Of course, "Cats" is not just a show about cats. We humans spend endless hours on social media, celebrating the various hilarities of cats, so a musical featuring dancing felines would not be too much of a stretch. If Cirque du Soleil opened a show in Vegas with performers in catsuits – not simply leotards, but the kind with whiskers – who leaped around the backs of sofas and pushed cups off the edge of the stage, people would line up for days. Because we love cats, and we love kittens. We love how imperious they are, how insistent, how silly and how sweet.
But, "Cats" is not only a show about cats.
It’s about being vulnerable and reconnecting with the past to find your home. There is dancing and singing, and thanks to T. S. Eliot, a healthy dose of whimsy, but at its heart, "Cats" is about redemption.
Jellicle cat Munkustrap, played by Dan Hoy, acts as the show's main narrator and protector of the Jellicle tribe of cats.
Particularly Grizabella, the faded, once-famous central character who strives with everything that she has to regain her place in the tribe.
“Without Grizabella's story in the show, there isn’t a story of redemption,” said Keri René Fuller, who plays Grizabella in Broadway Across America’s touring production of "Cats." "That’s what grounds 'Cats' to be more than a dance musical. Here we have this woman, trying to reconnect with the family that she once knew, and we all know what that feels like.”
Her family is the Jellicle tribe, a collection of characters who personify the beloved traits of every cat we’ve ever known. We have Grizabella, the "disheveled beauty," who despite her disgrace, remains a proud and tenacious survivor. Additionally, there’s Mistoffelees, a mischievous middle-teen cat who has an idea of how charming he is, but doesn’t know how to use it. Rum Tum Tugger, older and more streetwise, fully knows his feline charms and loudly yowls about them. Jennyanydots represents the calmer side of a cat’s nature, the part that lays around in sunbeams, pondering beetles and mice, but not bothering too much to catch them. Then there’s Old Deuteronomy, the wise leader of the Jellicles. He’s responsible for the final judgment of the cats who seek the final ascension into Heavenside.
With such a variety of complex characters originally brought to life by a poet who adored all points of feline life, it’s easy to see how Andrew Lloyd Webber’s original musical captivated audiences in over 30 countries and in 15 languages for over 35 years.
Grizabella, played by Keri René Fuller, performs the iconic song "Memory," a nostalgic look back on the character's past beauty and a wish to start a new life.
However, the current North American tour features updated sound design, direction and choreography for both new and older generations to enjoy. According to Fuller, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler refreshed the dance numbers in the present tour while remaining true to the original choreography by Gillian Lynne, which is one of the most exciting and innovative elements of the show.
“I still enjoy watching it from backstage,” Fuller said. “This isn’t just a musical that was amazing in the 80s. It’s also a musical that’s amazing now.”
For her portrayal of Grizabella, Fuller brings a deep understanding of the importance of family. Originally from Oklahoma, Fuller has lived the last three years in New York, but she remains in touch with her roots while on tour.
“I try to stay honest with myself by keeping open communication with those who know me best,” Fuller said. “I also keep very close contact with my family. I talk to my mom and dad almost every day. I talk to my boyfriend. This helps me remember that just because success is around you, it doesn’t mean that it will last.”
Fuller also said that this effort to remain connected helps her in other realms beyond theater as well.
“You can’t worry about what other people’s opinions of you are,” Fuller said. “There’s going to be opinions aplenty. That’s not to say that feedback isn’t good,” she went on to explain, “but don’t confuse that with someone’s opinion. What enables you to be truly happy is knowing that just because someone’s light is shining at the moment, it does not mean that your light is any less bright.”
The company performs "The Naming of the Cats," a song that describes how each cat gets its name.
Fuller’s own experience helps her focus the character of Grizabella, who has slipped beyond this familial connection. Grizabella, desperate to regain that warmth, endeavors to claw her way back into the spotlight. In this way, the character learns what Fuller already knows: There’s more than one kind of light, and there’s plenty of it to go around.
“For me,” Fuller said, “I’ve always thought about the arts and theater in general as putting a mirror to nature. The theater forces audiences to reckon with who they really are. It helps people to not be afraid to hear stories that are different from their own.”
In that way, "Cats" is an excellent reflection of humanity. So it’s not a show about cats; it’s a show about all of us.
"Cats" begins its run at Bass Concert Hall in Austin on Tuesday, May 7 at 8 p.m. The show will run from Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and are available at the Broadway in Austin's website, the Texas Performing Arts' website, the Bass Concert Hall ticket office, all Texas Box Office Outlets or by phone at 512-477-6060.
