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[0:00] Mike Abrams: There's a cat over here. There's a cat over there. And the wrong one died. And the wrong one died.

[0:15] Mike Abrams: Welcome to The Wrong Cat Died, the podcast breakdown of the cat's atrophy. I'm your host, Mike Abrams, and today we have another amazing guest. We have been working with the Fulton Theatre's Amusement Park production of CATS to bring you a series of episodes. And up next, we have Brianna Abruzzo, who's been playing Victoria. So welcome, Brianna. Thank you for joining us.

[0:32] Brianna Abruzzo: Hello. Thank you so much for having me. Excited to have you.

[0:37] Mike Abrams: I know that this is, as we just said, your first production of CATS. But I want to hear your introduction to CATS. Like, when was the first time you saw CATS?

[0:44] Brianna Abruzzo: I saw the revival on Broadway.

[0:49] Mike Abrams: Okay. Actually, pretty close to when it opened. My brother, my older brother, is not a theater person at all. But he has an obsession with CATS.

[1:02] Brianna Abruzzo: Wow. He plays it. He plays this. He's a finance guy. And he plays the soundtrack of CATS in his house alone. I don't know where this obsession came from. I have no idea.

[1:10] Mike Abrams: Did you watch the movie growing up? Like, was it that?

[1:14] Brianna Abruzzo: No, no, no. My sister and I are like wicked people. We love we've always loved Broadway. He's just like a regular finance bro who has an obsession with CATS. So when I came to Broadway, I was kind of newly transitioning from the ballet world into Broadway. And he was very upset that I was not in this production. And I was like, this is not how it works. You can't just like, I didn't even have an audition for it. So he took me and the whole family to go see it. And I don't think it was exactly what he thought it was going to be.

[1:49] Brianna Abruzzo: Well, it's not what he if he listens to the soundtrack is different. There's some changes.

[1:54] Mike Abrams: Yes. So I don't know if he was as pleasantly surprised as I was. I loved it. And I knew people in the production, which makes it always so much more fun. So that was my first intro to CATS through my brother. And then my second intro was auditioning for the tour.

[2:18] Brianna Abruzzo: The sixth tour.

[2:23] Mike Abrams: The, yeah, the revival tour.

[2:28] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. Okay. Which was like, it was to replace someone, but there was a big week of auditions with Andy Blank and Bueller. Yeah, I remember it was like, yeah, four days in a row, like all day. Um, and they ended up calling me in for a final callback for, honestly, can't even remember the cat. It wasn't Victoria though. And I really wanted to play the ballet dancer for sure.

[2:51] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. Um, and then I ended up saying no to going to that final, final callback. Um, and it was okay because it was just before the pandemic, I would have worked for like two weeks and then it would have gotten closed anyway. Yeah. This was the equity right after that it finished and it went on tour. And I think they did like three months. I think it started in December, November, December of 2019. And they were going, I still actually, I can show you cause I can see it, but right here I have my, my family's in Indiana is the April of 2020 tickets to CATS of that tour. My mom gave them to me because they was still when they were printing tickets. And, um, and so I've kept these as like a, a kind of a fun keepsake, but that obviously that production that didn't happen, uh, cause it was April of 2020. And then they, you know, then the, they went on, uh, again out as a non-equity tour for a while after, but yeah.

[3:52] Mike Abrams: All right. I gotta, I gotta ask more questions about your brother here first before we move on because I'm fascinated by, so I'm not, it's not that the finance aspect, it's not that he's not a theater person. Cause like, I'm, I'm not, uh, I didn't grow up a theater person. Obviously I just showed you tickets. Like my mom's a music teacher. And so we went to shows growing up, but we went to like the five shows that came to me in a year. And I would go to like one or two of them. Like I'd go to the Lion King and you know, the stuff that's like more of the household names. So I didn't know cats at all. And now I have this, this show where I know way too much about it. So it's not that it's not that I'm surprised that he's into it. I'm, I'm fascinated by how did he get into it? Like, was it the soundtrack? Like, and it was 16. The first time he saw it, like the first time you really saw it on stage was the 2016 revival.

