Cats Soars to New Heights at the Paramount

So, I saw something at the Paramount on Friday night that was vaguely similar to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning musical Cats, but also very unlike it.  And while it is extremely entertaining and full of astonishing talent, it completely and utterly lacks the heart and pathos that makes a good production of Cats really good.  So I’m not certain what to say about it.

I realize that reimagining a 40-plus-year-old show that has fallen into disregard – especially after the disaster of a film – and boasts a paper-thin plot to begin with is an incredible challenge, but this is not a complete success.  The idea Paramount came up with starts off very, very well.  The show begins with the various cats reimagined as stars of a Cat Circus and the stage is set as a big top complete with incredible lighting and projection effects that greatly add to the enjoyment of the show.  And when the production remembers it’s supposed to be a circus, this is fun and works well.  But it only does that half the time.  Mostly it feels like random songs strung together, which is this show’s danger in the first place.

This circus set up forces us to completely disregard the entire point of the show, which is the various cat candidates for reincarnation being introduced so one can be chosen to be reborn.  Many of these cats are old, or have dangerous jobs, and other than Gus, the Theatre Cat, who was brilliantly done by Gene Weygandt, you just don’t care about any of them.  Even Grizabella, who you are supposed to care a lot about. The through-line of the story is entirely lost in the various “circus acts” that the songs have been turned into. And when it comes time to make the selection, there’s almost no emotional impact. The show has been emotionally  gutted for a high concept.

But holy moly is the circus stuff great!

From the moment the curtain rises, audiences are transported into a vibrant, colorful realm where feline grace meets acrobatic prowess. Director Trent Stork’s reimagining, complemented by Kasey Alfonso’s dynamic choreography and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi’s inventive circus choreography, ensures that every movement on stage is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

The ensemble’s athleticism is extraordinary. Shoutout especially to Kat Hoil as Jennyanydots. Performers execute complex aerial routines, contortions, and juggling acts with feline agility, embodying their characters not just through song and dance but through feats that defy gravity. This integration of circus elements gives you a lot to look at, and parts of it are just incredibly clever and fun.  But it’s sometimes hard to focus, and there’s nothing to care about.

Lighting designer Greg Hofmann and projection designer Paul Deziel collaborate to create a visually stunning environment. Their work enhances the movement, using light and imagery to highlight each performance.

The cast delivers powerhouse performances, I actually felt bad for Emily Rohm as Grizabella because the gutting of the show’s emotional arc leaves her absolute powerhouse rendition of Memory just sitting there with no context, like all the other random songs. Other notable performances include Donovan Hoffer’s rock star Rum Tum Tugger, Lorenzo Rush Jr.’s majestic Old Deuteronomy, Tiffany Topol’s Bombalurina and Alexandra Palcovic’s Demeter’s duo belting out Macavity, and Christopher Kelley’s enchanting Mr. Mistoffelees – and there were some terrific magic tricks here, too.  That part was really, really fun.

I did not love costume designer Izumi Inaba’s remarkably ugly creations. You could absolutely tell the cats apart, but leaning into the circus theme with glow in the dark stripes and colors not found in nature was just weird. And the wigs were absolutely tragic. Make them look like cats dressing up as circus performers, not Muppets.

Musical director Kory Danielson leads a live orchestra that messes with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic score, which is one of the best things about this show.  The attempt to make it sound like circus calliope music trashes the most poignant parts of the score. A few things were left intact, but some of it was jarring and just not good.  On theme. Perfectly on circus theme, but not good.

That said, there were a lot of surprises here. This is not my Cats, (Broadway circa 1984), but you will probably enjoy it.  There’s a lot to look at.  And it’s danced and sung well.

The show runs through June 15, 2025. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Paramount Theatre’s official website.

All photos by Brett Beiner Photography provided by The Paramount Theatre Aurora.