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[0:00] Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Ariana Grande, Hi, I'm Cynthia ARIBO, and you're listening to the Broadway Podcast Network, visit vpn.fm to discover more.

[0:27] Mike Abrams: Ron cat died the podcast. Break down the cat statue. I'm your host, Mike Abrams, and today we have another amazing guest. She was bombed by Arena on the US session, tour six before COVID of cats. So welcome. Lexi Potten, thank you for joining me. Thanks for having me. I've talked to a few people of on your tour. It's kind of a fascinating tour, because it was all cut short. You know, it goes. It was going on right after the Broadway finished. It was a continuation, I feel that tour, but it's not the the other version of the US national tour six that came on after that was non equity. So I love also those starting though, with everybody I talked to of your introduction to the show. So what was the first time? Was it the 1998 movie? Was it a touring production? Growing up? When did you first see it?

[1:07] Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. I have been dancing my whole life so and my mom owns a dance studio, so I grew up like listening to the soundtrack from like, day one. I had the VHS, like, wore it out. It was the first, I think, first live show I ever saw. I saw the national tour in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, okay, and we knew the guy who was playing most awfully, so he brought me backstage, and the cats painted my face. And it was like the most magical my I was probably five, maybe six years old, and bomb ballerina actually painted my face, which is insane. And then I actually was my first lead role I ever did in high school. I played bomb ballerina, and we won the USA Today, best High School Musical. And then I got to play a bomb on the tour. So it was kind of crazy, full circle, full circle, life with cats for me.

[2:03] Mike Abrams: Okay, so there's a lot here. I got a lot of follow up questions, so let's, let's do them in order. Let's start with the your five you're in Milwaukee, you're seeing a tour, so you're getting the Midwest take on tour production, which is, you know, I didn't see the Midwest, but I'm from Indiana side, the same type of like, that's what rolls through. How much as a five year old, did you get of the story? And what was that Aha, moment when you started learning, like, oh, wait, this is a very different story than childhood. You got to notice,

[2:31] Speaker 2: yeah, I think, I mean, one, it was, like, probably one of my first times in like a real live theater. So, like, that was magical, already, not being in front of, like a screen, you know, yeah, um, but having, like, I knew the music, so it was partially familiar to me, um, at that point already, and I had seen the film, so I was, like, already aware. And I think it was just like the whole spectacle of, like, almost feeling like you're a part of it, versus watching it, yeah, crazy.

[3:03] Mike Abrams: And you, I mean, you got to double that and amplify it by going backstage before the show after the show. When did you do this? Oh, I don't remember. I remember, okay, because that's,

[3:12] Speaker 2: yeah, I think it was probably half to her hat. Well, I don't know, the cats were still in their makeup and costume, so maybe it was before,

[3:19] Mike Abrams: yeah, that's, I mean, that's a, I mean, such a unique experience in itself, of being able to go and meet the cast and kind of see behind the scenes too, because, like, as a five year old, it's probably almost hard to comprehend the difference. It's like other performers, but also they're cats and and then you kind of go and see them in their element, and then on stage and in the junkyard, but then also backstage. So that's, that's a really cool experience. All right, I got a lot of questions about high school production. Yes, what did they tell you? Like, how much of this, how much of a high school production is story versus dance?

[3:50] Speaker 2: Um, hmm, well, I don't know. So my high school theater department was, like, pretty intense. It was like, not pre professional, because we were like, a public high school, but it was like a very arts focused. Very arts focused group, right? So we had a professional choreographer come in and he, like, said it on us. So, like, it was very dance heavy, as the show is in general, but because we also had, like, kids who weren't dancers, who were just like in the high school drama department, who were more singer actors, you know, like, there was emphasis put on the story that I think probably would normally have been, because they needed something to do if they weren't doing the big dance numbers too. So, like, we had a huge ensemble, like, more than a normal show, and they, like, gave everyone random names, like, my best friend Lauren was cinnamon, and, like, just, you know, picking random names for cats, and they would, like, assign it. And then I remember we had a whole day where we had to create our own backstory for what our character was. And like, who's your owner? Like, where are you coming from? What color are you? Like, all different kinds of things that they got to, like, create for themselves, for characters who, like, don't actually exist. So that was kind of cool. Do you remember any

[5:01] Mike Abrams: of the back stories, like, what did people create? What did you create? First, for Bon ballerina,

[5:07] Speaker 2: I remember me and my demeanor. We decided that we had the same owner because we had matching collars, which I feel like is probably close to what I did on tour too. But yeah, that's what I remember. I feel like we had, like an old rich lady owner. Okay,

[5:25] Mike Abrams: tell me, what do we remember about cinnamon

[5:32] Speaker 2: that path? Um, not much. I remember she was like, brownish yellow. Um, yeah, she was just kind of like, hung around on the side. She was, like, a non dancer who, like, wanted to be in it. So she was, like, kind of younger kitten wanted to be in the action. But, like, wasn't quite there yet, type vibe. So

[5:51] Mike Abrams: there's, I'm fascinated. Did you do like, a full production? Like, how long? Oh, yeah, full two, two and a half hours of show? Yep, full show. And you have every cat, and more and more, and there are, like, so what was the cat that's like, essentially the, you know, I always joke that there, if I played in any performance, I didn't do anything growing up, because I also didn't. I was playing sports, didn't do the theater stuff, but I would have been the tree, you know, which is, like, the joke of like, I've been the one that just stands there and has no lines, no movement, no nothing. Did you have a cat? That was, like, essentially the tree.