[4:40] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. That was it. Oh my God. He knew nothing else about it. He, I don't know. I just remember going into his apartment one day and he was playing cats and he knew all the words.

[4:49] Mike Abrams: This is, we're going to need to like bonus episode your brother into it here for, for follow up questions. We'll have you join too. So you can ask everything you've been dying to ask now. Okay. Well I want to, did, has he come to see you yet?

[5:08] Brianna Abruzzo: He has? He came to our preview.

[5:13] Mike Abrams: So the, okay. So he came to the preview. This is probably what he's more used to. Cause it's more of the, like Mark's enjoys versions, much more of the 1998 and original Broadway than 2016.

[5:20] Brianna Abruzzo: So was he, you know, he got Peaks and Palafox back and yeah. He loved it.

[5:25] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Okay. Um, he actually felt like there was a little bit more of a storyline to follow. Um, and it was super entertaining for him.

[5:29] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. Well he's a, he's a fan. I mean, he's a diehard fan and he's got you in it. And he's got you in it too. Our Paul is amazing.

[5:39] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Paul's awesome. I've had, I've had Paul on the show before. So Paul's, Paul's great. Um, okay. So you had your chance to audition, turned it down and now you, you get cast as your Victoria for, for Fulton. So like walk me through the beginning of that process now. Cause you're not, you know, the story in the sense of like, you've seen it, you know, a little bit about it. You've obviously been through some auditions, but did you know what Victoria's storyline like fully was?

[6:04] Brianna Abruzzo: No. Yeah. I really didn't know.

[6:10] Mike Abrams: How surprising was that for you?

[6:12] Brianna Abruzzo: Not, not super surprising. A lot of times my roles end up being, um, sort of sexual awakening. And I was just like, okay, yeah, this is par for the course.

[6:18] Mike Abrams: Is that like just a ballet thing more than anything? Or is it?

[6:23] Brianna Abruzzo: I don't know what it is. It's like, and it's a musical theater obsession with like a young, like ingenue ballerina, like becoming a woman. I don't know.

[6:28] Mike Abrams: So how was your storyline explained to you?

[6:31] Brianna Abruzzo: We were given full reign to create our own storylines.

[6:44] Mike Abrams: Okay. So what is, so then, so tell me your Victoria.

[6:51] Brianna Abruzzo: What sort of happened is Mark staged everything, um, set the whole piece. And then we had a, a session where we sat in a circle and went through our, and discovered our own storylines. Like who are we, um, around on stage? Who are we, um, dancing with? Who are we conversing with? Um, where do our paths cross? Um, so whereas in the original MonkaStrap and Victoria have, uh, more of a storyline, like I don't see MonkaStrap at all in this production. I see him a little bit after the solo and then that's it. So in my version, he's not a super significant part of my story.

[7:35] Mike Abrams: Interesting. Who does your lift? Cause that changes in a lot of productions.

[7:40] Brianna Abruzzo: Alonzo.

[7:40] Mike Abrams: Alonzo. Okay.

[7:42] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. So he becomes my elected king of the ball. So at our ball, um, Deuteronomy selects me as the queen, like a homecoming queen. And then I select my king. So I select Alonzo. Um, so we have like the, the most time together on stage. Like I would think like the strongest storyline. Um, so for me, I kind of decided that Victoria didn't come from this angelical park. Like she came from a very well-to-do household. You know, she's very pristine. She's proper. She has this, like, she's the only white, purely white cat on stage. Um, I didn't think that she came from a litter of angelical cats. Um, so in my mind, she came from a very well-to-do family and they sort of, um, got what I call shits creaked where they got kicked out of their home and lost their money. Um, and, um, so Mistoffelees finds her.

[8:47] Brianna Abruzzo: Oh, brings her into the park and introduces her to this new community that can take care of her and, and raise her. Um, so that's sort of what I decided and what we came up with.

[9:01] Mike Abrams: And then you're so popular right away that you end up as queen of the ball.

