This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Mike Abrams: Welcome to The Wrong Cat Died, the podcast breakdown of Catastrophe. I'm your host, Mike Abrams, and today we have another amazing guest. At this point, there aren't many productions that I have not talked to, but I found a new one. There have been a few productions in Mexico, but there was one in 2018, where there was a tour, and she was Jennyanydots. So welcome, Cecilia, and thank you for joining me.

[0:38] Cecilia Arias: Well, thank you, Mike. I'm so happy to be here with you.

[0:42] Mike Abrams: I'm excited. Like I said, I've had almost every... I mean, there's still a lot of a few international productions, but I've talked to over 25 different productions that I would say are official around the world, some regional productions, and I'm always fascinated when I can find a new one because I get to learn about what your particular production was about, your show was about, and the nuances of the characters and the development that goes into that. So we will get into your particular production, but I always like to start at your cat's beginning. So when was the first time you saw the show, hopefully before 2018?

[1:20] Cecilia Arias: Well, the first time I saw it was 2019. I went to New York with my aunt, and, well, I just had money and went to see Cats because I've seen it before on the VHS.

[1:37] Mike Abrams: Okay. So you saw the VHS, then you did it, and then you went to see it after you did it.

[1:43] Cecilia Arias: No, no. I never did it.

[1:45] Mike Abrams: Never. Okay. So VHS, and then you saw it in New York.

[1:49] Cecilia Arias: And then, well, it came before to Mexico. It came to Mexico in 1991 or 2, something like that.

[1:58] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[1:59] Cecilia Arias: First time at the Teatro Silvia Pinal. It was a huge production, but then I was really lame. My parents didn't want to take me there, so they went without me.

[2:11] Mike Abrams: Oh, they did? So they went without you?

[2:13] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, yeah.

[2:15] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[2:15] Cecilia Arias: They're huge fans of musical theater and musicals in general, so they went to see the play, and they were super excited about it. And then they bought the VHS for me because they wanted me to see it, and I was super excited. And then the first time I went to New York, I went to see it, and I was weirdly thrilled.

[2:43] Mike Abrams: So not like your parents. Your parents loved it, and you were a little skeptical.

[2:48] Cecilia Arias: I was like, I love the VHS, but then when I saw it, they kind of scared me. And then the show started, and, well, it was fun and kind of funny. Yes, I liked it, though. And then afterwards, I did it at school. It was a school play when I studied acting, and it was fun. I was at Citra, one of the ensemble cats.

[3:18] Mike Abrams: Okay. So you did this in school, and then how long between doing it in school until doing it on this tour in Mexico?

[3:27] Cecilia Arias: Well, at school, I guess it was like, oh, 2000, I guess. And then 18 years later, I went to audition for this show that Gerardo Quiroz was producing. And I really didn't have my hopes up of getting Jennyanydots because some of my, well, colleagues were auditioning, and they were really famous, not only in the theater scene, but also in TV and stuff. So I thought, no, there's no way they're going to give this to me. But then I was the strongest tap dancer, and I'm an average singer. I'm a good dancer in general, and I'm a good actress, so that helped, I guess. And yeah, I got the part, and I was super excited because I love that part in particular. I've always loved it, not only because of the tap, but the kind of cat Jennyanydots is. It's fun, I guess. It's kind of like my house cat.

[4:44] Mike Abrams: What a great, it's such a great role. I want you to take me to your rehearsal process and audition process then, because you obviously know the story, you know the musical, you watched the VHS, you got to do it in school. But now you're going on a very official tour through Mexico, and that's being produced with a really useful group and very official. What do you remember about what they're telling you in terms of the story and the arc, and how you're supposed to portray Jennyanydots?

[5:18] Cecilia Arias: Well, in the audition process, they just told me to sing Buster Burr Jones. That was it. Like, okay, so Buster Burr Jones. And I was like, okay, so Buster Burr Jones. And that was about it. And then they told me, okay, now there's something. And I was like, what? Yes, yes, like a tap thing, whatever you want. It's like, whatever you want. Okay, that's it. And then they did a choreography for, you know, the whole bunch of people. And I did that too. And I think that was it. They didn't tell me anything about the character at the audition process, nothing at all.

[6:09] Mike Abrams: Once you got the role, and you're doing the setting of it, you know, the rehearsals, and you're now figuring out who you're performing with and getting ready to kind of go on tour. What do you remember from that section?

