Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Grizabella scenes “Memory” in a scene from the 2009 Music Circus production of “Cats” at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, August 18-30. Photo by Charr Crail.

    For many of you, you may have seen the performances of the musical CATS either in 2003 at the Music Circus or on Broadway. But this show is well worth seeing again. There is a three dimensional look and feel that Stage Manager Craig Horness along with Assistant Manager Brady Copper and Dance Captain Jesse Factor have created in the Wells Fargo Pavilion round theater...bringing Mistoffelee's magic to this production.

    The costumes are glamorously colorful, but this Music Circus choreography accentuated the colors into a kaleidoscope of live fireworks through the acrobatic dancing required of the performers. Furthermore, the stage lighting added to the intensity of the CATS choreographic movements and provided the mystic feel that the Heaviside Layer was not far off.
   The music genres in this performance ranged from classical to rock, jazz, pop and hymnal; a little something for everyone. There is also an Italian aria sung beautifully by Michael Brian Dunn as Growltiger and Heather Mieko as Griddlebone.

    Jeffery Denman as Munkustrap not only in this production, but also in the 2003, commands his part both in stature and performance fitting the character seamlessly as the storyteller, head bouncer of the Jellicle tribe and the next Deuteronomy.
    Smooth jazzy duet by Merrill West (Bombalurina) and Lisa Karlin (Demeter) describes that foul cat, McCavity played by Nathan Madden, whose sly cool nature makes this cat a formidable villain.
    A favorite of mine is the Railroad Cat, Skimbleshanks, a persuasive performance by Kurt Domoney as the clever self-absorbed train cat who is convinced that the train could not function without him.
    Definite crowd pleaser was Ryan Jackson’s Mistoffelees, the cat who plays with magic and brings back Old Deuteronomy who was kidnapped earlier by the villainous Macavity. Jackson's dynamic dancing was most magical. Another dancer, Sarah Kay Marchetti as Victoria, the white cat whose graceful solo ballet opened the Jellicle Ball set the stage for the festive dancing to follow.
    Comical scenes go to Mark Donaldson as Mungojerrie and Nina Fluke as Rumpleteazer, two bungling cat burglars as well as to Christine Negherbon’s Jennanydots typifies the Jellicleness of cats, docile by day and rambunctious at night, plays a lazy fat tabby who at night diligently trains mice and insects to do her bidding.
    Keven Loreque, the Rocker cat “The Rum Tum Tugger”, convincing as a hard-to-please cat who does what he wants and supposedly gets what he wants.
    The musical is graced by the performance of Ken Page as old Deuteronomy who performed in the original Broadway role and also in the 1998 film CATS.
    The highlight of the musical is the song “Memory” and in my opinion, the second singing of it climaxed the musical and is what makes or breaks the show. This puts the pressure on both Jacquelyn Piro Donovan’s Grizabella, the cat who once had the world but now old, weak, tattered and alone, reminiscing the past and desiring to return to the tribe and to Shannon Lea Smith’s Sillabub who's duet with Jacquelyn’s Grizabella encourages Grizabella to reach deep into the song.
    The art of these two singers was incredible as Grizabella gave a feeble and almost sorrowful introduction of the song Memory in Part One mirroring a tattered, feeble and desperate character. In Part Two, Grizabella began slightly stronger with the song “Memory” but only to hear the song sung wonderfully from Sillabub, it was now the make or break moment and as Grizabella sang the last verse to “Memory” that put it over the top.
    CATS at the Music Circus is an Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical that is based from T.S. Eliot's “Old Possum's Book of Practical Cat's” and performed by 20 outstanding performers. A thrilling and magical show to see again or for the very first time.
    I will throw three boots out of four at this performance of CATS!

   CATS performs through Aug. 30. Tickets are $53 for Friday and Saturday evenings. $50 for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinees (complete schedule and ticket prices). $15 off for children 4-11. Tickets on sale at the Wells Fargo Pavilion at 1419 H Street, Sacramento, or by phone at (916) 557-1999. (Tickets are also available online at www.SacramentoMusicCircus.com. Additional convenience fees apply.)

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