[9:06] Brianna Abruzzo: She makes quite an impression.

[9:09] Mike Abrams: Yeah.

[9:09] Brianna Abruzzo: Okay. I think that's, I, that's fun. I think the, not part of the ball of the Jellicles like in coming in is, is, um, something I've heard before. I've also heard that a lot of people think that, or a couple of people thought that she might have been last year's Jellicle choice. And so that's like her being reborn into, or like back into the tribe. I like the shits creaked part. That's, that's fun. Like, like, Hey, they lost their home. They're going to sleep in this motel and they don't have room for the cat anymore. The amusement park, that would be a storyline that they would have in that show too. Like that would fit perfectly in that.

[9:42] Brianna Abruzzo: Thanks. Okay. Yeah. She needs the community. She needs, um, a family. So, and then and then you have after, I mean, you obviously have your, your moment where your lift is your, you know, losing your virginity. It's like, still weird to me. That's one of the defining things of the show. It's like the, that's that part. No one argues with it. A lot of loose storylines, but that one's like, Nope, that's definitive.

[10:03] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah. There's always the mash pit. Yeah. And then what's Victoria's storyline after that though?

[10:07] Brianna Abruzzo: After that, she, um, kind of her Alonzo kind of break off because he was with, um, bomb ballerina. And I think the reason there's a little bit more of a storyline to follow. Um, and it was super entertaining for him. Yeah. Well he's a, he's a fan. I mean, he's a diehard fan and he's got you in it. And he's got you in it too. Our Paul is amazing.

[11:03] Brianna Abruzzo: She is abandoned again. Yeah, who also you considering so she learns like who?

[11:11] Mike Abrams: What men are like very early. Yeah.

[11:15] Brianna Abruzzo: That's...

[11:17] Mike Abrams: Who else did you consider for King? Like who are the other options for you?

[11:20] Brianna Abruzzo: The other options are Mistoffelees, Tumblebrutus, and Pouncival. Okay, and why don't you pick them? Like what would be your argument to pick those three?

[11:26] Brianna Abruzzo: I mean, it's a good question because Mistoffelees brought me in. So I don't think that I would pick him, but again, I think it's more that she wants to be like a bomb ballerina and she thinks that that is going to be like a status symbol.

[11:41] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[11:48] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, it's not maybe the best choice, but yeah, I mean it doesn't end happy for you there.

[11:58] Mike Abrams: Okay. What about some of the older kittens? Because if you're new to the tribe, like what's the relationship with Grizabella? Is there a relationship or is it just like who is this old lady?

[12:08] Brianna Abruzzo: Not really a relationship, more of it's like murmurs, rumors. I don't really know who she is. I feel like she's just like this is a bad time for her to come because we're about to like have this Jellicle Ball, but she's kind of dampening the mood and you know, this is gonna be my night and she's here. Everyone's very upset about it. But I don't really have an opinion other than when I see the other cats and how they react towards her.

[12:35] Brianna Abruzzo: And these older cats that I look up to, like Bomb Ballerina and Demeter, they're not happy that she's here. So then I feel like, oh, okay, you just jump in, join the bandwagon.

[12:48] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I like the way you phrase that, that it's your night because I think it is an interesting part. And I dogs fine, although this is Cats still, but we're all loud dogs.

[13:01] Brianna Abruzzo: It's interesting to say it that way because there's like the night is to be around the Jellicle choice, right? Like it's supposed to be about for the Heaviside Layer. But then there's this other half of this is like the ball is your coming-of-age story and everything else.

[13:19] Mike Abrams: So like, do you view it as Victoria, the night is like this is your night? This is your party for you and not for this like selection after?

[13:24] Brianna Abruzzo: Pretty much. Yeah, I think like in my own story, everyone's like walking through their first narrative story, right? And yeah, for me, I'm not ready to pass on and go to the Heaviside Layer. So this is, and I'm new here, so I want to feel community. I want to feel accepted. So that's the big thing for me is to become the queen of the ball and have a fun time and join this community.