[6:22] Cecilia Arias: Well, it was Jaime Rosas, he was the director. And we started, obviously, portraying the cats, you know, like, okay, so you have to be on your knees. And you have to be like, okay, I'm gonna put a table in here, and you all have to jump it. And I was like, what? Really? Yes, yes, yes, you have to jump it. Oh, my God, but I jumped that high. Okay, just try it. However you can. And I was like, okay, I'm gonna do it. And always with my knee pads and everything, because I was afraid I was gonna hurt myself. And then about the character. Well, they said, you know, she's like a home cat. She's like really spoiled cat. And that was about it.

[7:16] Mike Abrams: Wow. So that's all you're given. You're given just a little bit and nothing else about, you know, these characters could be like, Mungo, Jerry Rumple Teaser could be your children, or not, you know, like, is there any of that stuff discussed?

[7:30] Cecilia Arias: Not at all.

[7:31] Mike Abrams: None?

[7:31] Cecilia Arias: No, no, no, I just created it. You know, like, okay, I'm friends with Monkstrap.

[7:38] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[7:39] Cecilia Arias: Probably he's around my house, and he gets to the window. And then we kind of have a chat. And the other three, you know, Vamparo, Ballerina, and Demeter. And what's the other name? Well, they're different in a lot of them. So there's Jellylorum.

[8:00] Mike Abrams: There's Jellylorum. Yes. Jellylorum. And well, I thought they all came to my window to talk to me, but I would never leave the house, you know, because I'm spoiled and I'm very comfortable in there. So why would I leave? Plus, I'm very lazy. I'm very lazy, and I'm kind of a show off. So I like to show off. And the only thing that keeps me like, I don't know, awake in the days and kind of, um, gives me a job and something to do is to play with all the cockroaches and the mice in the house, because I guess that my owners are not in the house, like, at all. So that's kind of the story I created for myself. But no, nobody told me anything about it.

[9:01] Mike Abrams: I love kind of the freedom that you get with that. I just imagine you, the Jenny character sitting in the window, looking down on all the other cats coming out, being like, nah, I'm good. I don't need to come down there. I've got my life up here.

[9:10] Cecilia Arias: Of course. Plus, they feed me a lot. I'm very fat. You know, I'm cool here. So if you want to come up and talk to me, that's fine. But I will not go down there to the alley. I mean, what the fuck? Yeah. I would never. I love it. It's such a fun, like, I have this visual now, like, it's almost a Romeo and Juliet of your cat sitting up on, you know, the, um, up on the terrace. Like, yeah, I'm good. I'm not going down there.

[9:45] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, yes. But Muggerstrap still, he's my friend. Probably we met when we were little and then they adopted me. Like, my parents are calling them somehow. Yeah. Yeah. My owners.

[10:00] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Okay. I want to hear a little bit about the differences in your production. So it's the first time I've talked to anybody on the Mexico tour. This was considered tour three by the, um, the way that they seem to be marked. Um, tell me about, like, is, I'm assuming it's Jillian Lynn's choreography. It's not the Andy Blankenbuehler 2016 revival, right? You're doing the much more original production.

[10:23] Cecilia Arias: Well, not really. Okay. Like, the complete choreography was from a Mexican choreographer called Memo Tejes.

[10:40] Mike Abrams: Okay. So it's a separate choreographer.

[10:40] Cecilia Arias: Yes. It kind of looked like that, but, but not like, not really. It was not exactly the same choreography, so it was different. Ooh. Yeah. Actually, my tap number was choreographed by another choreographer, like that choreographer, her name is Mariana. And well, we did it like together, me and Mariana and choreography for Jennyanydots.

[11:10] Mike Abrams: That is fascinating. I didn't, so I was trying to, there's not a ton published on, on this that I could find, cause a lot of the stuff that I could find, half the comments are someone's trying to translate it for English, um, or just in general, trying to just understand, you know, what happens. Cause some of the stuff just doesn't get documented very well, um, as it goes. And so I was trying to look and I saw, you know, a couple of things like there is the growl tiger, um, you know, section and some of that is in your production that wasn't in 2016. And so just trying to kind of piece together what version you all got to do and how it differed from maybe some of the other productions people have seen over the years.

