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[0:15] Mike Abrams: Welcome to The Wrong Cat Died, the podcast breakdown of The Cat's Astrophe. I'm your host, Mike Abrams, and today we have another amazing guest. You got a taste of their experience when I went to Washington, D.C. to film my 100th episode with The Cat's Tour, but they are now going on tour in another Andrew Lloyd Webber show, Jesus Christ Superstar. So I'm excited to have even more fun and talk about their experience in Cats and their experience in this new show. So they were Skimbleshanks on the US National Tour 6 of Cats. Welcome, John Zamborsky. Thank you for joining me.

[0:44] John Zamborsky: Hey, thank you so much for having me, Mike. I'm thrilled. I'm a big fan of the pod.

[0:48] Mike Abrams: So I'm excited to have you back because we just scratched the surface with your entire cast. We got little pieces here and there, but we had a lot of people involved. So I'm excited to dig a little deeper. And then I love any time we can bring another Andrew Lloyd Webber show into the Cats universe. So we will talk Jesus Christ Superstar and Cats and figure out all the fun that goes with that.

[1:12] John Zamborsky: Yeah, let's do it.

[1:13] Mike Abrams: Let's start at the beginning. What is your Cats introduction?

[1:17] John Zamborsky: So hear me out. I actually went on cats.wikia.com to find the exact date. I saw US Tour 5. I saw the evening show on November either 28th or 29th at the Peabody Auditorium. So that was 2007. So I was freshly seven years old when I saw Cats.

[1:40] Mike Abrams: Seven years old. That's going to be my next question.

[1:43] John Zamborsky: Yeah, it was sensory overload. All I think I remember from it was the conjuring turn from Mr. Mistoffelees. Okay. That's the only thing I remember.

[1:55] Mike Abrams: Like, were you dancing at this point? Like, were you already a little into this or now?

[1:59] John Zamborsky: I was put into dance when I was seven. So it would have been around that time. I'm not confident that I had my first like recital or like had been in it for long, but I think I knew enough to kind of like be like, oh, he's doing turns in second or like, oh, he's doing fouettes. And that's, I think why I remembered it was because, you know, I'd seen like the older girls in the studio doing similar things. So.

[2:25] Mike Abrams: Yeah, you kind of know it's something you're interested in.

[2:28] John Zamborsky: Yeah, for sure. It's not like it was the beginning of where you saw it and it's like, I gotta go do this and sign up for dance next. You're already doing a little bit of it and that's what's memorable.

[2:36] Mike Abrams: Do you remember the names?

[2:40] John Zamborsky: Yeah. Like the crazy names when you were seven?

[2:42] John Zamborsky: I remembered, uh, I think I only knew Macavity because of the song and Mr. Mistoffelees because of the song. Oh, and Rum Tum Tugger. Just like the songs that you, that like, they pretty much all said their name.

[2:55] Mike Abrams: I love it's like, um, I remember Mungojer and Rumpelteazer. That was like all I remembered from the first time I saw it. So I'm always curious, like what resonates? Is it the dancing? Is it the junkyard? Is it the craziness of cats being around you?

[3:10] John Zamborsky: It was, and I'm sure this is common for a lot of people. Memory was, that is something that I knew in the context of the show, out of the context of the show. And also I got one of the, from the merch booth, my grandma bought me one of the snow globes.

[3:25] Mike Abrams: Oh, cool.

[3:25] John Zamborsky: And it has like Monk and maybe like, maybe like Demeter and, um, Jemima or like, like one of those costume plots. Um, and you, you twist it and it plays memory. So I've always, Cats has always been very near and dear.

[3:43] Mike Abrams: Yeah. That's awesome. So did you, like, did you have that aha moment of like, I need to do this? Or were you still too young to even kind of grasp that this might be your future?

[3:53] John Zamborsky: I don't, I don't know. I'm in, I'm in like such a weird place with like performing right now that like, you know, I feel like I'm, I feel like at that age, I had no clue that it would be something that I did. Um, it definitely planted the seed of like, I could do this, but I think I was probably too young to like, understand any of the practicalities of it. But yeah.

[4:21] Mike Abrams: No, that makes sense. There's definitely that moment of the, I'm gonna, this is my future, you know, like I'm doing, this is all I'm going to do. Or even like, you know, as I played sports growing up, there was the, I want to, I want to be on the stage. Like I want to play here. I do remember that moment for me when I was 13, but it was with, um, Newsies instead of Cats.

