'Cats' brings iconic musical experience to Appleton's Fox Cities Performing Arts Center for this weekend only
APPLETON – A musical theater staple for more than 40 years, "Cats" is making its way to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center this weekend for five shows only.
Based on a collection of poems from T.S. Eliot, "Cats" tells the story of a group of stray cats in a junkyard who annually come together for the "Jellicle Ball," during which time they select one cat to ascend to the "Heaviside Layer" and be reborn. The musical was composed by Andrew Lloyd Weber and premiered on the West End in 1981 and on Broadway in 1982. It's an abstract show more heavily focused on music and dance than a traditional plotline.
Cameron Schutza, who plays Old Deuteronomy in the North American tour of "Cats," said he thinks audiences have been drawn to the show for decades because it is "such a spectacle."
"The sets and costumes are amazing, and then the choreography — the new, more updated choreography for this production — is really, really spectacular. And I think the audiences really react to it," Schutza said. "We have a really great cast on tour, and that adds a lot to it. Everybody is out there doing 110% eight days a week."
"Cats" is Schutza's first musical theater gig. He comes from the opera world. As Old Deuteronomy, the patriarch of the "Jellicle Cats" revered for his wisdom, Schutza's vocals take centerstage. Many of the other performers on stage primarily showcase their dancing.
Schutza said transitioning from performing in operas, which typically stay at one theater for six to eight weeks, to a show that moves all over North America week to week has been an adjustment, but enjoyable.
"Cats" had a 21-year run on the West End and 18-year run on Broadway. At the time of its closings, in 2002 and 2000, respectively, it was the longest-running musical in both theater worlds. The musical made waves in the theater world, and in 2019 had a star-studded movie musical. This version of the show has been touring since September 2021 and will wrap up its tour across North America in June.
Schutza said the most rewarding part of being in "Cats" is playing a role in it's "40-year legacy" that featured other performers he looks up to playing his same role.
"I mean, you know, the original London cast was Brian Blessed, the original Broadway cast was Ken Page — those are both legendary performers and actors. And then Judi Dench was Old Deuteronomy in the movie," Schutza said. "So it's an interesting, like, lineage of actors to get to me at this point."
"Cats" runs Friday through Sunday at the PAC. Tickets can be purchased online through Ticketmaster, by phone at 800-982-2787 or through the Fox Cities PAC ticket office in-person or by phone at 920-730-3760. The PAC ticket office is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: 'Cats' brings iconic musical to Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