[11:46] Cecilia Arias: Yes. It was, it was a small production. We had a huge star portraying Grisabella, like a huge Mexican star, or she's called Judy. She's well known around the world. And about the production per se, it was pretty small and we didn't have the, the pirate cat or the dogs and cats fight. You know, it was like the short version and yeah, we didn't have any, any trash on the aisles of the theater, but we did come in between the people at the beginning of the show. Got to scare everybody. All the way. Yeah. Yes, yes, yes.

[12:38] Mike Abrams: All the way. Like I was on top of everybody. It was fun. I liked that part actually until one day I didn't like it because one guy just grabbed my ass.

[12:46] Cecilia Arias: Really? Wow. I've heard some people like kind of get startled and slap or hit, you know, just like as a reflex, but that's, I've not heard any of that. That's extremely terrible.

[13:00] Cecilia Arias: Yes. It was very bad. So I lost my cat completely. I went to the security guys and they had to take him out of the theater because it was really scary.

[13:16] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Yeah. It was not good. I love that part of the show and it's, you know, it's, it's happening some parts, but COVID it wasn't happening everywhere. I hated it as an audience member cause it scared me. I was not prepared for it. But then I'm like, it's such a fun kind of like way to kick off the show. And I had heard some stories over the years of people who a kid was startled and accidentally just slapped or hit, but I've not heard that. And that's such an unfortunate way to, to start your show. How do you regain your composure? Cause you're pretty early, your numbers really early. And so you got the guy kicked out obviously, but then you've got to get back into character and go do the numbers to being in cash.

[13:58] Cecilia Arias: Yes. But yeah, I was like really angry, really angry. So I was, you know, like saying tons of stuff like this, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. The motherfucker in between all of that. And then, yes. And then afterwards I just had to relax and say, okay, there's, I don't know how many people were there. It was in Guadalajara. Guadalajara is a city in Mexico, in the Republic, and it's a huge state. And the theater there is, it is huge, like 3000 people. So I said to myself, okay, Cecilia, you have to calm down and do your show because these people deserve it.

[14:48] Cecilia Arias: To an extent, obviously, you gave kind of the, you know, that's an unfortunate memory from the show. What other, like, more memorable moments do you have from being on tour? Or is there any crazy stories that happened that like completely you'll never forget? Or any other things that are kind of funny moments that you remember from your time doing the show? I have a great memory from like the third week running the show. It was here in Mexico City because we were in Mexico City for, I guess, like eight months before the tour started. So the third week we were here in Mexico, and you know, they throw this shoe on stage, right, in the first number, and I had to pick it up. So I went to pick it up like always.

And then I started running like always. And one of my fellow mates just hit me right on the face. He was pirouetting, and then he hit me with his fist, like on my eyebrow. And I mean, he was really strong. He was one of the pansy ball. He was a character. Yeah. And he was a strong man. He is a strong man. And he hit me. And I was like, Oh, my God, I'm gonna faint. I thought I managed to get off stage. But you know, my number was the next number. So there was nothing much to do. Like, I mean, I had to be on stage because my understudy wasn't there on the theater that day. So, and there wasn't any time. So, well, I had to do my number. I was about to faint. I remember it was kind of funny. So I did my number the best way that I could.

And afterwards, I got out of stage and there was the doctor. She saw my face and she was like, Oh, my God. Just like, what? Is it really bad? Kind of. It's like, how bad is it? Oh, my God. I had like a huge lump on my forehead. And then she grabbed my face and pushed this lump all the way down. It was like, oh, really, really hurtful. And then afterwards, I had to put on my makeup again. And well, it was fun and funny. And I had a black eye for like three weeks.

[18:15] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I was thinking as you said that you got hit. I'm like, well, this is probably one of the few shows where you almost can hide the black eye because you're in full makeup. You know, like you have your plot and that you probably didn't notice it right away. Whereas most every other show is going to be immediately noticeable.

[18:34] Cecilia Arias: Yes, totally. And I thought to myself, oh, my God, everyone's going to notice that my eye is like this to be closed, like I cannot open it. And no, you know, the makeup artist did this amazing job and you couldn't even notice that my eye was kind of closed. Oh, but it was fun. Want to see the picture?

[19:01] Mike Abrams: I do. Yeah. But if you have one, not only do I want to see it, but I want to have you send it and we can post it with this episode when it comes out.

