1.How did Griz go to the Heavyside Layer?
2.Was the choreography the same?
3.Was there speaking parts?
4.Was there Growltiger's Last Stand?
5.Was Mungo&Rumpel fun?
6.Did Munkustrap or Alonzo fight McCavity?)I know the correct spelling is Macavity)
Do I dare spoil the surprise? The Chanhassen show is set in an alley behind an old, abandoned London theatre, not a junkyard..the idea is, these cats have lived behind this theatre for so long that they've begun to take on and emulate the "personalities" of the actors/actresses who used to come and go through the stage door (which is the centerpiece of the set, much like the tire in the junkyard) I'll say this much..while Grizabella doesn't ascend to the Heavyside Layer via a "saucer" like the tour or "staircase" like the Broadway classic (the limited Chanhassen stage doesn't allow for it), she DOES get there in a rather "theatrical" way, which is an impressive sight, indeed, very well designed and executed by the Chanhassen techincal crew.
2.Was the choreography the same?
No, it wasn't. Instead of reproducing Gillian Lynne's choreography, the Chanhassens' Michael Matthew Ferrell created his own moves which fit the basic "premise" of the show..cats who've witnessed decades of performances while living behind this theatre..so in accordance, you'll see dances which "tip their hats" to musical theatre."42nd Street"-style tap dances, steps resembling something from "West Side Story" and even nods to pop culture like a brief "hand jive" bit from "Grease" and even a reference to "Starlight Express" during the "Skimbleshanks" number..it all fits together well.
3.Was there speaking parts?
Just one..when Old D. is kidnapped by Macavity and his "hench-cats" Mac turns to Demeter before leaving the stage and says "I'll be BACK for you"!
4.Was there Growltiger's Last Stand?
No...Growltiger IS referred to..as Gus continues his song, he mentions "I once played Growltiger..could do it again...could do it again...." then slowly turns to look at Jellylorum and segues right into the Italian aria...part way through, old Gus begins to lose his voice, and Munkustrap, who's been watching this from the side, steps in and takes over the song for his aging friend...Gus eventually musters up a small bit of strength and takes the song back from Munk and brings it to a rousing finish, accompanied by both Munk and Jelly..after which, Gus slowly and wistfully finishes out "Gus the Theatre Cat" and is then led off the stage by his two friends to absolute THUNDEROUS applause! (David Anthony Brinkley is a wonderful Gus!) While I was certainly disappointed there was no Growltiger (MY fave bit in the show), the Chanhassen presented a fresh, effective and rather poignant "Gus"
5.Was Mungo&Rumpel fun?
Yes, very! At various times during their number, they went out into the audience, climbing on barrier walls around tables and at one point, even stealing a couple of "Playbill" programs from some patrons! At the end of their number, Munkustrap takes the Playbills away from them (but I don't know if aforementioned patrons ever got them back!)
6.Did Munkustrap or Alonzo fight McCavity?)I know the correct spelling is Macavity)
Munkustrap did but to be totally honest, I don't remember who all was involved in the fight. I know John Sloane, who plays Macavity in the Chanhassen production has posted on this board before...if he's still checking in from time to time, maybe he'd be so kind as to fill in the blanks here (by the way, in keeping with the "theatre" mode, bad-boy Macavity is a theatre "critic" in this production! They really have some fun with that in the "Macavity" number...as Bombalurina and Demeter are singing, they're dancing around aneasel with a "Furiety" magazine on it, and occasionally flip pages over to reveal various headlines, such as "Cat-Can" CAN'T..by Macavity, cat-critic)
It's a really fun show, and the Twin Cities critics have all praised the production. Sure hope you get a chance to see it too, before it closes in May. It's worth every penny of the admission.
Wow, that all sounds really cool. I'm quite gutted that I won't b able to see it.
~*Don't worry. As long as you hit that wire with the connecting hook at precisely eighty-eight miles per hour the instant the lightning strikes the tower... everything will be fine.*~
Hello all, Here's the inside view of those questions.
1.How did Griz go to the Heavyside Layer?
>>She does indeed go through a stage door. We are not doing the original staging of "Cats". We don't have the budget for a flying tire. So, instead, the brick walls of the alley part into a field of smoke and lights (London fog, and ethereal vapors?), and Grizabella's personal "heaven" (a stage with curtains, lights, and a personalized "Grizabella" placard) lifts her into the distance and vapors of the heaviside layer. (The building itself has no fly space -the area above the stage where curtain are supposed to go- so we can't fly a tire.)
2.Was the choreography the same?
>>nope, but SDPaul is right, we do pay tribute to various choreographers from the history of musical theatre. from Jerome Robbins' "West Side Story", to Bob Fosse's "Sweet Charity"
3.Was there speaking parts?
>>Not exactly, But some of Sir Andrew's music has a spoken quality,like "recitative" of opera.
4.Was there Growltiger's Last Stand?
>>No, for time constraints (we are a dinner theatre- that's 2 hrs for dinner and a 2 hr show- much too long to be sitting comfortably. And see #1 above - no place to put a whole ship.)
5.Was Mungo&Rumpel fun?
>>I think they are, and most performances they get some "hoots & whistles" from a joyful audience.
6.Did Munkustrap or Alonzo fight McCavity?)I know the correct spelling is Macavity)
>>Mukustrap (Keith Rice) and Macavity (Me) fight it out in front of the yowling cats. We also have taken our fight from the classics of musical theatre. see if you can find the parts that are like the knife fight of "West Side Story", and which part is similar to Agnes DeMille's choreography of the dream fight between Curly and Judd in "Oklahoma". In the end Macavity shorts out the electricity in the alley and make his escape.
Hope that helps. I'm sorry I haven't stopped by in a while, but I am happy to answer what I can about our unique look at the "Cats" phenomenon.