[6:24] Speaker 2: We had several, several, like, a lot. I mean, it was like, Oh, I mean, I don't even know how many people we had. We had a lot, like, we had a big ensemble. But we also had one of our one of my friend's dads was a welder, and so he helped build this, like, humongous scaffolding set that we could, like, climb high on and so, like, we had a ton of cats like, up in the rafters, like, just like lounging, but it was a very, like choir focused school, so all of our songs and like, choral moments were, like insane, because we had so many people who weren't exhausted from dancing, like belting out to The heavens up in the rafters of the scaffolding. Yeah, it was, honestly, it was pretty crazy for a high school production. I have to say,

[7:06] Mike Abrams: you had the booth before the booth was like, literally, you had, like, yeah, I so I'm fascinated by different productions. I know there's a junior production about to happen in my in my hometown, and I'm like, what do you do in a junior production? Like, how do you tell how do you explain the ball? Which is, you know, like, do you explain the ball? Or just, like, hey, just dance to this number. Ignore the fact that it's supposed to be an orgy, you know, like, right? Those like, so the high school version is even harder, because you're at an age where you're gonna get all that. But they're not telling you this, I'm assuming, right? Definitely not.

[7:37] Speaker 2: I think to us, it was like, they, like, marketed as, like, a huge party celebratory thing, and it took all the sexual innuendo out.

[7:47] Mike Abrams: I do you have like, a play bill from that? Like, did everyone get listed somewhere by name?

[7:53] Speaker 2: I think so. I'm I have the DVD somewhere, and I'm pretty sure, like, a cast list has, like, everyone in their cat name, like, on the scrolling credit I

[8:02] Mike Abrams: would I'm hoping by the time that this comes out, you have found this to share. Because, well, that's my mom. She's got to have it somewhere. I want all the different cats names. I want to know who else you added, because there are some, like, weird ensemble cats, and then there's, like, all the swings have different names throughout the years.

[8:16] Speaker 2: Yeah? Probably took some names from the naming of cat song that aren't like, yeah, you know, some of those are, like, inspired by but I

[8:24] Mike Abrams: want to know all the other ones like, and then I want to, I want to know who came up with them. Like, did, did your friend get to come up with cinnamon? Or was it just said,

[8:32] Speaker 2: No, I think she was given cinnamon. I'm pretty sure I

[8:36] Mike Abrams: have so many to ask her. I'll text her on Plymouth. I have so many questions for your theater director, too, of like, who just sitting at home one day, just like, like, Okay, I've got eight more cats to name. What can I come up? Yes, oh, that's fascinating. Okay, so you are, at that point, though, you're still doing, whose choreography are you doing in that high school production?

[8:55] Speaker 2: Um, his name is Scott Michaels. He runs the 11 wheel theater in Indiana, um, Warsaw. Um, yeah. So it was his version from, like, beginning to end. So it's none of really the original choreography more, just like, you know, lightly inspired by the styling of Jillian. Then, you know, like, Yeah,

[9:13] Mike Abrams: I'm sure you have to make some adjustments too, not just because of a high school production, but you've got to have different stage. You're adding a bunch of cats you're doing, you just have way too much going on. That is so they, I'm assuming they didn't split, like some of the characters, like Gus and bustafer and our

[9:29] Speaker 2: Yeah, no, they were each own cat. Yep. No split cracking happening.

[9:34] Mike Abrams: That poor person had to play just bust a fur,

[9:36] Speaker 2: yep. And he was great. I

[9:41] Mike Abrams: love it. These are five I've heard of college productions. I hear something like, I never get to kind of ask because I can't find who's done them, like they're not published online, like there's like list of who's done cats in high school. And it's so fun to hear like that version, because it's such a bizarre show. And to begin with, that

[9:58] Speaker 2: to it was a hard. Wanted to get people on board with too, I think, like, it wasn't like, we're doing Beauty and the Beast. It's like, yeah, cats. And I'm pretty sure most of the boys were terrified, like, the minute they heard dance belt, they were like,

[10:10] Mike Abrams: what? Yeah, did they stick them in unitards too? Yeah, Unitarians in front

[10:15] Speaker 2: of all my peers. Oh, my God. But honestly, everyone, like, I always say, with cats, you kind of have to drink the Kool Aid and just like, buy in. And everyone bought in. Like, by the end, like, we were so proud of that show. Like, I don't even know it was very special.