[19:08] Cecilia Arias: Oh, of course. It is so much fun. I'm going to send it to you. But yeah, it was fun. And well, I have tons of memories from Cats, you know, very good friends. We really had a lot of fun. I remember another time we were doing the Jennyanydots choreography and, you know, this new production that Jennyanydots goes rolling on top of the big balls. Yes, we did that. OK. Yes. And they didn't place the balls correctly. So as I was like, you know, diving into them and the dancers were carrying me, one of the balls just completely separated and it was flown away. Then my feet hit the floor and one of my taps hit my other foot.

[20:14] Mike Abrams: Sounds like a lot of good, a lot of injuries for you in this show.

[20:17] Cecilia Arias: Yeah. Yes. I have a lot of injuries, but stupid injuries. It was like, really? How did I get hurt like that? So my foot was like really swollen. Even though I could walk, it was nothing like it was just like the bum and that was it. But I had to continue playing the character. And well, that was it. And what else? What else can I remember? Well, when we were portraying the characters, you know, all the play and everything on Yucatan, Yucatan is this place in Mexico City, its place on the South. And Jesus Christ, it is so awesome. And there was no air conditioning, no nothing. And you're crawling around like dancing for two and a half hours.

[21:10] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Melting, melting.

[21:10] Cecilia Arias: Yeah. I usually don't sweat. But in that particular place, it was like, and we went off stage. Our suits were like completely, completely wet, like dripping. And we were like, oh, my God, what are we going to do? Something, a fan, something. No, there was nothing there. And well, we have to keep on going and do the show.

[21:46] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Show must go on. Whether you get hit in the face, whether you get kicked, whether you're in the desert, it doesn't matter. You're still going to crawl around over the table and around everybody. And it's still still going to happen. We're going to take a quick break and then we'll be back for more of The Wrong Cat Died. I want to ask a little bit because it seems your show was translated, right? So it was in Spanish.

[22:13] Cecilia Arias: Yes. How was that for you having seen the VHS so much in English? Obviously, it's your native language, but you get the ability to see it. Like, how is it learning kind of the music and the songs that you had heard and knew now here in a different language and having to sing it and perform it in a different language?

[22:34] Cecilia Arias: It's always complicated. Yeah. In every show I've played here in Mexico, whenever I listen to the translation and the adaptation, it's like. What? It doesn't say that in English, you know, the names for Jennyanydots in Spanish is Bombonachoona. I'm happy to say that again. Bombonachoona is kind of, if I had to translate it, it would be like a mix between marshmallow and good cat.

[23:16] Mike Abrams: So good marshmallow. OK, that fits the description.

[23:22] Cecilia Arias: I guess she's totally, yes. Like a marshmallow, good cat, cute cat. Yeah. So that's the name for her. I really enjoy that. What other, what other names kind of have? Are there any other funny ones? Like it's already such crazy names to begin with in the show, like Mr. Mistoffelees and Rum Tum Tugger and all these other bizarre things that are there. But now you're translating it and you've got marshmallow, good cat and some other. What are the other ones?

[23:55] Cecilia Arias: The Rum Tum Tugger is punk rock.

[24:01] Mike Abrams: And how does that translate?

[24:01] Cecilia Arias: Like that, that would be punk like a punk rock as in rock, you know, like rocking it. And they're good to burn. So his name is just Stubborn Punk Rocker. Instead of naming, they're just describing the cats with the as a name.

[24:22] Mike Abrams: I love that. Yes. Let me let me think about another one. Oh, well, Valerina is Valerina. Demeter is Demeter. What else? What else do we have? Goss is Goss. And Bustopher Jones is Bustopher's.

[24:47] Cecilia Arias: Come on. Gordo Cles Cruz.

[24:51] Mike Abrams: So Gordo's bat, right? Chunky.

[24:54] Cecilia Arias: Ah, yeah. Gordo Cles Cruz. That would be like saying Chunky Cles. Cruz is like cross. So like a regular last name here in Mexico. So. OK. Gordo Cles Cruz.

[25:11] Mike Abrams: And he's a mariachi cat.

[25:17] Cecilia Arias: OK, that fits. I actually like that a lot. That kind of makes him a little bit more lovable. He's pretty universally hated by most people in the U.S. Like he's the number one answer for at least like cat most of the time. So I like a mariachi.

