WILLIAMSBURG PLAYERS PRESENT ENERGETIC AND ENTERTAINING CATS

Theater Babe Says:  Go … and Make a Memory

The Theater Babe confesses that it was with no little trepidation that she entered the lobby to attend Williamsburg Players’ Cats.  Not being a particular fan of either Andrew Lloyd Webber or T. S. Eliot, despite its enduring run the show had never even been on her Broadway wish list and the Babe was skeptical that a community theatre – any community theatre – would be able to meet the many challenges posed by this difficult musical.  Such misgivings were misplaced.  While not perfect, the Williamsburg Players’ production overwhelmingly succeeds in entertaining its understandably appreciative audience.

Cats is a sung-through musical based upon Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by acclaimed 20^th century poet T. S. Eliot and has little plot:  once a year, the “Jellicle” cats (a term seemingly invented in Eliot’s poem) congregate for the Jellicle Ball, after which a single cat is selected to travel to the Heaviside Layer where it will be reborn into “a new Jellicle life.”  That loose outline unites a series of vignettes by which different characters are introduced to the audience in song and dance.

Directed by Peter Natale, the 26 member cast is comprised of actors in widely disparate ages, from middle school to adult.  With minor and infrequent exceptions, the company as a whole maintains their catlike mannerisms and movements throughout, and persuades us that we are in fact watching a bunch of felines.  The show depends upon that single premise and this talented cast successfully creates and retains that essential illusion, first introduced during the opening number, “Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.”  The company bursts onstage with exuberance, executing impressive choreography with style and precision.  Choreographer Shawn Blasingame has designed dances that are interesting, sometimes spell-binding, and always well-executed and aptly tailored to the abilities of each dancer, wisely capitalizing upon each individual’s strengths.

Particularly praiseworthy are the performances of the show’s two youngest cast members, Audrey Hovermale (“Etcetera”) and Ariana Gonzalez  (“Victoria”).  Ms. Hovermale displays exquisite extension, raising her ankle above her head with apparent – and amazing – effortlessness, and her pirouettes at the center of the circling company during “The Jellicle Ball” are sharp, well-defined and in perfect time with the music.  During Victoria’s solo at the beginning of “The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball,” Ms. Gonzalez exhibits equal parts strength, control and grace as she stretches into and holds lovely positions before executing a backbend of such impeccable elegance that we wonder whether her flexible frame possesses any bones at all.

Although her solo coincides with the 15-note theme indelibly identified with Cats, through no fault of Ms. Gonzalez that link is not as obvious as it should be; the orchestra is the weak link in this production.  The Theater Babe applauds the decision to have live instrumentals rather than choosing the easier route of using a recording, but here the instrumentals are out of balance – any time they play, the drums and bass deafen the other instruments, with the result that even the iconic theme is usually drowned out almost beyond recognition.  Similarly, with few exceptions, throughout the performance the orchestra overwhelms the vocals and obliterates the lyrics even though many of the actors are miked.  That’s a big problem in a sung-through show where there are no spoken lines to explain the action to the audience; if we can’t hear the lyrics, the elaborate movement onstage is mystifying and because we only vaguely understand what’s going on, we have little opportunity to generate a connection to the characters.

Despite that endemic problem, this show works -- and works well – due to the strong, energetic performances by the ensemble cast.  Deborah Soderholm (“Grizabella”) takes the show’s best-known number, “Memory,” and with her rich, husky, whiskey-on-the-rocks voice gives us a stunning moment.  In “Gus: The Theatre Cat,” Ingrid Holzer-Miller (“Jellylorum”) and Cole Mercado (“Asparagus”) display exacting diction against an unusually delicate accompaniment that permits us to fully enjoy the tale.  Craig McCloud (“Munkustrap”) has a beautiful baritone voice, although occasionally the notes at the higher end of his range suffer from lack of breath support – understandable, perhaps, given the demanding choreography that precedes those lyrics.  As Bustopher Jones, Peter Natale is dapper and charming, even if he does display noticeably fewer catlike mannerisms than the rest of the company.  In “Macavity: The Mystery Cat,” Vivian Washburn (“Demeter”) slinks through her sinuous choreography with sultry panache.

Unquestionably the standout performance in this production, however, is Max Nelson’s portrayal of Rum Tum Tugger.  From the moment he struts and stalks onstage, Mr. Nelson commands our attention – no little feat, given the multi-layered and clever dances of the ensemble that weave throughout the show.  Through his body language and choice of movement, Mr. Nelson creates a distinct persona which is compelling and adds a delectable tension to the whole.  (Who knew a cat could be sexy??)  He displays excellent pitch, and even with the challenges posed by the accompaniment, we understand every word of the machine-gun lyrics of “The Rum Tum Tugger” while he infuses “Mr. Mistoffelees” with a contagious exuberance.  Mr. Nelson is a notable dancer and effects his choreography with a panther-like litheness suggestive of restrained power that is perfectly suited to his character.

The set design by Sandy Brockman is reminiscent of the original, and provides the ensemble with numerous levels and places to alternately crawl, hide and dance.  The set dressing is less successful.  As in the original, the set pieces are overly large to add to the illusion that the actors are actually cat-sized.  Here, the set also contains a variety of ordinary items, such as a regular bicycle, which apparently were added to emphasize that these cats inhabit a junkyard.  But because those items are normal-sized, it creates an incongruity that undermines, rather than enhances, the perspective that the large set pieces create.

The lighting design, by Amanda LaBonte, assisted by Mark Howell, is exceptional.  In a show where there is a lot going on a lot of the time, spotlights and color gels are effectively employed to ensure that our attention is directed to details we might otherwise miss.  Of course, a lighting design is only as good as its implementation, and the Theater Babe commends Leslie Danneberger (light board operator) and Raven Dodson and Arianna Hall (spotlight operators) for flawlessly executing the multitudinous light cues of Ms. LaBonte’s vision.

Bottom line?  The orchestral problems in this production are significant, in no little part because they deprive anyone who has no prior experience with the show of a complete understanding of the context.  But the energy and impressive dancing of this talented ensemble and especially the performances of Ms. Soderholm and Mr. Nelson make this a show well worth the time and ticket price.

Performances run thru September 28^th, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.,
Saturdays at 2 p.m., and Sunday, September 28^th, at 3 p.m.

at the James-York Playhouse, 200 Hubbard Lane, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children and students with id and can be obtained by

calling the box office at (757) 229-0431 or online at williamsburgplayers.org.

© 2014 Hampton Roads Theater Babe. All Rights Reserved.