The Wrong Cat Died
Grizabella was the wrong cat to die. After seeing CATS the Musical for the first time in July of 2016, podcast host Mike Abrams was filled with a whirlwind of emotions. He was amused, confused, and a little angry. Almost exactly three years later when the 2019 CATS movie trailer came out, Mike had enough. It was time to speak his truth – Grizabella was the wrong Cat to Die at the Jellicle Ball. In this podcast, Mike interviews CATS cast members, CATS superfans, CATS haters, and explores the backstories of the Jellicle characters all to make a case for why they were more worthy to ascend to the Heaviside Layer than Grizabella.Part of the Broadway Podcast Network.
Episodes
October 6, 2026 • 70 mins
“Gillian Lynne’’s version of CATS is very much a ballet. So if you really pay attention to her choreography, you see so many connections of why different cats respond differently to each other.” This episode features Mark van Beelen, who played Mungojerrie and covered Munkustrap in the 2006 Dutch tour of CATS. Mark recalls seeing CATS at age 10 at Amsterdam’s Royal Theatre Carré in an immersive, in-the...
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September 29, 2026 • 53 mins
From The Vault: Originally released on February 10, 2021, this was episode 35 with Emma Sofia discussing her very fun audition story for the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS which was long before her time as Skimbleshanks on Broadway in the Jellicle Ball.
"My goal was not to be Victoria; it was just to be an a**hole and wear a white unitard." This episode dives into one of the grandest CATS audition you'll ever hear. Emma Sofia (C...
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September 22, 2026 • 50 mins
“In a 4 show weekend, I did Peter, Bustopher, Deuteronomy, Gus, Deuteronomy.” This episode features John Anker Bow who played Gus on the US National Tour 6 of CATS and is returning in Slam Frank: The Musical, opening off-Broadway in October. John recounts first seeing CATS as a child on Broadway and later on VHS, his path from studying English and doing school musicals to working in theater education and auditioning pro...
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September 15, 2026 • 46 mins
“CATS really showed me how important it was to be a team player and how to take care of each other on stage and off stage as much as you can.” This episode features Antoine L. Smith who was a swing on the US. National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Antoine discuss his lifelong connection to the show after watching the VHS daily in college and becoming inspired by Ken Page’s Old Deuteronomy. Antoine describes auditioning via...
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September 8, 2026 • 48 mins
“We have this system that every cat in the show is on a different life out of the nine lives which is a really interesting way of thinking about it.” This episode features Jaydon Vijn who is currently performing as Rum Tum Tugger in Drew McOnie’s reimagined production of CATS at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London. Jaydon shares his CATS fandom from dance college, why Tugger was always his dream role, a...
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September 1, 2026 • 52 mins
“The Haus of Dots has the best table at the Ball.” This episode features Xavier Reyes who played Jennyanydots in the Broadway production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Hear Xavier discuss his CATS history, from watching the DVD in Puerto Rico to auditioning for Skimbleshanks and ultimately booking Jennyanydots as a drag mother role. Xavier explains how he blended the original “Gumbie Cat” with extensive ballroo...
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August 25, 2026 • 56 mins
“We’re Bombalonzo.” This episode features the cast and creative team (Faith Stansfield and Matty Franklin from the cast and Kirsten Edwards and Marc Taylor from the creative team) from the Boom Theatre in Cornwall, who are performing a Young Actors Edition of CATS inspired by a “Cornish twist.” They discuss their first introductions to Cats, why Boom chose the dance-led show, and how the production rei...
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August 18, 2026 • 35 mins
“That organ sound was iconic. I felt like I was transported to a certain time in history.” This episode features Linedy Genao who is currently playing on Broadway as Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby and hosting her new podcast Entre Acts, which is part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Linedy recalls seeing the 2016 revival of CATS while performing in On Your Feet, loving the dancing and music but leaving confused, then...
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August 11, 2026 • 51 mins
“If you show it in your face, people don’t look at your feet.” This episode features Denise Jastraunig who was a swing in CATS on the German Tent Tour and then in the Vienna revival. Denise shares her CATS journey, from first seeing the DVD in school while training as a competitive tennis player to pivoting into musical theater at the age of 16. Denise recounts being unexpectedly invited to audition for the German...