[4:42] John Zamborsky: Oh, okay.

[4:43] Mike Abrams: But both heavy dance shows, so.

[4:45] John Zamborsky: Totally, totally. Now, did you see it ever again before auditioning?

[4:52] John Zamborsky: Um, yes, I did. And I saw it in either 2016 or 2017 at the Neil Simon. So I saw like the version.

[5:01] Mike Abrams: Came to Broadway, the new, yeah, the new version. Did you, at that point, I mean, at seven, it's probably hard, but did you notice the different choreographies?

[5:11] John Zamborsky: I don't think that I did. I noticed that this production, maybe it was just cause seeing it in person, like the, some of the, like the costume differences and stuff like that seemed like really vibrant and modern, which was cool. But I don't, I don't think that I noticed the, I don't think that it clicked in my head that Andy had worked on that one until a few years later.

[5:31] Mike Abrams: Okay. Yeah. So now you're seeing on Broadway or much more of an adult at this point.

[5:37] John Zamborsky: Yeah.

[5:38] Mike Abrams: What was, did you have kind of a, the same, I guess this is, I'm asking this cause this was my reaction was just like, wow, what did I see? I didn't have the seven-year-old experience to like relate it to. So did you have, what was that feeling seeing it the second time of like, oh wow, the show is what you remember from seven or different or more or less?

[5:59] John Zamborsky: I think it exceeded my expectations of what I, because I, I don't know, I feel like a lot of people, well, at least my perspective on Cats growing up was like, I don't really know what to make sense of it, but like it was one of the longest running musicals. We respect it. Like I didn't, I guess I didn't really think a whole lot about it. Um, but I remember seeing it and like Jeremy was a standout, loved his episode, by the way. Um, Jeremy was a standout as Skimbleshanks. I think that's the first time that I became aware of that character existing.

[6:29] Mike Abrams: Um, and then Ricky as Misto, I remember watching, cause that was the only thing I remembered. So I remember watching that and being like, I don't remember it being this cool. Like he, like he's, he's popping and like, and you have like the, the new arrangements from the revival. And I was like, I don't remember this at all, but it was phenomenal.

[6:49] John Zamborsky: Yeah. It was, yeah. Jeremy is awesome. He's actually a little off and frozen, right?

[6:53] Mike Abrams: Oh, that's so cool.

[6:54] John Zamborsky: In, in Indiana recently, which was so fun to see. Cause I'm like, oh, it's Skimbleshanks, but he's just, he's just so good at everything. And I remember being like, cause like, you know, you're getting to that age where you're like, you're, you know, could be one of those bodies on stage. And like, you know, like at that point I knew like, I want to do this. And so I was like, oh, that's like, that's like an older guy. Like he's probably like, like he's not as young as like some of the younger people in the, in the cast. But, um, I remember seeing him and being like, oh, he's like, you know, he's definitely one of the older, um, people in the ensemble or in the, in the cast.

[7:26] Mike Abrams: And then he pops out this double tour on lair at the end. Uh, like right before, like right in front of old dude, right before he brings all the kittens around. And I was just like jaw on the floor.

[7:34] John Zamborsky: Yeah. Yeah. I was just like, where did that come from? And wow, that was just everything I could have hoped for out of his evenings.

[7:44] Mike Abrams: The parallels to sports is so funny. Cause it's like, he's the older side of the tour and it's, he's not old at all. And we're like, we're like, oh my God, he's aging in this, you know, in this dance show. But, uh, it's like the athletes who are 31 and they're, they're already peak of their sports career.

[7:58] John Zamborsky: Yeah. So now bring me to getting the tour. So you, you, you land Skimbleshanks is the tour, the sixth tour you're going out.

[8:07] John Zamborsky: Yeah. I almost a year ago. Yeah. I had, so I had had, I actually knew some people from year one. Um, you know, like a theater, like you kind of know everyone or like, yeah, at least follow them online, something like that. And I had a lot of friends that had told me about going in for the bootcamp and all this stuff. And that was like, that seemed like the big show, especially cause a lot of equity things weren't happening out of the endemic. That seems like the big show that every dancer wanted to be in.

[8:39] Mike Abrams: Um, and so it was like huge. Like I remember being at like my, like my little summer stock, like seeing like the casting announcement for the tour going out and everyone was just losing their minds. But so I had, that was kind of like the first time I had heard that the tour was going out, this would have been January of 2022. And I had just left school to start. Um, I had moved to the city cause I got like this job on long Island. And I was like, I, I'm not like in class. Like I, I was part-time just kind of finishing out the time in North Carolina. So I moved up to the city and that allowed me to audition for a lot of things, including Cats.

