From the King Street Chronicle: Celebrating Community with an Artistic Reimagining of CATS

Celebrating Community with an Artistic Reimagining of CATS

by Elizabeth Galgano '28, Staff Writer

The cast and crew of CATS welcomed the audience to the Jellicle Ball in the Lennie and John de Csepel Theatre this weekend. The team transformed the stage into a salon of various visual and performing artists in Andrew Llyod Webber's musical based on Thomas Stearns Eliot's 1939 poetry collection "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." Miss Michaela Gorman ‘05, Upper School Theatre Teacher and Director of Theatrical Productions, introduced the reimagined directorial concept with students performing as modern artists rather than literal cats. The shows took place Saturday, February 28 at 7 p.m and Sunday, March 1 at 3 p.m. Through a night of genre-spanning musical numbers and choreography, the cast depicted themes of community and artistry as characters came together to share their talents.

The original production of CATS showcases a group of stray cats called the Jellicle Cats. These cats meet once a year to decide on the “Jellicle choice," or to choose which of them will ascend into the Heaviside Layer, a heaven-like place for cats, and come back to a new life. At Sacred Heart Greenwich, the Jellicles are a multi-generational collective of artists who come together to share their work in various styles of visual and performing arts. By the end of the musical, they decide which of them deserves to go to the Heaviside Layer, or reintegrate into the group and find joy in art once again.

The production was dance-heavy, with choreography by Miss Gabrielle Giacomo '15. The choreography spanned various styles of contemporary dance to uniquely portray each's character's style and artistic abilities. Additionally, the musical is sung-through, with the score incorporating multiple genres of music. Mr. Sean Lowery, Upper School Music Director, commented on how he prepared the music for this show.

“The music we’re using is the real Broadway-level arrangement,” Mr Lowery said. “I’ve put together a full nine piece band of professional musicians in order to give the cast and audience a truly authentic experience. This show is particularly fun for me to perform, because I get to use my favorite instrument: the synthesizer.” 

The students in the cast took on unique roles and developed relationships between characters throughout the rehearsal process. Seniors Caroline Gammon and Sutton Burchetta played Munkustrap/Mr. Mistoffelees and The Rum Tum Tugger, rising Jellicle leaders and best friends. Senior Clara Bonomo portrayed the Jellicle leader and one founding member of the Jellicle collective, Old Deuteronomy. Senior Callie Regnery played both Skimbleshanks and Macavity, a villainous, trouble-making artist. Sophomores Mary Ellen Dolan and Maeve Gallary played two friends, Bombalurina and Demeter. Mary Ellen reflected on how she was able to convey her character's personality effectively. 

“Bombalurina is bold, sassy, energetic, and protective of others,” Mary Ellen said. “Even though she’s newer to the group, she isn’t afraid to be herself and try new things, which I really admire. I feel connected to her and love her character, so stepping into the role comes naturally for me.  Bombalurina sings 'Macavity: The Mystery Cat,' a duet with her best friend Demeter, and working with my scene partner, Maeve Gallary, who is one of my best friends, makes the role even more fun to play. I think another factor that makes it easy to play Bombalurina is that she is so inspired by Grizabella, played by Carolina [Cece] Figueiredo. Cece is incredibly talented, and because we have a close bond, it’s been easy to be her fan throughout the show.”

The original CATS production opened on the West End in London before it debuted on Broadway.  It remains one of the longest-running shows in the history of both districts. The musical started at the New London Theatre 1981, where it broke the record by playing for 21 years. At this time, the musical also received the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical. When the show came to Broadway in 1983, it became the recipient of seven Tony awards including Best Musical. It ran in this district for 18 years. CATS  also includes one of the most iconic songs in musical theatre, Memory, sung by the character Grizabella. This song has now been recorded by over 150 artists, according to andrewlloydwebber.com.

Junior Carolina Figueiredo played Grizabella, an artist who gained fame earlier in her career, but now feels burnt out in her art. Throughout the show, Grizabella reflects on happier times through a series of melancholic solos as interludes between joyous dance numbers, including "The Entry of Grizabella" and "Grizabella: The Glamour Cat." Towards the end of the musical, "Memory" portrayed Grizabella's redemption and acceptance into the Jellicle group once more.

CATS is Mary Ellen’s third Sacred Heart Production. Although she has only known her castmates for two years, she reflected on how the cast and crew's close relationships impact how they perform. 

“CATS is an ensemble‑driven show that depends on everyone working together, and our cast has been incredibly supportive of one another, especially the seniors who do a great job of motivating us even during long rehearsals,” Mary Ellen said. “Because we genuinely care about each other and have built strong friendships, it’s been much easier to create deep emotion and believable relationships onstage, which really brings the world of the show to life and makes our performances stronger and more connected.”

Featured Image by Elizabeth Galgano '28

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