[13:53] Mike Abrams: Is Victoria weirded out that you're joining a family that's gonna about to sacrifice one of their older, like whether their family members in itself? Like how does the outsider view that?

[14:05] Brianna Abruzzo: I think she feels like it's a new life for someone who deserves it. I mean, she's also like young and doesn't quite know like what afterlife really means. She's just kind of like following the group, sort of like if you, I kind of picture it like if you ask like a 14-year-old like what are your political views? Like they haven't experienced, you know, like what do you feel about God and like the afterlife, you know? Like they haven't formed their opinions yet.

[14:45] Brianna Abruzzo: So she's sort of like following this group and it all seems fine. I kind of like that analogy. It's like, all right, they get a day off of school, so they're more focused on their day off of school than the vote of the election for the political party, right?

[15:00] Mike Abrams: Yeah, it's just...

[15:07] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, what word of pets does each president candidate? Yeah, I'm sure Canada have, you know.

[15:11] Mike Abrams: Yeah.

[15:14] Brianna Abruzzo: It's okay because I, you know, the Victoria storyline is so interesting because there is a whole part to it. Like there's a whole, like some of them are way less defined, but Victoria's I think has, you know, there's still a lot open for interpretation, which is cool for you as a performer to be able to add all these things yourself. But there are a few like known things and like, but again, it kind of comes back to like it's so weird to me that those are the things that were definitively like, all right, we know this is the coming of age. We know this part's there.

[15:37] Mike Abrams: But you're also viewing it from a point of like you are the newbie, you are the outsider, you are the one that's like kind of experiencing like this whole thing that happens every year that a bunch of them have probably experienced many, many times. This is your first foray into this kind of cult, which I kind of love that you get to be the homecoming queen like right away. It's like, all right, I'm of course you're in, I'm in.

[16:01] Brianna Abruzzo: The things, yeah, I've been thinking about that too and also about like why does she have this solo? Yeah, you know, like the other kittens don't necessarily have like a solo. Like why does the audience need to see her basking in the moonlight?

[16:18] Mike Abrams: You know, what is this? What's your answer to that?

[16:23] Brianna Abruzzo: I don't really have a good one. I think I'm like discovering it every night. But my initial thoughts are like to see like a juxtaposition between like the new energy and like this other like group of cats that have like a long history.

[16:45] Mike Abrams: Oh, interesting. We're gonna take a quick break and then we back for more of The Wrong Cat Died.

[16:50] Brianna Abruzzo: I'm a much, much darker version of this.

[16:53] Mike Abrams: Oh, well, I so, and again, like I do know this when I started, I didn't have the same obsession as your brother, so I didn't like come in with listening to this stuff. I and so I've learned this stuff over time and early on like the definitive things I was told pretty quickly, the word Demeter was abused, the ball is an orgy, and then they sacrifice one for to be reborn to a new life and you can interpret the Heaviside Layer however you want from that.

[17:20] Mike Abrams: Those are like the one, the only things that people are like that's for sure happening and then all the rest of stuff, it's like you can make the arguments of here. Okay, maybe this is a relationship, maybe this is happening, but those are definitive.

[17:32] Brianna Abruzzo: And so if there's an orgy in the middle, like that's what the party is outside the ball is like a lot of that. I've never heard the homecoming queen and king part until Mark and Joey, like till this production.

[17:43] Mike Abrams: Yeah, if it's an orgy then it's like, well you're showcasing part of that orgy and are showcasing the pure white cat new, like that makes sense to me is like that that's the part you feature is that moment of it because otherwise it's just again, they're all rolling on top of each other like it's just an orgy.

[18:01] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, but the solo happens before the ball.

[18:05] Mike Abrams: But doesn't happen. There's a solo, but then there's a, isn't the lift during the ball?

[18:11] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, the lift is during the ball and like the orgy is during the ball. Isn't that lift the...

[18:16] Mike Abrams: So is that lift apart? She's losing her virginity?