[10:31] Mike Abrams: Was there any like, now that you've done it on tour? No, like, at least, you know, you're giving a lot more the story. What from that high school production? Was like, Oh, that would have never worked in the true cats world. Like, did you have any like, relationships, not relationships as like high school relationships, but like these two cats ended up being great friends in the in the high school production, but like in real cats world, they probably would have hated each other. Or there's some other, like, weird nuance to it.

[10:57] Speaker 2: Not that I really remember. I feel it felt pretty similar to me, honestly, at least my property, because my character was more defined, I didn't have, like, as much wiggle room there as maybe cinnamon did on the side. But yeah, I mean, at the time, I felt like a professional when I was in high school, and it felt very real to me. That's all, yeah, I don't know, I looking back like I had similar feelings, even being on stage playing the character, like it was, there was a familiarity there. So

[11:31] Mike Abrams: now fast forward to going on tour or auditioning for Tour, where you're like, All right, here's, here's how we did it in Wisconsin, you know, like, did you like, Did you lean into your experience? Or was it something where it's just like, I gotta start

[11:46] Speaker 2: fresh? Um, probably a little bit. I mean, at that point, it had been, like, over 10 years since I did it. But, um, I, you know, growing up, I feel like most little girls, when they see cats, they want to be the white cat. They want to be Victoria. Like, it's just that, like, that was not it for me. Like, I, from day one, wanted to be bombed by arena. Like, mccavid was my favorite song. I was drawn to her on stage in the movie she was my favorite like, I always felt a connection to that character. And so when I was going into the audition, I was like, This is mine. Like, I It's funny. People used to make fun of me because they would be like, Oh, we should do this in the fall. And I would say, before they even announced editions, I was like, oh, no, I won't be here. I'll be on the cat's tour. And they're like, haha. I was like, No, I'm not kidding. Like I'm I'm gonna be on the cats tour. And I it's like, one of, like, the first things I like, vivid, like, vividly remember manifesting, it actually happening. Like, I was like, Nope, I'm, this is mine. Like, I walked into that room and I was like, it is mine. I'm taking it. That

[12:44] Mike Abrams: is awesome. So tell me about that process. Like, what was it like? Because this is, it's, it seems so foreign now, with everybody I've talked to post, not post COVID, but like, since the pandemic, it's a very different process in general. So this is, like, bring me back to that, you know, it's, it's on Broadway, and you're about to go on tour.

[13:02] Speaker 2: Yeah. So when it was on Broadway, I was actually on the road with Bullets over Broadway, I think, and I remember being devastated that I wasn't going to be able to be there for the auditions for the Broadway show, because I was like, Oh my God, they're bringing cats back, and I'm not there. And I was non equity at that point, and I was just devastated. And so then when I heard that they were doing a tour, I was like, Okay, this is it. This is my chance. I'm doing it. And so I went to the ECC, and got kept, got went through callbacks, like, a couple rounds of callbacks, and we were in like that dance camp week that I think a couple other people have talked about on here where we, like, it was intense at like, 10 to six, you'd find out the night before, if you were coming back the next day, like, it was insane, but amazing at the same time. Um, and I'm technically too short to play bomb, according to the character breakdown, by an inch, and I will never forget I was singing in front of Andy. I, like, sang through my cavity, and I did it all. And he goes, how tall are you? And I was like, five seven. He's like, okay, cool. And I walked out. It's like, Oh no, I'm out. I'm out. I blew it. I should have said five eight, um, but it ends up being fine, yeah,

[14:13] Mike Abrams: five seven, ish, yeah, ish, yeah, yeah. It's, it's, it's, I, yeah. It is interesting, because it's like, there is over time, you know, I just was talking to somebody else on, you know, on the show. I don't know if it's before, if it'll come out before after, but we talked about how in the early time of cats, it was very specific about, like, you've got to be at least this taller, you've got to be this age or personality, or like, you really got to have that, like, innocence to be Victoria. And now it's like, they're, I think they're a little looser. It's like, you know what, let's get the best performer for the role. And like, as long as it's close, or it's ish, we can kind of work the rest, as is theater. And they're cats, so it's a little different. But I've noticed that because, like, you get younger grizabellas that you used to than you used to have, and you get younger Jenny, any dots than you used to have. So. Is an interesting piece. I'm glad it didn't cost you the role with that moment where you're like, you probably walked out being like, Oh no, yeah.

[15:07] Speaker 2: I was terrified. I was like, oh God. Like, it's just you could be, like, specifically asked. I was like, okay, so you know that I'm too short, but like, hope it's okay. I don't know.

[15:18] Mike Abrams: But yeah, maybe okay. So you get cast, you get the you get the job. What's that process like with learning the story? Like, I'm fascinated by the story piece, especially having you've seen it, you've done it, you've done a different version of it. You did the party version, not the, you know, the high school PG version, or PG, exactly, maybe version. What's that like, that first moment when you're hearing the full story. I mean,

[15:45] Speaker 2: for me, it was magic. Like, I don't know, I feel like cats is a very polarizing show. You either love it or you don't. There's a very few people that are kind of like, Yeah, it's fine. Like, I don't know if it's very polarizing. And so for me, having like, grown up my whole life, loving it, it like hearing and being involved in it for real, was like pure magic. For me. Was

[16:09] Mike Abrams: there anything that surprised you? Like, how much like, when you're hearing the full rundown, all the relationships, all the stories, all the cats? Were there things where you're just like, whoa. I did not expect that. I didn't know that I didn't think about that. Like, what was new to

[16:23] Speaker 2: you? Oh, I try to think I was such a cat's nerd that I feel like I like, a lot of it, yeah, um, I'm sure there were a couple things, but I can't really recall any.