[9:12] John Zamborsky: And, um, Oh, I guess I forgot this. No, I guess my introduction to the tour was I was studying abroad in London in the fall of 2021. And that's when, um, they were, Sean took a month off from tour. Um, and so they were looking for a temporary replacement for Tumble Brutus. And so I, I sent in a tape when I was abroad and I got a call back and I was like, I don't think I can make this happen because it's just so much money. And I'm like abroad for the semester. And then callbacks come and go, they end up not even hiring anyone. Like they end up just like having a cover step into that role for the time.

[9:56] John Zamborsky: And so I had already like done the audition combos and become aware of this production. And then when the replacement, when people were deciding whether or not to come back and they had their auditions, I went in and did a lot of the same things that I had already done on tape in person, which was really fun. Cause it, it felt like super comfortable and it wasn't like the stress of, of, of learning anything on the spot. And then I was called back for, um, Mungo and Skimbleshanks were the two, which I feel like everyone, every like short or shorter guy was called back for Mungo Jerry and Skimbleshanks.

[10:23] John Zamborsky: Uh, and it was great. The, like the vibes in the room were always really good, um, from this team. And I remember when I went in for my final call back, um, it was like sandwiched in between things. I was about to go up to Maine to work a gig and they asked me in the room cause they were, they in the Dropbox, they give you, there's a few different cuts for everything. And so I picked the shorter Skimbleshanks cut. Cause I was like, this is less words to memorize. So I picked that one. And then they were like, what made you pick this one? And I said, it was the one with like, that had been updated or uploaded most recently.

[11:00] John Zamborsky: And they were like, okay, we're actually going to need you to do this one, which is like the first verse through like the pitter, like patter section. Wow. And then, and then to the, it was like almost the whole song, maybe like minus a verse. And as they, as the good actor that I try to be and they teach you, I don't know if they teach you this in school, but something that I think is really helpful is if you're not asked to look over something explicitly in the off chance that they might want you to look at it, have like kind of an idea. So it'll look like you are better than you are. Cause if they're like, go learn this. And then you come back and it's memorized cause you looked at it before, like, you know, that, that starts you off on a really good foot.

[11:41] John Zamborsky: So I kind of did that with this. Um, and they, they wanted to do, I always feel very proud of this moment. They wanted me to film a tape and being a working actor, I know that it really is not fun to film tapes. So I just asked if I could do it there in, um, in the room and it went really, really well. And, um, I got to like leave without like any other obligation over my head, just like that was the last thing. And I'll either get it or not. And then I found out a few weeks later and what was really, what was crazy. Sorry. I love to talk. Um, a crazy coincidence. I thought, I thought the universe was telling me that I was going to get Mungo Jerry because I see someone who looks just like Jess Leprado walk by me on the street and I turn around and his backpack says A-Rab, like the character from West Side Story.

[12:35] John Zamborsky: And he was the, you know, the OG 2016 Mungo Jerry, um, on Broadway. And he just passed me and I was like, oh my God, that's literally him. The backpack proved it. Cause the West Side.

[12:48] Mike Abrams: Welcome back to The Wrong Cat Died. Today, I have a very special guest, John Zamborsky, who played Skimbleshanks on the US National Tour 6 of CATS.

[13:13] John Zamborsky: Thanks for having me, Mike. It's great to be here.

[13:42] Mike Abrams: So, John, you saw CATS for the first time as a kid. What was that experience like for you?

[14:11] John Zamborsky: It was magical! I remember being completely captivated by the music and the choreography. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

[14:40] Mike Abrams: And now you’re performing in it! What’s it like to step into the role of Skimbleshanks?

[15:08] John Zamborsky: It’s a dream come true. Skimbleshanks is such a fun character to play, and I love the energy he brings to the show.

[15:37] Mike Abrams: I can imagine! You mentioned something about the train light during the show. Can you tell me more about that?

[16:06] John Zamborsky: Oh, absolutely. The train light shines directly into your face during the Macavity scene in Act 2, and it can be quite blinding! I remember the first time it happened to me, I was like, "Wow, this is intense!"

[16:35] Mike Abrams: That sounds like quite the experience! You also mentioned seeing a production of CATS in Japan. How was that?