[25:23] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I like the mariachi version better.

[25:31] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, he's a mariachi. So he enters on stage and he's like mariachi singing. And then I begin singing Gordo Cles Cruz. And it's like that.

[25:47] Mike Abrams: I just, I just the fact the fact that the song starts with with essentially Chunky Cruz, it's as a translation. So great. I love that those tweaks are made. Are there any other Grizabella different? Is any of the ensemble?

[26:03] Cecilia Arias: No, Grizabella is the same. Grizabella. Ensemble names are like Pounceable, et cetera. Syllabub. Pounceable.

[26:14] Cecilia Arias: Mr. Mistoffelees.

[26:24] Mike Abrams: The Railway Cat is.

[26:26] Cecilia Arias: Skimbleshanks.

[26:27] Mike Abrams: How is it in English?

[26:28] Cecilia Arias: Skimbleshanks.

[26:28] Mike Abrams: I know. Here it is.

[26:40] Cecilia Arias: How was the name?

[26:44] Cecilia Arias: Miringo. That's the name.

[26:46] Mike Abrams: What does that translate to?

[26:47] Cecilia Arias: Miringo. I don't know. It's like a cat name. I don't know. It's like saying whatever cat name. Miringo. Just like that.

[26:57] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Miringo. El Gato Express.

[26:59] Cecilia Arias: Then we have like the.

[27:03] Cecilia Arias: The.

[27:05] Cecilia Arias: Brother and sister.

[27:06] Cecilia Arias: Mungo Jerry and Rumpeltease.

[27:08] Cecilia Arias: Rumpeltease.

[27:09] Mike Abrams: As a song.

[27:10] Cecilia Arias: Pinguriento and Rumpeltease.

[27:16] Cecilia Arias: Pinguriento, that would be like a cat that behaves badly.

[27:20] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[27:24] Cecilia Arias: Like he does a lot of.

[27:28] Cecilia Arias: Like a brat. No? Pinguriento.

[27:30] Mike Abrams: Yeah. That's okay. That fits.

[27:34] Cecilia Arias: Yeah. And Rumpeltease.

[27:38] Cecilia Arias: It sounds kind of similar.

[27:40] Cecilia Arias: It's kind of stuck with it a little bit. Like something that breaks.

[27:44] Cecilia Arias: Like somebody that breaks stuff. Rumpeltease.

[27:49] Mike Abrams: This is why I love talking to different productions. Because this might be my favorite part of learning about your production is the different names that got changed to just describe the cats and then change the songs with it. Like that's such a fun piece of history that does not exist in, I would assume, in most other shows.

[28:10] Cecilia Arias: Oh, we have Gatosalem.

[28:13] Mike Abrams: And what's that?

[28:13] Cecilia Arias: Gatosalem.

[28:14] Cecilia Arias: That would be Old Deuteronomy.

[28:19] Cecilia Arias: That would be Gatosalem.

[28:21] Cecilia Arias: And that's like Matthew-salem. You know, Matthew-salem. And then Gatos is cat, so you're. Gato is cat, so yeah. So that would be Gatosalem.

[28:33] Mike Abrams: That is so fun.

[28:35] Cecilia Arias: That is. I love. I just love that that's happening. I'm just thinking like all these other shows that are going to come on tour and you can't do that, like you can't have Hamilton and change the name of Hamilton, you know, like in the. Of an actual person.

[28:47] Mike Abrams: No, no, you can't.

[28:49] Cecilia Arias: But you can call Marshmallow Good Cat and Chunky Cruz and you can make these changes and nobody's going to know the difference in cats because nobody understands the names to begin with.

[29:00] Mike Abrams: Yes, that's right.

[29:01] Cecilia Arias: That's right. Yeah. Yeah. We did Ecuador's Lion here in Mexico and the names were the same. You know, I was Valerie Clark. So Valerie Clark, it's.

[29:10] Mike Abrams: Yeah.

[29:10] Cecilia Arias: Yeah. It's Phantom and Christine and there's, you know, those shows, they're not changing, but cats free for all. You can completely do that.

[29:17] Mike Abrams: That is. I love that. That is so fun. But, you know, like really well known here in Mexico, like the names of the cats because they have seen the productions throughout the years since the first production in 1991, 92. So people actually know the songs.