[16:38] Mike Abrams: So, did you know all that in high school, though? Like, did you know a lot of those? Like, nuances? Like, because I knew none of this stuff until 2060 actually, till I started this podcast. I've learned stuff over time. Like, I didn't when I saw it the first time. I didn't know that was an Orga. I kind of figured out that Victoria was having a coming of age on stage. Like, you can, you can piece some of that together, but you really don't piece a lot of it.

[17:01] Speaker 2: Wow, I knew all of that, but I probably didn't fully, like, actualize into my brain until we were doing it. I was like, oh, like, I knew that was the plot. But now I'm like, I get, I get the plot.

[17:16] Mike Abrams: No way. Okay, so what was the, like, what's told? What was told to you, though, like, what was the you obviously knew a lot of this, but like, what was the direction of like, here's what you need to know about Bama arena. Here's what you need to convey, and here's the relationships you need to, like, really work on stage.

[17:32] Speaker 2: Well, my three words that Chrissy gave me were they actually surprised me. Um, were generous, voluptuous and Frank and, you know, like von ballerina and Demeter, they're like the sexy cats, and von ballerina is like the more feisty, potentially, like meaner one, and Demeter is a little more reserved. And I think having generous, I think, was the one that surprised me the most with her, and changed the way that I like viewed her interactions with the other cats, and it gave her a warmth that I think could easily be missing in her, like feisty cattiness a little bit. So that one really resonated with me and like completely changed how I viewed, like, interacting with other people, or other calf, um, voluptuous was like, that was like, you know, that was pretty normal. And then, yeah, the Frank was like, yeah, just like, pointed to the point. She takes no no bull. She's just like, This is who I am. You take it or leave it, then that was like, kind of it, yeah,

[18:45] Mike Abrams: the Frank and the generous, kind of almost are little contradictory in itself. Okay, so I'm sure kind of hard of, like, there are moments where you have to be, okay, hold on. I gotta be a little bit more open here than I should, but I've also gotta be, like, quick on it is that? How did that play out in certain moments? Are there moments where you're like, I've got to really lean into one of those words versus the other word?

[19:05] Speaker 2: Yeah, I think she's a lot more generous and warm around the kittens. And then with the older cats, I think she's kind of like, all right, you know, cut it out. We're the adults here, type situation where she's like, I'm not taking your crap. I'll take it from the from Mongo, Jerry and rebel teaser, the little, you know, little heathens, but like, Tucker, give it up.

[19:29] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Okay, so now you, you know you're, you're going on tour. This is hasn't been on tour in a while at this point, I think. So, what was the reception of like, okay, we're bringing back cats. Like, it just come back. It's kind of new. It's not the Joan Lynn choreography coming back with Andy's choreography. Like, what was the I never got to see it. I was supposed to go see this in April of 2020, in Indiana. And obviously that didn't happen. I still have the tickets. I found the tickets. But like, what was the like? There are the super fans. Like, was this a surprise to them that it was a little slightly different with different choreography? Like, what was your reception early on in the tour?

[20:08] Speaker 2: I think great. Like, we were sold out almost everywhere we went, which was crazy. And I had just come from another tour where it wasn't that way. And so for me to, like, see full houses every night, I was like, wow. Like, this is really cool. Um, you know, you'd see the people in the audience dressed in full face makeup and full unitard, and that was crazy. We get fan art sent backstage. Like, really cool. Um, yeah, my favorite part, though, is like, watching the little kids faces in the audience. Like, we had a lot of times when we'd go out into the house and, like, interact with the audience, yeah, which is normally my nightmare as a performer. I hate breaking that wall. It just makes me so uncomfortable. And every single time a cat was asked to go in the audience, I was asked to go, and I was like, Oh my God, here we go. But I actually grew to really like it, mostly because of, like, getting to see the little kid, like, faces light up, and it's just really cool. Did

[21:06] Mike Abrams: you? Did you have that moment where, like, Oh, this is me from five, when I was a five year old, all the time, right? All the time. So, so one thing I've argued on this podcast a lot, and I'm lessening on it, but only to a degree, is I don't think kids should see this. Should see the show, but I think I'm different on that now, of like, there's a cut off of an age, so I'm like, five, great, God, fun. You're gonna love it. But I'm like, where's the moment where it's like, wait a second, I'm gonna recognize the abuse of Macavity and the like, orgy of the ball and some of these other things where it's like, this is probably a lot to take in. So I'm like, What's that cut off where I'm like, I think it's like, 14 to 18, where I'm like, All right, stay home. Like, let's not, let's not expose this group to this just yet. Like, let's let them become an adult before we make them see this show.