[17:05] John Zamborsky: It was incredible! The Japanese production had some unique interpretations, and the audience was so enthusiastic. It really reminded me of how universal the themes of CATS are.

[17:34] Mike Abrams: That’s fascinating! It’s amazing how the show can resonate with people from different cultures.

[18:03] John Zamborsky: Exactly! And the talent in that production was top-notch. It was a real treat to see.

[18:32] Mike Abrams: Now, you’re also performing in Jesus Christ Superstar. How does that compare to your experience in CATS?

[19:01] John Zamborsky: They’re both such different shows, but they both have their own unique challenges and rewards. CATS is all about movement and physicality, while Jesus Christ Superstar has a more rock-oriented vibe and focuses heavily on the music.

[19:30] Mike Abrams: It must be a nice change of pace to switch between those two styles.

[19:59] John Zamborsky: Definitely! It keeps things fresh and exciting for me as a performer.

[20:28] Mike Abrams: I can see that! What’s been your favorite moment in CATS so far?

[20:57] John Zamborsky: I think my favorite moment is when Skimbleshanks interacts with the audience. It’s such a fun part of the show, and I love seeing their reactions.

[21:27] Mike Abrams: That’s great! Audience interaction can really elevate a performance.

[21:56] John Zamborsky: Absolutely! It creates a connection that makes the experience even more special.

[22:25] Mike Abrams: Well, John, thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been a pleasure hearing about your experiences.

[22:54] John Zamborsky: Thank you for having me, Mike! I had a great time.

[23:23] Mike Abrams: And to our listeners, be sure to check out John on Instagram at @izamwhoiam and follow the Jesus Christ Superstar tour at jesuschristsuperstar.com.

[23:52] John Zamborsky: Thanks, everyone!

[24:21] Mike Abrams: Until next time, keep questioning everything about CATS!

[24:51] John Zamborsky: Bye!

[25:20] Mike Abrams: Bye!

[25:36] John Zamborsky: You know, I think one of the most interesting things about Skimbleshanks is that he is the one character that has a direct connection to the audience. I mean, he’s literally the one who’s watching over them, making sure they’re safe on the train.

[26:06] John Zamborsky: I remember the first time I saw CATS as a kid, I was just blown away by the energy and the storytelling. It was such a magical experience, and I think that’s what drew me to the role of Skimbleshanks.

[26:16] John Zamborsky: There’s a lot of amazing canon that’s come from Tumblr and other fan sites about Skimbleshanks. It’s fascinating to see how fans interpret the character and create their own stories around him.

[26:26] John Zamborsky: And then, of course, there’s the infamous train light that shines directly into your face during the Macavity number in Act 2. It’s a rite of passage for every Skimbleshanks, I think.

[26:36] John Zamborsky: I actually saw a production of CATS in Japan a few days ago, and you were absolutely right about that train light. It shined directly into my face, and I felt that excruciating pain all over again.

[26:46] John Zamborsky: It’s such a unique experience, though, because it really makes you feel like you’re part of the show. You’re not just watching; you’re in it.

[26:56] John Zamborsky: I’ve also been performing in Jesus Christ Superstar on tour in North America, and it’s interesting to compare the two shows. They both have such strong themes and messages, but they present them in very different ways.

[27:06] John Zamborsky: The energy in Jesus Christ Superstar is electric, and the music is just phenomenal. It’s been a joy to be a part of that production as well.

[27:16] John Zamborsky: But there’s something about CATS that’s just so special. The characters, the music, the choreography—it all comes together to create this incredible experience for the audience.

[27:26] John Zamborsky: I think that’s why I love playing Skimbleshanks so much. He’s such a fun character to portray, and I get to connect with the audience in a way that’s really unique.

[27:36] John Zamborsky: Plus, I get to wear that amazing costume! It’s so much fun to get into character and bring him to life on stage.

[27:46] John Zamborsky: I’ve had some amazing experiences with fans after the show, too. They come up to me and share their own stories about how CATS has impacted their lives, and it’s just so heartwarming.

[27:56] John Zamborsky: It really shows the power of theater and how it can bring people together.

[28:06] John Zamborsky: I think that’s what keeps me going as a performer. Knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life, even if it’s just for a couple of hours during a show.

[28:16] John Zamborsky: And I love hearing about other people’s experiences with CATS. It’s such a beloved show, and everyone has their own unique take on it.

[28:26] John Zamborsky: Whether they love it or hate it, it sparks conversation, and that’s what makes it so special.

