“Cats” - The Review

First, a full disclosure - I’m a member of the board of First Stage Theatre Company, the group that is staging “Cats” this weekend and next at the Huntington City Hall auditorium. However, my only involvement was unlocking the doors at Pea Ridge United Methodist Church, where the group rehearsed. I’ll try to apply my objectivity to this review - but it’s such a great show, there’s not much there to criticize. On with the review:

I can only offer raves about this production - in fact, “Cats” is one of - if not THE - best community theatre productions I’ve ever seen.

The story (such as it is) is based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, a collection of poems by T.S. Eliot. Andrew Lloyd Webber used that as the foundation and built a show that's become a theater legend. The show ran for 18 years on Broadway, holding the record for longest-running show - until “The Phantom of the Opera” set a new record recently.

There’s not really much in the way of plot, other than a group of cats gathering for a special occasion. But what the show does feature is some amazing songs and brilliant choreography.

The show features the best dancers and singers from local high schools and middle schools - some from as far away as Portsmouth. And the beauty of the production is that it’s an ensemble performance, so quite a few performers get their chance in the spotlight.

It’s especially rewarding to see several of the seniors in the production getting to show off their skills. John Wolfe and Shane Gue have both grown up on stage, playing a number of leads, and in this show they get to demonstrate their considerable talents as both actor, singer and dancer. Allie Harrison and McKenzie Young also get the chance to step into the spotlight and shine. Clint Wilson provides a hilarious turn as a cat with a large appetite, and Owen Reynolds has a show-stopping number that includes the creation of a train on stage.

And the seniors aren’t the only ones out there - there’s a lot more amazing talent, including solos by the incredibly talented Brittany Hazeldine, Jordan Sager and Eric Newfeld - oh, and I can’t forget a great song-and-dance number by Mary Kate Young and Josh Meredith.

One performer who’s impossible to overlook is the incredible Sarah Hayes - dressed all in white, she dazzles with her dancing and her presence - truly impressive.

There are many other great performers in there that I’m overlooking because I don’t have a cast list in front of me, and because of the makeup and costuming, I’m not exactly sure who was doing which number. (For example, the actors playing Old Deuteronomy and Mr. Mistoffelees are amazing.) How’s this: as I see the show again (and I will be seeing it more than once), I’ll make notations of the ones I’ve overlooked and mention them in updates.

Do I have any complaints about the show? The closest I can come to one is that, in a couple of places, I had trouble understanding the words - but that can be attributed to the fact that they were still fine-tuning the audio (remember, I was at a dress rehearsal) and the rapid-fire lyrics Webber is known for. And even that didn’t affect my enjoyment of this incredible show.

Special props go to the set design by Travis McElroy (assembled by a small army of parents and actors), and superhuman efforts to arrange for costuming, wigs and makeup (and a thousand other details) by producers Elaine Young and Loretta Hayes.

My hat is off to the directors, who tackled an incredibly difficult show - one that many theatre groups have tried to stage and backed away from because it’s such a huge undertaking - and created a production that is both excellent and unforgettable. From the music direction of Laura Donahue to the incredible choreography by Mary Smirl and under the direction of Clint McElroy, it’s a real accomplishment in community theatre, and a show not to be missed!