[21:56] Speaker 2: Yeah, I have to disagree. But I think, you know, having done it in high school, like, a lot of that just goes over your head. And like, I feel like you can still follow the story without realizing those thing. Yeah, again, I also feel like we notice them now, because we know the deep backstory that we're told. But I think a lot of that deep backstory sometimes, like, is not miserable to the audience. Unfortunately,

[22:23] Mike Abrams: it's totally fair. I saw it as an adult. I saw it in 2016 for the first time, so I was a full adult, and I was like, this is a lot. This is a whole lot. And I'm like, my mom brought my sister. And I'm like, did you really bring either of us to this as a kid? Like, did we? Did we really see this? Like, you know, like, like, I'm kind of questioning parenting here a little bit, but now I'm like, All right, I'm softening on this stance a little bit, and then hearing all the like I have. I went to the tour this past year, and I did get to see, like a friend brought their their kids, and then their niece and nephew, and they were super young, and they loved it. I'm like, okay, I get the magic of theater and the disbelief of like, their cats. You know, it's not humans, but I know too much, and as I know too much, I'm like, No, we shouldn't be telling this the story to a five year old

[23:10] Speaker 2: true love. Yes, I think most of it goes over their heads. No, I really do. Yeah. Okay,

[23:18] Mike Abrams: so you're Tell me a little bit about some of the relationships you played on tour. Yeah. Played on tour. So like, what were the there's obviously the Demeter relationship, but what were some of the other ones that you've kind of had to formulate over time of, like, all right, I gotta lean into this one. Or we've got a little extra story here, or a little bit like, nuance there.

[23:37] Speaker 2: Tugger was a big one, because we interact a lot. We partner together. We like, lay on stage in each other, sweat together for like, 10 minutes during Victoria Play Doh duet, you know? And like, they have some snarky, playful, bantery interactions where it's like, You're so annoying, and yet I love you type vibe. So that one's fun. Charlie Demeter was like, I was very protective of her. Who else? What about Grizabella? Grizabella, I think I understood her more than some of the other cats. I think because they talked a lot about, like, Grizabella was potentially with Macavity at one point, and maybe that was the reason she left. And so I, you know, was talked about that, like, I went off with mccaviddy and came back. And so we had a similar, like trauma bonds that I understood a little bit. Um, so, like, I was also talking like, bomb is, like one of the younger leaders of the tribe. She's, like, influential around the kittens, and is, you know, not as high up as, like, Monk, but she's like, you know, a big presence among the tribe. And so I feel trying to, like, protect. And the other kittens, almost like, in like a cautionary tale type of way, was like, how I kind of interpreted it,

[25:08] Mike Abrams: yeah, so was it a, it's not a mom vibe between,

[25:14] Speaker 2: like, the cool ant yeah vibe, you know what? I mean, yeah, the cool

[25:19] Mike Abrams: ant that went a little too far, and then you're like, if I'm not careful, I might follow this path.

[25:25] Speaker 2: Yeah. And I think part of her anger towards Grizabella is also, like, almost in, like, perceiving a weakness in her of, like, I did it and was able to come back. So why weren't you type thing? Um, and I think that, I think there's probably, like, a hurt there, and, uh, you know, a vibe between them where she's, like, you were weak and I wasn't,

[25:49] Mike Abrams: yeah, it's so interesting, because, like, there's so many different ways to, like, think about where'd Grizzle go, and what's the relationship with the tribe, and who she's actually, you know, there. And I have never felt the mom vibe, but I have felt like, the the aunt's a good example, where it's like, all right, or a friend, like, this was your friend, and that was lost, like you were together, doing a lot of stuff together, and they went too far, run away, and you got your life back on track. Yeah, it's fascinating. What about, um, what about some of the other like? Because Bob kind of is, to me, flirts in the middle of where she's not the adult, she's not like the Jenny or the jelly alarm or anything she's but she's not the kittens either. So she's like, the mature of the teens, or like, the middle of the age, kind of demographics. So how does that like? How do you have to think about that when you're on stage of where it's like, all right, I'm gonna have this moment. Gonna have this moment with Buster, or with monk, or with, like, one that maybe is perceived as older, but you're kind of not quite there. Like, how do you do was that like it all thought about? I guess my real question is just like, how much of this did you all think about on your tour bus, of the story that's not like, given directly to you, because you have to have all those you have to fill in and improv a lot of these moments between, like, what you're given as court, like the you know, you've got to be here at this moment. You've got to say this thing, but you've also got to fill in a bunch of other parts.

[27:12] Speaker 2: Yeah, I think in terms of age, it was pretty easy for me, because I felt like I was playing my own age, almost like I was okay. What 2627 at the time, and, you know, like, I felt, yeah, I felt like, that's where she was, like, very like, she's like, mid to late 20s, like she's an adult, but, like, a young adult. And so like, how would I interact with children? How do I interact with 40 year olds? You know, like, kind of just, yeah, it felt that age felt natural to me, I guess, yeah,

[27:41] Mike Abrams: what about the other like, cats? Like, how did, how much did you improv? Like, how much did you have to, kind of think through those? And did you have, like, any weird, okay, wait, we shouldn't be friends, but we are because we get along really well as humans, you know, like, yeah,

[27:57] Speaker 2: um, yeah, probably, um, there was, yeah, a lot of improv. I mean, we did a whole day of just, like, learning how to be a cat and, like, our validity physically, and so then taking that into, like, how do you act these certain moments with that physicality? Um, so, like, that was a big part of my improv. I was like, okay, if I'm tired right now, how is a cat tired? And how do I make that into this moment? You know, interesting, yeah, but I definitely had our Play Doh and I got along really well, and we had a few moments that probably were like, not like, we probably wouldn't really know each other that well, but like, we got along so we, you know, had those moments. Um, what else I also really loved when swings were on, um, that was really fun to, like, have a new energy to interact with. And like, oh, how does, how do I feel about this energy and that type of thing was really cool. Or some people, I know, they like their moments, and if the swing doesn't do that moment, they get mad. Now, I like having been a swing. Now I'm like, okay, that's not realistic. And also, like, it's more fun to, like, keep it alive. And this is a different cat, Yeah, same

[29:11] Mike Abrams: positioning. You know, I'm surprised by that, because I would have thought the opposite of, like, if you're doing the show that many times, the same thing, the same dance, the same number, that like having some freshness of a new of swing coming on and like, giving you just a slightly different take, probably almost makes it, like, keeps it from being stale,

[29:28] Speaker 2: for sure, and keeps you on your toes. You know, it makes you more aware during the whole show, versus going on auto

[29:33] Mike Abrams: Island, we're gonna take a quick break, and then we back for more of the wrong cat died. All right, I love asking this question, because it seems like tour is just chaotic. So tell me some like, what are your like, What memories do you have of, like, the weird, the fun, the like, craziness of tour where, like, you know, I've heard stories of the tire didn't go up or this didn't happen. Like, what were some of the ones that, like, really stick out to you?

[29:57] Speaker 2: So many? Um. Um, that was what was it? The final season of Game of Thrones was out. I think when we were on tour, it was like coming out. And so there was, like a group of six of us. It was like me, our jelly Loram, our Jenny Demeter, our Gus busta fur and our Driz were like the Die Hard Game of Thrones people. So like, every Sunday matinee, we would just be like, amping up to watch Game of Thrones that night. And so we would literally, like, run around stage and at times, like, slap our wings like a dragon at each other, or, like, you know, just stupid things like that that are, like, very memorable to me for that show in particular. Um, what else? Yeah, you know, the tire doesn't go up. That happens. But those, I don't really wait

[30:48] Mike Abrams: so you this was, like, if it's the final season, though, there's hot takes on that, like, oh yeah, was that? How was that to watch those live in random cities across the country with, you know, your your friends.

[30:59] Speaker 2: It was so fun. We got shirts that said Sundays are for Westeros. Like we were obsessed. It was so fun.

[31:09] Mike Abrams: That is, yeah, I was, I was not in the United States at that time, and so I was watching they were doing I was in Sydney and Singapore, and they did watch parties at our office, because it's a full 12 hours later. Oh yeah, watch it live. And so we would have the same thing. And I'm like, this is fascinating to, like, watch a group of people in this, like, office setting, figuring out how to get a copy of it, hopefully, hopefully legally, to stream, to have to watch later. So I can only imagine you all watching it live, like, crowded around a hotel room or a bus or that type of thing. Yeah, we

[31:47] Speaker 2: always, like, someone hosted every week. Like, the whole league could be theorizing, like, in the dressing room, like, Oh, what do we think's gonna happen? Like, yeah, it was it. Honestly, it like, made the build up, waiting for the episode. That much better.

[31:58] Mike Abrams: Totally. Did anybody notice your flapping? Did anybody call it out? Like, I'm sure they did. Nobody like at the stage, like we had a cat dragon today. Yeah,

[32:09] Speaker 2: we were very subtle. I'm sure people noticed. I hope when

[32:12] Mike Abrams: people someone listens to this, there's some amazing cats artists that like, did you ever get any Game of Thrones crossover? Uh, no, all right. I'm hoping, if someone's listening, there's, uh, artists I want, I would love to see some of that. There's there's some like. I'm surprised you didn't get it, because there's so many like. I know you said you got a ton of fan art, but you probably need to just scream about that louder. You would have got some really cool stuff, honestly, probably awesome. What others? What other fun stories do you have from tour, what others? What else stood out?