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We were honored to be invited to the reunion brunch for the Jellicle Tribe, a group of members from the US National Tour 4 of Cats. They got together before opening night of CATS: The Jellicle Ball to catch up and discuss all things CATS. Hear us discuss the excitement for the opening night, changes from their tour, and who is their Jellicle choice.
Featuring (in order): Natasha Davison, Holly Cruz, Nancy Melius, Eddie Buffum &a...
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July 28, 2026 • 56 mins
“In ballroom, femininity in particular is embraced. It really shifted my perspective on things.” This episode features Bebe Nicole Simpson who is performing as Demeter in Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Bebe discusses the show’s early closing, her late introduction to CATS, and how she researched Demeter’s traditionally darker Macavity backstory before adapting it to this production’s “House mother&rdqu...
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July 21, 2026 • 56 mins
“All of them took concepts here and turned it into just this massive expression of queer joy in the time we are living in right now. It doesn’t deserve to be seen. It demands to be seen.” This episode features Jordan Stefanski, a devoted Cats: The Jellicle Ball fan who has seen the show over 50 times. Jordan comes on the show to discuss how his CATS journey began with the 2019 movie and later shifted after hearing...
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July 14, 2026 • 46 mins
“You know when you walk into a conversation and two friends are laughing so hard you start to laugh? You have no idea what they are laughing about but the energy is infectious. I think that the fact this show is utter nonsense, it allows a freedom so then the joy on stage invites the audience in.” This episode features Ryan Jackson who played Mr. Mistoffelees during the early years of the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hea...
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July 7, 2026 • 50 mins
“If you’d asked me if I’d be in CATS again, I would have absolutely laughed and said don’t be ridiculous.” This episode features Leigh Archer who played Demeter in Australia in 1994 and recently returned as Jennyanydots on the Australian tour. Leigh recounts first encountering CATS music while dancing in a Sydney football grand final show at age 14, later auditioning and joining an already-running Melb...
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June 30, 2026 • 43 mins
“That’s the fun part about the show because the connections are not set and you can change them all the time.” This episode features Petra Ilse Dam who performed as Tantomile in the 2019 Vienna Revival of CATS and then as Bombalurina on the International Tour in 2022. Hear about Petra’s path into the show, from initially knowing only a few school numbers to auditioning for the Vienna revival, watching the 19...
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June 23, 2026 • 55 mins
“It’s a show unlike any other that has ever existed. I truly believe that. I think it broke all the rules of what made a successful hit Broadway or West End musical at the time.” This episode features international tour performer Nathan Taylor, who played Bustopher Jones and Gus on the International Tour. Nathan discusses his unexpected history with the show, its universal appeal, and how performers create new cha...
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June 16, 2026 • 61 mins
“I always think of CATS as a picture book. Like a children's picture book come to life.” This episode features CATS veteran Tommie Luyben who has performed in the show since 2006 and recently assisted Chrissie Cartwright on the 2025 Australian tour (and the 2022 Asia tour). Tommie traces his early fandom from CDs, library recordings, and the VHS to joining the 2006 Dutch tour as a swing, then performing on the German te...
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June 9, 2026 • 50 mins
“ I believe that Jellylorum is our mother and she spends so much bloody time with Gus, trying to help Gus and fix Gus. We just wanna get her attention.” This episode features Tannah Levick who performed as Rumpleteazer in the South Africa production of CATS and will be on the continuation of the international tour. Hear Tannah share about her CATS history, how mentors and rehearsal process deepened her respect for the s...
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June 5, 2026 • 41 mins
“My most treasured possession was that VHS. I played it every single day. And then I started teaching myself every single track.” This episode features Isabelle McCalla who is currently starring as Emma Tate in Schmigadoon! on Broadway. Hear Isabelle recount seeing CATS in 1998 at age five, petting the actress playing Cassandra, and becoming obsessed with the London VHS, learning songs and choreography in her parents&rs...
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June 2, 2026 • 46 mins
“Ballroom has been one of the most important pieces of my life so far.” This episode features Kendall Grayson Stroud who is a swing in Broadway’s Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Kendall joined the earliest 2022 workshop, performed as Electra at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, and is now a swing covering 10 characters. Kendall describes going into the project with no prior CATS knowledge and only a small introduction...
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