The Broadway musical Cats has come and gone from Greensboro, where it was performed at the Tanger Center this past week. The above photo shows the junkyard set where the cats gathered at night. The singing, dancing, and performing were superb. The performance was especially fun to watch if you knew the cats' personalities or if you were sitting next to someone who was a Cats fanatic. It also helps with appreciating the play to have read T.S. Elliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" In his poem "Three Different Names", you learn that cats have familial names, particular names, and secretive names.* It helps to have some of those names and personalities memorized when seeing the play.
The London production of Cats ran for 21 years and the New York production for 18. When a play is that popular, wins many awards, and keeps attracting crowds for nearly two decades it becomes part of our cultural lore. If you missed Cats in Greensboro, its next stop is DPAC in Durham; so, you still have a chance to see it locally. The next play up at Tanger Center is The Book of Mormon on 2/21-26. If you want ticket to that play, they are going fast. Head to the box-office at 300 North Elm Street and treat yourself to one.
Happy Monday!
* reference and read more HERE.
Admittedly something I'm unlikely to ever see, but I'm not one for musicals.
Posted by: William Kendall | Monday, January 30, 2023 at 07:39 PM