Director Glenn Edwards and Co-Director/Choreographer Tammy Pessagno lead a production filled with tremendous dancing, singing, music, and visuals. The choreography is original, dynamic, frisky, and always plays to the theme, characters, and lyrics. And it's also very challenging – but the talented cast handles the challenge flawlessly and with great catty style.

As Munkustrap, the rich voice and authoritative Philip Cerza helps get us started in The Naming of Cats that allows us to get a good glimpse at the impressive ensemble. Tia Konsur is the cat named Jennyanydots who cavorts around the stage with a very cute and playful prancing dance in Old Gumbie Cat. As Rum Tum Tugger, Julian Crider sends out the catnip vibes to the female felines with a very entertaining performance that includes a little Michael Jackson action (nothing criminal, thankfully) and has him going out into the audience seeking even greater attention. Drew Lynch is Bustopher Jones, “the stoutest of cats,” who lazily meanders about with a huge martini glass and a couple of lovely and remarkably tall lady cats on each arm (so tall that one of them gives Jennyanydots a start). For pure fun, the nod probably goes to Mungojerrie and Rumpletazer, with two dynamite dance majors Jamie Edelman and Arielle Panrae strutting their stuff as a couple mischievous cat burglars.

Then comes the most revered cat, Old Deuteronomy, and the Las Vegas Academy brought in a professional actor for this role – Neil Taffe. His sonorous voice and the reactions by the other cats beautifully capture the awe that Old Deuteronomy inspires among his fellow felines. With his presence comes the Jellicle Ball when one cat will be chosen for a new life – the ball featuring a remarkable, festive dance scene that eventually gives way to the entrance of the limping, elderly Grizabella. Choir major Lynda DeFuria delivering a beautiful rendition of the show’s poignant signature song Memory as she pines for yesteryear while gazing up above at youthful Vegas showgirls.

The second act features many entertaining scenes including Elijah O’Connell as the wistful old theatre cat Gus reminiscing about his days on the stage when he used to receive several catcalls, backed up by three very nice voices in Caitlyn Cerza, Katie Bertini, and Sylvia Brasuell. The bad-boy cat Macavity (Kip Canyon) is introduced with some terrific jazzy nightclub vocals by Rebecca Stewart and joined by some great solos by Julia DiVergilio and Shararyah Clark. Julian Crider whimsically introduces celebrated Vegas nightclub magician Mr. Mistoffelees played with nightclub-magician charisma by Lance Barker. As Jemima, Rachel Richards wows with her sterling vocals as she sings some of the bars from Memory before the Journey to the Heavyside Layer begins for one lucky cat, who rides up to the sky in an old Vegas sign of a woman swinging on a clock pendulum. And for the Vegas after-party? Why not have the cat version of The Blue Man Group bang on the drums!

Performs February 7 - 23, 2008.

Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre