[NEohioPAL] Berko review: CATS @ Mercury SummerStock

[Roy Berko]

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*CATS prowl as Mercury SummerStock finds new home; Interplay Jewish Theatre
preview*



Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)



Like many local theatres, Mercury Summer Stock, has experienced a vagabond
existence.  Founded by Pierre-Jacques Brault and Brian Marshall, the summer
theatre seems to finally have found a permanent home in the Regina
Auditorium at Notre Dame College in South Euclid.  The large venue, with a
huge stage, lends itself to the free wheeling choreography and staging by
Artistic Director Brault.



Along with a change of venue, the organization has altered its
mission.  Previously
billed as a professional theatre, though they seldom had more than one
equity performer appear in any production, that aspect of its theatrical
explanation has been dropped, opening the door for evaluating the shows
based on expectations for their usual high school and young college student
performers.



A new home, new performance schedule (the addition of Sunday matinees), and
a new goal statement which includes ”advancing theatre as a means of
educating, challenging and inspiring through family-friendly programming
rarely seen” are all part of the changed vision for the company.



Mercury’s 2012 opening production is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS.  Based on
OLD POSSUM’S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS by T. S. Eliot, the show is a series of
poems set to music. There is a loose story line about a tribe of cats
called the Jellicles and the night they make the choice of who will ascend
to the Heaviside Layer and come back to new life.



The only memorable song in the score is *Memory*, whose lyrics were written
by Trevor Nun, based on the Eliot poem, *Rhapsody on a Windy Night*.  It
was made famous by Betty Buckley, who played Grizabella in the original
Broadway production.



The show originally opened in London in 1981 and ran for 21 years.  The
Broadway production, which opened in 1982, ran for eighteen years, and was
performed 7485 times, making it the second longest continually running show
in history.  (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, which is still going in New York,
is the extended-run leader.)



CATS is a difficult show to produce, even for professionals, let alone for
a group of high school and college students who are just learning their
craft. Almost every song requires a production number, so the key element
of the staging is dance.  In addition, the score has shades of opera and is
difficult to sing.  Another major issue is that since there is little drama
or no humor, holding the audience’s attention is difficult.



As evidenced by the three tween girls who were sitting in front of me,
wiggling, slumping in their seats, and generally showing boredom, this is
not a show for children and may be a challenge for adults.



The Mercury production, directed and choreographed by Brault, has some high
moments, but these are eclipsed by some issues.



On the positive side, Brault’s choreography is creative.  He has cast some
good dancers.  Especially strong is Jake Washabaugh who appears well
trained in ballet and controls the stage when his long thin body whips high
turns, does flexible leg kicks, and executes powerful lifts.  Also strong
are Zach Pfeil, Katlyn Dessoffy, and Taylor Bryan.



Traditionally, the action takes place in a junk yard.  For some
inexplicable reason Brault decided to switch that to a child’s room,
complete with board games, a toy car, balls and building blocks.  Nothing
in the show references such a setting.  Maybe he thought making the whole
thing into TOY STORY would help.  It only confuses.  Why would 20 cats be
prowling a child’s room?



Brault’s costume designs are clever.  He suggests cats, rather than
creating authentic cats.  The same is true of the cast.  They did not
consistently become cats, they represented them, with a minimal number of
cleaning, preening and stretching gestures.



Eddie Carney’s orchestra puts out full sound, but, unfortunately, the large
playing space gobbled up the five pieces, making the sound slight.  This
was not helped by the squealing sound system, and weak projection by some
of the cast.  Blinking lights at weird times also didn’t help.



Staging highlights included* The Old  Gumbie Cat*, *The Jellicle Ball*, and
*Mr. Mistoffelees*.



*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  CATS was not all that could have been hoped for as an
opening show in Mercury’s new venue, but, considering the difficulty of the
show, and the developing abilities of the cast, Brault and company can be
commended for a “nice try.”*



CATS runs through June 30 at Mercury Summerstock.  Call  216-771-5862 or go
to www.mercrysummerstock.com for tickets.



*Coming up:  *



Up next for Mercury Summerstock is THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA, with Brault as
the in-drag Wicked Queen!



The *Interplay Jewish Theatre* presents DEFAMATION, a courtroom drama by
Todd Logan on Sunday, June 24 at 2 pm, and Monday, June 25 at 7 at Ensemble
Theater.  Entrance is free, but reservations are requested.  Call
216-210-3150 or send an email to interplayjewishtheatre at gmail.com.


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