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He auditioned along with over 500 other students and was one of the 26 accepted into the program. Davis, a senior at Royal Palm High School, just received word of being accepted in the University of Central Florida Drama Department. The colorful Rum Tum Tugger, the great Rumpus Cat and rock star of the group is Leo Davis. The Tony-award winning song, Memories, sung by Betty Buckley as Grizabella the Glamour Cat will be taken on by Nina Caperna of Jupiter. He's very creative and designed the last set for the COPA production of Seussical the Musicial." He's taken notes from Brian and Anna before starting on the set design.
THE GREAT RUMPUS CAT PROFESSIONAL
"We provide the production with professional designers for all elements, "said Julie Rowe, director of the Conservatory. What makes the COPA productions different for other theatrical schools is the resources of the Maltz. This practice will help them in any production in which they become involved."
THE GREAT RUMPUS CAT HOW TO
"They also learn how to keep a diary about their character. "We give them homework such as studying cats on line to see how they move and act," said McNeely. "They all wanted to do Cats so badly that they rose to the challenge and really did their research."Īs a musical theater class, it is important to learn how to research characters. "It's a ten minute- center of the show production that is extremely difficult," said Andrews. Even before auditions, COPA offered a summer Cats prep course and spent a great deal of time with the Jellicle Ball routine. The main cats are students from sixth grade to high school seniors. The cast members range from three to five years of age for the kittens. "With alterations, the cast will be wearing them in this production." "Thanks to Brian's foresight, we have many of the original Broadway costumes that he purchased when the show closed," said McNeely. He is a certified instructor of the Cecchetti method and also serves as the chairman of the Florida committee.
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His ballet training include the Harkness School of Ballet in NYC and continuing education with the Cecchetti Council of America. "I also tumble and could swing to the Medium boys in Cats because of being able to tumble," said Andrews. Once he retired from Broadway, he opened up a dance studio in Florida and also teaches both tap and ballet at COPA. In addition to appearing in Cats, Brian also performed in A Chorus Line, another long running musical on Broadway. This has been a wonderful marriage of talents and information."Īs co- directors, Brian is the choreographer while Anna teaches the music however, both overlap in the musical department as Brian also plays piano and Anna teaches voice and drama. "I saw it from a different point of view than Brian ," said McNeely."Swinging throughout the production into all parts, he saw so much more than I did. There were always lots of injuries in the cast of Cats." I did fill in as Macavity the Mystery Cat for a long time but final got to go back to being swing. "You have to know all of the roles and be ready to fill in when someone gets injured. Nine months into the original run of Cats, Brian Andrews arrived to work as a Big-boy swing.(filling in for the major roles) "Big-boys see everything", said Andrews. Then onto the original Broadway hit Beauty and the Beast.
THE GREAT RUMPUS CAT MOVIE
She then appeared in the movie version with Bette Midler. She originated the role of Jennyanydotts in Cats and stayed with the New York company for almost seven years "I was in Cats at the very beginning as it was being created," said McNally."This prospective certainly helps in recreating the play with the kids." She left the show and moved on to portray Miss Electra in Gypsy starring Tyne Daley. The two reunited at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA) where both are teachers.Īnna McNeely, a voice and drama instructor, is a 20-year-veteran of Broadway.
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Where else can you expose budding stars to that type of talent? What makes this such a special show is the fact that two former Broadway actors, who appeared in the original production of Cats, are the co directors. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. What do you get when you cast 32 talented kids in a production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats? You get two performances on May 20 and 21 at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre and tickets flying off the shelf two months before the big event.Ĭats is the longest running musical on Broadway and London's West EndĪnd winner of seven Tony awards in 1983.