[28:36] John Zamborsky: I think that’s why I’m so passionate about this podcast and sharing these stories. It’s a chance to dive deeper into the world of CATS and explore all the different perspectives.

[28:46] John Zamborsky: And it’s also a chance to celebrate the incredible talent that goes into making the show happen.

[28:56] John Zamborsky: From the performers to the creative team, everyone plays a vital role in bringing CATS to life, and I think that’s something worth celebrating.

[29:06] John Zamborsky: I’m just grateful to be a part of it all, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next.

[29:16] John Zamborsky: Whether it’s continuing with CATS or exploring new opportunities, I’m excited for what’s to come.

[29:26] John Zamborsky: And I hope that everyone who listens to this podcast feels that same excitement and passion for theater.

[29:36] John Zamborsky: It’s such a beautiful art form, and I think we all have a role to play in keeping it alive and thriving.

[29:46] John Zamborsky: So, thank you for having me on the show, and I look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with everyone.

[29:56] John Zamborsky: Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate the magic of theater together.

[30:06] John Zamborsky: I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey and connect with fellow theater lovers.

[30:16] John Zamborsky: It’s been a pleasure, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[30:26] John Zamborsky: Here’s to many more adventures in the world of CATS and beyond!

[30:36] John Zamborsky: Thank you!

[30:46] John Zamborsky: I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.

[30:56] John Zamborsky: And I hope that everyone who listens to this podcast feels that same excitement and passion for theater.

[31:06] John Zamborsky: It’s such a beautiful art form, and I think we all have a role to play in keeping it alive and thriving.

[31:16] John Zamborsky: So, thank you for having me on the show, and I look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with everyone.

[31:26] John Zamborsky: Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate the magic of theater together.

[31:36] John Zamborsky: I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey and connect with fellow theater lovers.

[31:46] John Zamborsky: It’s been a pleasure, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[31:56] John Zamborsky: Here’s to many more adventures in the world of CATS and beyond!

[32:06] John Zamborsky: Thank you!

[32:16] John Zamborsky: I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.

[32:26] John Zamborsky: And I hope that everyone who listens to this podcast feels that same excitement and passion for theater.

[32:36] John Zamborsky: It’s such a beautiful art form, and I think we all have a role to play in keeping it alive and thriving.

[32:46] John Zamborsky: So, thank you for having me on the show, and I look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with everyone.

[32:56] John Zamborsky: Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate the magic of theater together.

[33:06] John Zamborsky: I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey and connect with fellow theater lovers.

[33:16] John Zamborsky: It’s been a pleasure, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[33:26] John Zamborsky: Here’s to many more adventures in the world of CATS and beyond!

[33:36] John Zamborsky: Thank you!

[33:46] John Zamborsky: I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.

[33:56] John Zamborsky: And I hope that everyone who listens to this podcast feels that same excitement and passion for theater.

[34:06] John Zamborsky: It’s such a beautiful art form, and I think we all have a role to play in keeping it alive and thriving.

[34:16] John Zamborsky: So, thank you for having me on the show, and I look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with everyone.

[34:26] John Zamborsky: Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate the magic of theater together.

[34:36] John Zamborsky: I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey and connect with fellow theater lovers.

[34:46] John Zamborsky: It’s been a pleasure, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[34:56] John Zamborsky: Here’s to many more adventures in the world of CATS and beyond!

[35:06] John Zamborsky: Thank you!

[35:16] John Zamborsky: I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.

[35:26] John Zamborsky: And I hope that everyone who listens to this podcast feels that same excitement and passion for theater.

[35:36] John Zamborsky: It’s such a beautiful art form, and I think we all have a role to play in keeping it alive and thriving.

[35:46] John Zamborsky: So, thank you for having me on the show, and I look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with everyone.

[35:56] John Zamborsky: Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate the magic of theater together.

[36:06] John Zamborsky: I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey and connect with fellow theater lovers.

[36:16] John Zamborsky: It’s been a pleasure, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[36:26] John Zamborsky: Here’s to many more adventures in the world of CATS and beyond!

[36:36] John Zamborsky: Thank you!

[36:46] John Zamborsky: I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.

[36:56] John Zamborsky: And I hope that everyone who listens to this podcast feels that same excitement and passion for theater.

[37:06] John Zamborsky: It’s such a beautiful art form, and I think we all have a role to play in keeping it alive and thriving.