[32:43] Speaker 2: Um, trying to think, honestly, like our cast, like it was crazy, but we were all really tight because of the crazy. Like, you know, I have a really close group of friends that I'm, like, still in contact with today from that show. You know, we all go to each other's weddings and do trips together, and it's just, I don't know that, like, I'm trying, like, trying to think of, like, specific moments from tour, but the thing that always comes back to me is just, like, the people, like, I yeah, I can't think of a specific moment, because there's so many that just revolve around these people,

[33:18] Mike Abrams: yeah. Do you ever bust out any of the choreography of the wedding, maybe a

[33:24] Speaker 2: little bit of the jell cabal at our, yeah, our Jenny actually just got married a couple months ago, and her dad and his father of the bride speech, like, made all of the cats stand up. And we were like, oh my god, this is embarrassing, but it was great. That's

[33:40] Mike Abrams: awesome. Yeah, I can just imagine you all like doing part of a number on the dance floor to

[33:47] Mike Abrams: the delicate ball a little bit in normal human clothing, you know, just like,

[33:50] Speaker 2: for sure, yeah, I love it. I will say for a long time after tour, I had trouble posing without a paw, yeah? Like, like, in all photos, I like, have a paw next to me. Like, what am I doing with my hand? Like, get back to being a normal human being.

[34:04] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I've heard that from a lot of the performers. If you've done it for more than a year or two, like you, you're doing it so often and so frequently that you'd be like, even like, when eating between shows, you'd have trouble not making the mannerisms. Yeah, for sure. I Yeah, it's, I can't, I can't fathom it. I do. Did you have to go on when you're on tour? Did you eat in, like, makeup between the two shows? Like, in cat basically, um,

[34:29] Speaker 2: more towards the beginning, like, when it took a longer to do our makeup. And then, like, you know, I got my makeup down to, like, 20 minutes. So after that, I was, like, at one some point I just wanted it off my face, yeah? So, like, I would take it off in between shows, so I could leave the theater and, like, go out. Um, but yeah, there were times when I was like, I don't want to leave, and we're not allowed to leave the theater with our makeup on. So you're either, like, ordering food into the theater, or you're taking it off to go out. So there are a couple times we order in just like, chill. But

[34:56] Mike Abrams: I just imagine you all go into, like, a diner in full. Whole makeup like between shows, just like we're going out, you

[35:03] Speaker 2: know, that was called half cat, and you're not allowed to post in half cat. You're either full cat or no cat. There's no half cat, no

[35:09] Mike Abrams: half cat. Half cat's not allowed, no half cat. I love it. Okay, let's do some rapid fire. Okay,

[35:18] Mike Abrams: could go on for one character one night. Doesn't matter if you're the right height or gender or whatever, just you get to go play one night. Which cat do you want to go on? Is bomb ball arena you want to go back? What if I take her off the table, though?

[35:37] Mike Abrams: just trying to go the other side. Just, yeah, okay. What about from the high school production? If you go be any non cat, any new cat that your high school created, who would you want to be? Oh, do you remember any of the names, or is it just cinnamon?

[35:58] Speaker 2: mind well, because she's like my best friend still to this day that I remember

[36:03] Mike Abrams: who are your favorite and least favorite cats. So ignore actors and performers, just character wise.

[36:09] Speaker 2: I love Tugger and I love Gus.

[36:14] Mike Abrams: Okay, that's great. That's great for my final question, I think so, what about least favorite?

[36:33] Mike Abrams: all right, is there what's, what's the rationale? I just

[36:40] Mike Abrams: Is that? How many, when I just even thinking through that question, how much of that is influenced by being bombarded for so long, versus like EU as Lexi?

[36:51] Speaker 2: Probably a lot. Yeah, okay. But I'm also like, even as a person, I'm not type A at all. And so sometimes type A people like can rub me the wrong way, and I feel like skimble is like, very type A and we just probably wouldn't vibe.

[37:04] Mike Abrams: Okay, um, what's your favorite song from the show

[37:09] Speaker 2: Macavity? I'm biased, but it always has been, ever since I was a little kid. Yeah, I do love Tugger. Love too. Okay, I love

[37:18] Mike Abrams: it. I mccavity is my answer right now, still, it was MongoDB when I first saw it, but I've figured out why I like that song so much later on, as I've recorded more of these. But I think the answer is Macavity for me, I just think the song's so unique. Yeah, it's the best. I always like asking fun questions. So I had, I have one written, but I'm gonna add one to it. So I'll ask you the one I had written first, which is your your tour ended because of the pandemic. So which cat do you think would have been the best prepared to survive March of 2020?

[37:53] Mike Abrams: that's a good answer. I would have thought bust of her. I just feel like, oh, boy, he's probably loaded. Yeah,

[37:58] Speaker 2: but I feel like Jenny's got, like, a bunker, and she's like, you know she's ready,

[38:03] Mike Abrams: you're probably right. You're definitely right. Okay, my other fun question that I'm adding now because of your high school production, okay, which cat do you think is probably thriving most in high school, and which one is struggling most with high school?

[38:18] Speaker 2: Oh, Mongo. Jerry's thriving. Oh, okay, he's like, the cool guy. He's bringing he's bringing the booze to the party. He's like, popular clone guy. And then I feel like Victoria is struggling.