[29:37] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[30:07] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[30:27] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[30:47] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[31:07] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[31:27] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[31:47] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[32:07] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[32:27] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[32:47] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[33:07] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[33:27] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[33:47] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[34:07] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[34:27] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[34:47] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[35:07] Cecilia Arias: Bombonachoona como ven, de día y noche al revés.

[35:28] Mike Abrams: I love it. I love how anti-Grizabella you are. I very rarely find somebody that is passionately going against her as me, but I'm here for it.

[35:41] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, I mean, you have Gus, and he reads, you know, books to children, to kids, to young kittens, and he's a well-known theater actor, and he has done great things, and he's very kind, and he's really old, he's not having a great time. I think he has Parkinson's, so, you know, he's always trembling, so I guess he has Parkinson's. So, I mean, he deserves it. He needs it, he deserves it. He's the number two answer for... Well, number one answer, that's not Grizabella, in my 150-plus episodes of doing this show.

[36:26] Mike Abrams: Yeah, it's a number two?

[36:28] Cecilia Arias: Grizabella's still number one, and then he's number two.

[36:31] Mike Abrams: Oh, really?

[36:32] Cecilia Arias: Yep, yep.

[36:33] Mike Abrams: But why?

[36:34] Cecilia Arias: I think we get a lot of traditionalists. As much as I'm trying to slowly change everyone's mind, I do think there's... Grizabella has the most votes because there's a lot of people that that's the show, like, that's how it was written, and so I think there's some people that just like the traditionalists. In the redemption arc, there's the idea that she's returning and she needs it. But I'm with you, I think she is mean and deserves to... If you're going to accept her back, she should stay with the family for one more year.

[37:01] Mike Abrams: Yes.

[37:02] Cecilia Arias: And let Gus go. She should change here, like, on Earth, not change there. So that's really easy, like, okay, I'm gonna die, and then I'm a saint. Why? You should change on Earth.

[37:14] Mike Abrams: I'm with you.

[37:15] Cecilia Arias: Not a good message.

[37:17] Mike Abrams: I'm completely with you. This is my exact argument. So we are 100% aligned.

[37:25] Cecilia Arias: This has been so much fun. I enjoy learning about the production, hearing the stories. I'm glad that you're not doing the show anymore, because it sounds like it was dangerous for your health, as you did it, over time. But I am fascinated by Bum-Bum-Natrona, and let's see if I... I'm going to butcher all the rest of them. I tried to write a couple more down. I have the translations. The Stubborn Punk Rocker, and the Chunky Cruise, and...

[37:51] Mike Abrams: Chunky Cruise.

[37:54] Cecilia Arias: And Skimbleshanks, and...

[37:57] Mike Abrams: That is, honestly, my favorite part, is learning that.

[38:00] Cecilia Arias: Miringo, yes, Miringo. You can write that. Like, Miringo, that's easy.

[38:06] Mike Abrams: Yeah, Miringo, and then...

[38:08] Cecilia Arias: Old Deuteronomies is Gatusmalem...

[38:11] Mike Abrams: I'm not getting the second half of that.

[38:13] Cecilia Arias: Gatusalem.

[38:14] Mike Abrams: Gatusalem. How many of them... Can you sing a couple of them in there, where it comes into their name, into the song?

[38:23] Cecilia Arias: Yes.

[38:24] Cecilia Arias: Bum-Bum-Natrona como ves de día y noche al revés. Su piel parece mezcla de un gato, un gato usual y un montes.

[38:41] Mike Abrams: Eso es.

[38:42] Cecilia Arias: That would be... That's the... And then...

[38:46] Cecilia Arias: Bustopher Jones is... Gordo que es cruz moviendo el cabús camina con gargo y con ley y va donde va. Uy uy uy, hey, hey, hey, pues de Garibaldi es el rey.

[39:04] Mike Abrams: I love it. It's so fun. And then...

[39:08] Cecilia Arias: Es Miringo el gato express, el gato del tren express.

[39:17] Mike Abrams: So you're singing the cat train?

[39:20] Cecilia Arias: Yes.

[39:21] Mike Abrams: Is that the translation?

[39:22] Cecilia Arias: I love that so far.

[39:24] Mike Abrams: Yes. I need to find a bootleg of this production so badly.