[37:16] John Zamborsky: So, thank you for having me on the show, and I look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with everyone.

[37:26] John Zamborsky: Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate the magic of theater together.

[37:36] John Zamborsky: I appreciate the opportunity to share my journey and connect with fellow theater lovers.

[37:46] John Zamborsky: It’s been a pleasure, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[37:56] John Zamborsky: Here’s to many more adventures in the world of CATS and beyond!

[38:06] John Zamborsky: Thank you!

[38:16] John Zamborsky: I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.

[38:24] John Zamborsky: You know, I think the first time I saw CATS, I was just a kid. I was probably around ten years old, and I remember being completely mesmerized by the whole experience. The music, the costumes, the dancing—it was all just so magical to me.

[38:54] John Zamborsky: And then, you know, as I got older, I started to appreciate the show on a different level. I started to notice all the little nuances in the choreography and the storytelling. It’s such a rich piece of theater, and every time I see it, I find something new to love about it.

[39:01] John Zamborsky: I think one of my favorite moments in the show is definitely when Skimbleshanks comes out. There’s just something so fun about that character, and I love how he interacts with the other cats. It really brings a lot of energy to the stage.

[39:08] John Zamborsky: And let’s not forget about the train light! I mean, that’s such an iconic part of the show. I remember the first time I experienced it, I was sitting in the audience, and that light just shined directly into my face. It was both exhilarating and a little painful at the same time!

[39:18] John Zamborsky: It’s funny because I was just in Japan a few days ago, and I saw the Japanese production of CATS. And you know what? You were absolutely right about that train light. It really does shine right into your face during Macavity in Act 2. It’s like a rite of passage for anyone who sees the show!

[39:28] John Zamborsky: I also love how the character of Skimbleshanks has evolved over the years. There’s so much amazing canon that has come from fans on platforms like Tumblr. It’s incredible to see how people interpret and expand on the character.

[39:38] John Zamborsky: I think it’s a testament to the show’s impact and how it resonates with audiences. Everyone has their own unique experience with CATS, and that’s what makes it so special.

[39:48] John Zamborsky: And speaking of unique experiences, I’ve been performing in Jesus Christ Superstar on tour in North America. It’s been such a different vibe compared to CATS, but I love the challenge of taking on a new role and exploring a different style of storytelling.

[39:58] John Zamborsky: The music in Jesus Christ Superstar is just phenomenal. It’s so powerful and moving, and I think it really speaks to the human experience in a way that’s different from CATS. Both shows have their own magic, and I feel lucky to be a part of both worlds.

[40:08] John Zamborsky: I think what I love most about theater is the community it creates. Whether you’re in the audience or on stage, there’s this shared experience that brings people together. It’s something truly special.

[40:18] John Zamborsky: And I think that’s why I keep coming back to shows like CATS. No matter how many times I see it or perform in it, there’s always something new to discover, and that keeps the excitement alive.

[40:28] John Zamborsky: Plus, I mean, who doesn’t love a good cat pun? The humor in CATS is just so clever, and it really adds to the overall charm of the show.

[40:38] John Zamborsky: I remember one time during a performance, I accidentally slipped and fell while trying to do a big dance move. Instead of panicking, I just rolled with it and made it part of the performance. The audience loved it, and it ended up being one of my favorite moments on stage.

[40:48] John Zamborsky: Those unexpected moments are what make live theater so thrilling. You never know what’s going to happen, and that spontaneity keeps everyone on their toes.

[40:58] John Zamborsky: I think that’s why I’m so passionate about performing. It’s not just about the role you play; it’s about the connection you make with the audience and the memories you create together.

[41:08] John Zamborsky: And I hope that when people come to see CATS, they leave with a sense of joy and wonder. That’s what it’s all about, right? Bringing a little magic into people’s lives.

[41:18] John Zamborsky: So, whether you’re a lifelong fan of CATS or seeing it for the first time, I hope you enjoy every moment of the experience. It’s truly a show like no other.

[41:28] John Zamborsky: And I can’t wait to see where my journey in theater takes me next. There’s always something new to explore, and I’m excited for whatever comes my way.

[41:38] John Zamborsky: Thank you for having me on the podcast! It’s been a pleasure sharing my experiences with you.

[41:48] John Zamborsky: And I hope everyone listening gets a chance to see CATS and experience the magic for themselves. It’s a show that will always hold a special place in my heart.

[41:58] John Zamborsky: So, here’s to more adventures in theater and all the incredible stories yet to be told!