New Production of CATS by Young Australian Broadway Chorus
National Theatre Melbourne | Jan 17-25
A fresh new interpretation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical masterpiece CATS will take over the National Theatre from January 17-25, 2020 for a limited season of only 10 shows.
This new production by the Young Australian Broadway Chorus (YABC) pays homage to the era when T.S. Eliot wrote the original poems for his children in the 1930s. Audiences will delight as Webber’s renowned musical meets the jazz age and the National Theatre is transformed into a crumbling English Music Hall during the Great Depression.
“I’ve taken the design inspiration for this show away from the traditional junkyard and into a setting that evokes a faded opulence,” said director Robert Coates.
“We want to literally immerse the audience in the story so we will not only be creating stunning original sets for the stage, but the experience will also extend into the auditorium.”
This also extends to the stunning costumes inspired by the glamour of the Roaring 20s and 30s which have been designed for the show by Sean Rentero.
“Fashion in this era was changing and the silhouettes of garments like flapper dresses were quite straight, but the costumes we are creating have been designed to flatter the dancers’ bodies and move with them in a dramatic way,” said Sean.
“I’ve chosen fabrics for their translucent, iridescent quality to shimmer to blur the lines between dancer and cat.”
The production is choreographed by Jacqui Green and assisted by Victoria Morris.
The principal cast are: Tim Bland, Caitlyn de Kuyper, Tristan Sicari, Suzannah Rourke, Sienna Embrey, Hannah Simos-Garner, Aimee Jones, Kristen Robertson, Nathan Derix-Brown, Declan Ahern, Matthew Casamento, Ben Gonsalvez, Harrison Dart, James Keam, Adeline Hunter, Matthew Azzopardi, Patrick Rogers and Caitlin McNamara. Full cast and creative here.
