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Gonzo's production of BATS
Jason Alexander in BATS.
Cats is an award-winning musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and built around the characters and lyrics from T. S. Eliot's book of poems Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The show opened in London's West End in 1981 and ran at Broadway's Winter Garden Theater from 1982 to 2000, at one point becoming the longest-running Broadway musical in history, a record which was later broken by Webber's own The Phantom of the Opera.
References
- In Muppets Tonight episode 108, Gonzo and Jason Alexander revive their college musical, Bats: the Musical, a parody of Cats.
- In a 2002 episode of Sesame Street, a duck who performs in one of Prairie Dawn's pageants proudly announces that he's won a role in Cats.
- In the Muppets' 2002 MasterCard commercial, Kermit and company are shown in front of a theater where The Producers is playing. As they approach the lobby, Rizzo the Rat inquires "No cats in this one, right?"
- In the Fall 1983 issue of Muppet Magazine, Scooter interviews Candy Carell, the creating of the distinctive makeup design for Cats.
Connections
- Betty Buckley originated the role of Grizabella on Broadway.
- Graham Fletcher played Quaxo and Mr. Mistoffelees on the West End from 1982-1983, and again from 1985-1990.
- Roger Kachel played Mungojerrie, Mistoffelees, and most other roles in touring productions and on Broadway for approximately 14 years.
- Gillian Lynne was the original choreographer and associate director for Cats. She was also the choreographer for the 1998 taped version.
- Michael Sundin played Bill Bailey on the West End.
- Lillias White played Grizabella on Broadway.