[39:29] Cecilia Arias: I'm going to send to you my... Well, the number, like... Jenny Any Dots.

[39:36] Mike Abrams: Wait by me.

[39:37] Cecilia Arias: Yes.

[39:38] Mike Abrams: I can't wait.

[39:39] Cecilia Arias: I cannot wait. So you'll have fun. Give me one more. Give me the... Give me Tuggers from Tum Tugger.

[39:48] Cecilia Arias: El punk rock terco es un gato genial. Si tú dices sardina, yo digo champagne. Y luego dice... Él hará lo que le pasca y si no te parece, te aguantas.

[40:06] Mike Abrams: Esa cantada va a ser punk rock terco.

[40:09] Cecilia Arias: And then we have... Pingurriento y rompetrizas. Somos pareja de gatos sin par. Nos ves por ahí haciendo acrobacias. Oh, alambrismo y malabar.

[40:25] Mike Abrams: I... Honestly, I could have you keep doing this for hours. This is so... It's so fun because, again, it's such a minor... It's such a minor tweak, and it's so great that... To put it into the native language of the area, which they do, I know, in Germany, and they do it in a couple other countries, and then, obviously, there's the versions that travel around in English, too. But I think it's fun to have those tweaks and those slight changes, because it just adds a layer to... To anyone that's seen the show. Like, I think about someone who has seen the VHS or saw it on Broadway or saw the English version and then can kind of laugh a little bit at the, like, the fun of, like... I love that it's not Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat. It's... Skimbleshanks is on the cat train. And, you know, like, just these minor things that are fun, but it's still the same melody and the same music, and it just adds a layer to the history of a show that's been on for 40-plus years.

[41:30] Cecilia Arias: Yes, definitely. Well, this has been so fun. How can people stay up with you and keep up with you and what you're working on with social media and everything?

[41:39] Cecilia Arias: OK, my social media is Cecilia Arias, 28. That would be C-E-C-I-L-I-A-R-I-A-S, 28.

[41:51] Mike Abrams: All right. And...

[41:52] Mike Abrams: We will tag that, too. That's Instagram and everything else?

[41:56] Cecilia Arias: That's Instagram, yes.

[41:58] Mike Abrams: Well, that's the same for X and...

[42:00] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, everything else.

[42:01] Mike Abrams: Awesome. And...

[42:04] Cecilia Arias: I'm now on TikTok.

[42:06] Mike Abrams: OK.

[42:07] Cecilia Arias: It's a comedy about obsessive-compulsive behavior.

[42:14] Mike Abrams: All right. If you share that, too, we'll link everything, too, so we can share everything that you're working on.

[42:22] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, it is not a musical. It's a play, and it's a French play, actually. And it has been playing here in Mexico for around 10 years.

[42:33] Mike Abrams: Wow.

[42:34] Cecilia Arias: It's a huge success. My cat is right here. Olivia.

[42:37] Mike Abrams: That's a good idea, darling.

[42:44] Cecilia Arias: Well, I'm playing this character that is so much fun. It has this compulsion about cleaning stuff and, you know, this fear of getting illnesses like COVID and everything.

[43:01] Mike Abrams: Yeah.

[43:02] Cecilia Arias: So she's really scared, and she's always cleaning. She's always scared, and they're all in this doctor's office, in this therapist's office.

[43:15] Mike Abrams: Olivia!

[43:17] Cecilia Arias: And she's messing with me.

[43:20] Mike Abrams: Yeah.

[43:21] Cecilia Arias: And, well, that's it. TikTok. It's playing in Mexico City, so you should go and watch it if you're here in Mexico.

[43:29] Mike Abrams: Yeah, we will link it, so if you are around and close and can go check it out, please do, and we'll put the link to how to get tickets and learn more.

[43:39] Cecilia Arias: Thank you again. This has been so fun to have you on and to learn more about the show. It's every time we learn something new, and this is a very good example of that, learning all the fun nuances of the version that you got to perform.

[43:53] Cecilia Arias: Yeah, thank you so much for inviting me. It has been an honor and so much fun. I loved it.

[44:00] Mike Abrams: Awesome. And thanks, everyone else, for listening to this episode of The Wrong Cat Died, the podcast breakdown of castastrophe. To follow along, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Apple Citizen Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and threads at TheWrongCatDied, or check out our website, thewrongcatdied.com.