[38:35] Mike Abrams: Okay, I like that. I was thinking differently. I had to think of these quickly, you know? I thought, I think bomb is thriving. I think she's like, almost mean girl or style, like Russia show, but I

[38:50] Mike Abrams: And then I think the one that's struggling is probably most awfully because I'm not sure magic is landing in high school. Like, I think he's gonna become cool later in life, but I think he's probably, at the moment, struggling, and that's what, yeah, okay, million dollar question. I've already get argued at length that I don't think Isabella should be the right Jellicle choice. So I want to hear from you as Lexi, if you're Old Deuteronomy, who are you sending up and why I

[39:21] Speaker 2: would pick Gus. I think, I mean, I love him, I already said that, but I feel like he deserves it. He's been a good person. He's served his debt to society. He's old, he's not healthy anymore. You know, like he's he's ready for a new life.

[39:36] Mike Abrams: I agree. I have no nothing to add here. I just I'm right. I'm just glad that that was the answer.

[39:42] Speaker 2: Do most people say that? Or no, I feel like that's very obvious choice. So

[39:47] Mike Abrams: right now, it's really a the I've been keeping track. I do have a full like ranking, and Grizabella has just under half the votes she's got in the 40s. Gus has in the 30s. Race. So pretty much a race between those two. So it's like, if you're either gonna stick to the plot and you're gonna say Grizabella, or you're most likely picking Gus, and then there's like, 10 other people that have gotten votes that are just for various random reasons, and they're usually hilarious, and they're usually not thought through at all, or they're just, like, some fun ones, like, I've had somebody that was like, I want to get rid of Buster because he's just a strain on the tribe. And so it's like, that's gonna be what's the most valuable. There's some people that picked the cat that they played. You know, it's like, like, I played this cat. Here's why I deserve it. But nobody's got more than, like, four votes, so it's pretty much a two, two cat race here. Okay. I

[40:40] Speaker 2: mean, I understand why Grizabella has chosen same, but I

[40:44] Mike Abrams: yeah, I agree. So, back

[40:51] Mike Abrams: yeah, go to a birthday party or something like, right? Just got accepted back exactly. That's been my argument recently, too. Um, okay, wait, so it actually, I think it was your Grizabella who said Buster, for, by the way, yeah, which was, which was made me laugh, somebody did in my tracks. I'm like, Wait, why? No one's ever said Buster. Like, why would you say buster? And I was like, No, it's a strain on society. I'm

[41:16] Mike Abrams: yeah. So, okay, so I want to, I want to ask this question, though, because I agree with you on Gus. So if I take Gus and Grizabella out, let's pretend Grizzle doesn't come back, and you pick Gus this year, who's next year?

[41:32] Speaker 2: Probably Jenny, Jenny, okay, or jelly Lorem. Honestly, they're both, I feel like right up there where they've they've lived their life, you know, they've been the motherly figures of the tribe. It's ready. They're ready, yeah? And who

[41:47] Mike Abrams: was last year? Oh, I have, I have what I think the answer is, I don't know if there's any truth to it.

[41:54] Speaker 2: I don't know. What do you think? I think it's Victoria. I mean, that makes sense. She's like the new soul coming in, yeah? But I also think she's white and pure. Yeah,

[42:04] Mike Abrams: was this ever discussed on your job? Okay, I'm, you know, fascinating

[42:12] Mike Abrams: I'm out here doing the Jellicle Lord's work, trying to get this conversation into the world. So this has been super fun. How can people stay in touch with you, keep up with everything you're doing and what's next? Yeah,

[42:25] Speaker 2: you can follow me on Instagram. It's Lexi dot plast, yeah, if you like to read books, I'm on tick tock at reading in the wings.

[42:33] Mike Abrams: Oh, all right, give us a book recommendation. Oh, well, what kind of books you like? Well, I mean, this is, let's, let's go for the audience. So let's do something that would be, what would a cat's fan book recommendation be? Oh, man, like he's got the stage door. Someone come up to you and they're just like, send me a book. What would you say?

[42:52] Speaker 2: I feel like cats fans are probably into fantasy. I don't know why. I think that. I just maybe it's because I

[42:58] Mike Abrams: feel like it's probably fair, right? It's like the world created, yeah,

[43:03] Speaker 2: my, I don't know why, my first instinct said, care of all by Stephanie Garber, okay,

[43:07] Mike Abrams: what's the best book you've read recently?

[43:17] Mike Abrams: And then, while you're looking that up, did you read the the Time War or whatever. Book that went all over book talk I

[43:24] Speaker 2: have not yet, but it is on my list. Okay, oh, the best book I read recently was beach read by Emily Henry, okay,

[43:31] Mike Abrams: written a ton. She's written a ton of stuff. So if you like this part of the episode, follow on Tiktok. If you have no interest in this, then follow on Instagram exactly, or both, or both. Yeah, follow both. Why not? You learn something new. Pick up a book. It's good. Thank you so much. This has been so fun. Thank you. This was great, awesome, and thanks everyone for listening to this episode of the rocket tide, the podcast breakdown of cats atrophy to follow on. You can subscribe on Apple podcast, Spotify. Or any of us listen to podcasts, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and threads at throne. Cat died. Or check our website, thoroughcatti.com you.