Classic productions of classic musicals are the proclaimed specialty of City Springs Theatre Company, and its recent production of Cats, running through May 21, continues to prove that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to put on a crowd-pleasing show.
This production has all of the trims and trappings that the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic is known for. The dancers are limber and lively, the costumes and makeup (by Russ Williamson and Annice Hong) are eye-catching, and the vocals are full-bodied and powerful. There is not much to dislike here, especially if you are already a fan of the musical.
The actors are all excellent, nailing the slightly unhinged energy of the show as well as the show’s rapid oscillation between upbeat and melancholy. Spencer Dean is a knockout as Rum Tum Tugger. His swagger is electric, and his number is one of the most exciting in the show. Cats is, above all, a showcase, and the high note that Dean hits at the climax of his song was powerful (and shocking) enough to pin me to my chair. He also has great chemistry with Harry Francis, who plays Mr. Mistoffelees and is similarly exuberant.
The cast is made up of truly superb dancers who are well utilized by director and choreographer Baayork Lee, whose talent for stage formations gives the show a fantastic kineticism. Of course, the production utilizes the original choreography of Gillian Lynne, restaged by co-choreographer Jacob Brent, who clearly knows his stuff.
The dancing is well matched by the music. The vocal quality of the ensemble is top notch, with several singing through jeering character voices and others crooning out the more operatic parts of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score. Jalise Wilson, in particular, gives an absolutely show-stopping performance with her rendition of “Memory.” Not only does she deliver on the full emotion of the song, but vocally it is perfectly within her comfort range, allowing those powerful belts to fly with ease and clarity.
The design elements are a treat for the eyes; Kelley Tighe’s set is a sprawling landscape of perches and walkways for the actors to prowl, with an impressive eye to detail in the set dressing. Before the show, I found myself scanning the various entrances and exits and speculating on how they would be used. The lighting and sound design, by Abby May and Anthony Narciso, respectively, also serves to augment the experience, lending the theatricality and spectacle that Cats pretty much runs on.
The production draws heavily on the original Broadway staging, even implementing the exact same choreography. This may be bothersome to those looking for a reimagining of the show or who would like to see something new done with it. City Springs is known for not worrying too much about originality, but hewing this closely to the original production may be pushing its commitment to traditional musicals.
In my experience, however, Cats fans are nostalgic creatures, and this production feels like it is aimed directly at them. As such, it may not attract any new fans of the musical (especially if you are someone who struggles to make sense of the show’s paper-thin premise), but for the many who fell in love with theater because of the original production, it will likely be a deliriously fun evening that sends you flying back to your childhood.
Few Broadway musicals are quite as strange as Cats. The key is for the performers to embrace the weirdness of the script, which this ensemble has certainly done. It is in that weirdness that the spectacle of the show (and the aggressively catchy, nonsensical score) is able to sneak its way into your head and get your feet tapping along. Anyone looking to enjoy that spectacle or reconnect with some theater-kid nostalgia will find plenty to enjoy here — though I understand if the dog people in the crowd want to skip it.
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Luke Evans is an Atlanta-based writer, critic and dramaturg. He covers theater for ArtsATL and Broadway World Atlanta and has worked with theaters such as the Alliance, Actor’s Express, Out Front Theatre and Woodstock Arts. He’s a graduate of Oglethorpe University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and the University of Houston, where he earned his master’s.
