid-19 Emergency Assistance Fund, which supports The Actors Fund.  Now, one year later they are reunited, once again,...

"In the variety show our Demeter got hit in the face with a briefcase." This episode features Emily Tanner who played Tantomile on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Oasis of the Seas. Hear Emily talk about how the cruise crowd generally reacts to CATS, discuss all of the other things she had to do on the cruise as a dancer like the variety show, and brainstorm with Mike on how to make each week's thre...

"I was told my Tugger gyrated more than any other in the cast." This episode features Chris Stevens who played Rum Tum Tugger in the 5th US CATS National Tour. Hear Chris talk about how we was cast in the show almost immediately after graduating, how he tried to find perfection in a character that thrives on imperfection, and his fun experience with an audience member in Kentucky. Plus, hear Chris...

"The CATS lore was created over the course of many decades of the show." This episode features Jeremy Davis who played Skimbleshanks in the 2016 Broadway revival. Hear Jeremy tell the story of how Trevor Nunn told the entire CATS story to the 2016 Revival, how the show still have creative liberty to do something different each night (within reason), and the other half of the Tugger/Skimble rumor t...

"We were really left alone to create our own backstories." This episode features Joanna Beck who played Jellylorum in the 1987 US National Tour 3. Hear Joanna discuss playing outdoor theatres with 12,000 seats, what it was like being one of the older cast members on tour, and why she actually thinks the plot is shockingly simple. Plus, Joanna gives her reason on why she thinks the tribe picks the...

"The ritual didn't happen." This episode features Felix Hess who played Skimbleshanks in the 5th US CATS National Tour. Hear Felix talk about learning cat mannerisms, answer all of Mike's questions about Skimble, and shares his theory on how the Ball was cut short because of Grizabella. Plus, Felix and Mike discuss creating a CATS cryptocurrency called Jelli-coin Check out Felix on Instagram: @fel...

"It's kind of just a show of introductions." This episode features Justin Geiss who played Pouncival & Mungojerrie in the most recent CATS National Tour. Hear Justin talk about how he was obsessed with the show growing up as a dancer, his fun story with Andy Blankenbuehler during his audition, and how he defends Macavity as his Jellicle choice. Plus, Justin discusses how Harry Potter influenced th...