[18:19] Brianna Abruzzo: Not necessarily, like the clump, like we kind of have like a clump when I am, if you see the show, there's a part where like Alonzo's on the floor and I am on top of him and he lifts me. Yes, like that's like that's a moment.

[18:35] Mike Abrams: Okay, yeah, that's the like a moment where like I'm losing my virginity and everyone's there to see it. Welcome, welcome friends and family to see the show.

[18:48] Brianna Abruzzo: Okay. Um, yeah, it's just, yeah, it's not very explicit. It's, but that's supposed to be what's hot interesting.

[18:55] Mike Abrams: Um, so the lift is not in our production is not necessarily like the, like when she's becoming a woman. It's more just like their connection.

[19:10] Brianna Abruzzo: Is this a conversation you expected to have happen when you said I'm gonna sign up for Cats, right?

[19:18] Brianna Abruzzo: So when I first saw it, I again would never have thought any of that ever crossed my mind. I was just like, oh cool, this is a very impressive ballet and lift, like that's physically difficult. It was my reaction and then as I've learned more, I'm like wait, there's a lot more to the show.

[19:35] Mike Abrams: Yeah, there is a lot more, but I was like any dance partnering is it's supposed to showcase like a connection between two people. So that's why we have like a couple of potatoes within the whole ball.

[19:49] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah.

[19:50] Mike Abrams: What about with the teens? Because I've loved that you have this like extra layer of part of this production where you have new cats with different names and they wrote detailed stories. How many of them incorporated Victoria into their stories?

[20:09] Brianna Abruzzo: But it makes sense because I don't actually interact with them like throughout the staging of this show. I would say I'm more interact with Tumble.

[20:17] Brianna Abruzzo: Okay, Brutus is a kitten that I am befriending, getting to know. He's very playful and Skimbleshanks.

[20:29] Brianna Abruzzo: Interesting. Yeah.

[20:32] Mike Abrams: So, and is it do you find a relationship with Skimbleshanks? Because if you're an outsider, you basically eliminated all the like that could be my uncle, that could be my dad. Like you're truly just walking into a new family.

[20:45] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, completely fresh. Yeah. Well, I wonder if you know Skimbleshanks is worldly. He's seen the world like I've been from outside world. So maybe we have that connection.

[20:57] Mike Abrams: Okay, coming from the outside in. I love it. Did you add any other storylines or any other characters we haven't talked about like that you kind of fit into your narrative for Victoria?

[21:08] Brianna Abruzzo: Definitely the Bomb Ballerina, you know, like idolization. Yeah, and I think that her and Mistoffelees have a little fling.

[21:19] Mike Abrams: Well after you get abandoned by Alonzo, you've got to have a rebound and so that's for sure.

[21:27] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, yeah, and he's super cool.

[21:31] Mike Abrams: Okay, have you? Since this show is kind of like, you know, you're when we're recording this at least you're only a weekend, I think of like a week and a half of performances. So have you tinkered with any other kind of things of like, all right tonight? I'm gonna try this small relationship type of piece. Are you like have you played around with that at all?

[21:50] Brianna Abruzzo: Yeah, and I think that's led me to believe that her and Skimbleshanks have a relationship that's growing.

[21:56] Brianna Abruzzo: Oh, okay. To try. Yes, please. I like to give ones I think are like a little far-fetched but could work but also could fail miserably.

[22:07] Brianna Abruzzo: Thank you. Awesome. We're having a blast. We're working our little butts off.

[22:36] Mike Abrams: Yeah, that shows the show's not easy. It's a workout.

[22:42] Brianna Abruzzo: No. Yeah. Well, hopefully everyone can go see the show. It's going to be through mid-July.

[22:47] Mike Abrams: Yeah, and we'll link how to get tickets. So thanks again for coming on.

[22:51] Brianna Abruzzo: Thank you so much for having me. And thanks everyone for listening to this episode of The Wrong Cat Died podcast breakdown the cat's attribute to follow along to subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or podcast falls or social media at the wrong cat or check out our website, the wrong cat.com.