Cats

Cats
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
April 23-28, 2019

The tagline of the musical Cats when it was on Broadway was “Now and Forever.” It certainly felt it played there forever, so much so that the show became a cliché. But when a revival surfaced in 2016, the show was reborn to a new Jellicle Life, captivating a new generation of audiences.

While the score and choreography are largely the same, the show has benefitted from some technical upgrades. The jacket worn by Mr. Mistoffeles was spectacular to watch as the light changed color. That certainly would not have been possible in 1981. The rapid onstage appearance of a train during “Shimbleshanks, the Railway Cat” was also impressive.

One change that was not quite as successful was the removal of “Growltiger’s Last Stand” and replacing it with “The Awefull Battle off the Pekes and the Pollicles.” The new addition was rather boring and seemed to slow the pace of the show.

While show has aged well, it was the incredible cast that made the show seem ageless. The choreography was nearly flawless performed. The musical direction brought gorgeous harmonies and meaning to the songs. “Memory” was especially thrilling, making this overdone piece seem brand new.

The current tour of Cats was the perfect example of how ma show in the right hands can stand the test of time. The plot is still thin, but the joyful singing and dancing brought the audience to their feet. It certainly felt like the Jellicle Ball will be with us “Now and Forever.”