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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 a very exciting guest. You might have seen him as Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon, or downtown at his stage time shows, or working on one of the many things he's producing, but I don't think you've ever heard his hot takes on Cats. So I'm excited to bring that to you today. So welcome, PJ Adzima, and thank you for joining me.

[0:39] PJ Adzima: Hi, thank you so much for having me. This is an absolute thrill. I'm so happy to be here. This one's fun because we met a long time ago through mutual friends, and I was already a Book of Mormon fan, and then I got a call being like, hey, my friend's making their debut on Broadway. I'm not gonna tell him, but we're buying front row seats, and we're gonna go. And I was like, I'm in. I was like, I will absolutely go. And so we went, and it was the most fun, because I don't think they warned you, and when you run out pretty quickly into the show, right in front is your old roommate, really good friend, and it was hilarious to be a part of that.

[1:20] Mike Abrams: Absolutely. Oh my gosh, it was wild, and I'm so happy that you got to be there for what was a night that I absolutely blacked out and do not remember. I'm glad you remember it, because I was fun to see my fans. I've seen the show many times. I was an early fan, obviously. I mean, I've always felt like the South Park fans from my age, it was like written for us. So we will get into the Cats Book of Mormon conversation later, but we gotta start with Cats, because this is a Cats podcast, and I heard that you have some Cats hot takes. So I want to know, have you seen it? What's your experience with it? And then maybe also with the Jellicle Ball.

[1:54] PJ Adzima: Okay, great. Let's jump in. Cats. I don't know anything about Cats. Nothing. I know enough to be a pedestrian fan, but in general, I have found it to be so – almost like out of reverence, I have kept it at a distance, because I feel like once I really get in, I'm going to fall. I see you, and I go, oh, this is going to run my life the minute I give it. It will take everything once I fall in love with it. So I've seen it. I saw it first time in high school. A high school production of Cats was my first introduction to Cats.

[2:39] Mike Abrams: A high school one. Oh, that's great.

[2:41] PJ Adzima: I said, this is crazy. I think I was like 14. And then I was like, well, now I know Cats, and it didn't latch on to me in that way. But also, hot take for me is a lot of musicals don't. I'm kind of like secretly the worst musical theater nerd, and kind of found my way into this Broadway scene through Comet. And so, like you mentioned, I was in Book of Mormon, and I really started as a comedian. I was an actor, and was in sketch classes, and doing UCB, and I can sing, and learned how to dance. I learned how to tap dance through Book of Mormon. So I've kind of backdoored my way to Broadway. And with it, then I feel like I almost don't have enough street cred, because I am lacking in proper Cats education, and several other major musicals.

[3:37] Mike Abrams: So I'm the same way, but have not backed my way into it. I'm just here adjacent through with this podcast and this work, because I'm the same way. I couldn't dance. I mean, I couldn't. I still can't. I can't sing. My Broadway knowledge is now from 2016 forward. So it's really fun talking to our friends, and our mutual friends, and other people, and they're like, I meet these deep theater people. These people are super knowledgeable, and very passionate.

[4:09] PJ Adzima: It's incredible.

[4:09] Mike Abrams: And they'll reference something that most theater kids would know. And I'd be like, I don't even know what you're talking about. I've never heard of this.

[4:17] PJ Adzima: Brother.

[4:18] Mike Abrams: I was like, it's not. So I actually built myself a tool to help me explain Broadway shows to me in Cats.

[4:24] PJ Adzima: No, I have a tool that I can basically say, I'm going to go see the show, give it to me in Jellicle form. And I've got a little rundown for myself.

[4:33] Mike Abrams: Wait, are you what does that mean? How do you begin? I guess we'll do that with Book of Mormon. Is that what you're alluding to?

[4:39] PJ Adzima: Well, I love casting it. So I've seen Book of Mormon. So it helps. But I'll go into a lot of shows blind. And that's got me in trouble. Before, you know, especially before this podcast, I went to see Fun Home, thinking it was fun, you know, like did not know at all, I won a lottery ticket. And I was like, this is this, I heard this is amazing. And when Tony's and all this great performances, and I walked in, and that is not fun. It is incredible and well done, but not fun. So I had a history of that.

[5:07] Mike Abrams: Yeah. So I kind of now have, you know, there's some AI tools that there's a lot of AI challenges, but there are some value to AI. And this has become one of them, because I have a way to...

[5:16] PJ Adzima: In helping your musical education.

[5:18] Mike Abrams: It's educating me on things that I otherwise would not have had explained to me in a way I understand. But I love... Okay, so you started with a high school production. What an introduction. High school production of Cats and then nothing until Jellicle Ball.

[5:31] PJ Adzima: Nothing until... Jellicle Ball was one of the greatest theatrical experiences I've ever seen. It had a massive impact on me and made me a fan of Cats. A lot of people are gonna be talking about Jellicle Ball coming up, but I think it is the most important theatrical experience that I've had in the past 10 years. And I think that it is a huge cultural benchmark for where this industry is going and where it needs to go. I am wildly passionate about this production and what they've been able to do with this show and really make Broadway cool with the most unassuming of shows, by taking the poster child for the eye roll of what musical theatre has been and then revamp it and make it something that is truly at the bleeding edge of what culture is and what this industry is and what the future of this art form can be. So I am a huge Cats fan now, though not because of the Jellicle Ball.

[6:46] Mike Abrams: Yeah, which is the craziest part about going to the Jellicle Ball. I went to the second or third preview at the PAC and it is Cats. It is Cats, completely Cats. And as a Cats person who knew the Cats, Cats, I was like, this is the same thing and totally different. And I think the beauty of that is it reaches so many different people. And like you said, the cultural impact that it can provide and the bringing the different types of performers, bringing the ballroom scene performers plus the theatre scene performers. I love they recently released the casting and they actually explained it that way. Here are the types of casting we're doing and how that all comes together to tell this 80s mega musical in a different format is really cool.

[7:32] PJ Adzima: It's extraordinary. It's extraordinary. It's absolutely changing the game in real time. I am so excited to see how it transfers because I found it to be magnificent and perfect when it was at the PAC. I can't wait to see how the jump will impact the production, but I have nothing but faith that this is about to be a sensation.

[7:54] Mike Abrams: They have an incredible team, so if anybody can figure it out, I'm optimistic and hopeful. I will be there. I have first preview tickets. I'm going to all kinds of stuff leading up with them and hope people... Well, they must be taking, I hope they're taking care of you. You are like the Cats influencer on the Broadway podcast network. Come on now.

[8:11] PJ Adzima: There's both to that. There's like the, yes, I'm sure they will send me a press invite and all this stuff. I also was like, I want to support them. And I bought the opening, like the first preview tickets myself because I want to embrace their production and be there for that moment for them.

[8:27] Mike Abrams: And it's really good for your business and your podcast. So it's really, it's very, it's very important that this production does well.

[8:36] PJ Adzima: They're good for the Cats ecosystem. Like you said, you've kept it an arm's distance away. I think if you go too deep, you might have way too much fun with it for stage time.

[8:48] Mike Abrams: I know. I know it's my, they made my favorite thing. Like they made Jellicle Ball. Like, I'm like, Oh, you did it. You made my new favorite show. And like, I'm going to be a total Cats nerd now because of this production. And I'm ready. Like you're catching me at the cusp. I'm like, I am, I am, I am a new convert. I'm going to be able to, to like chow down with you about all of the things. When I come back, when I'm back on the pot in a year, a year's time, I'm going to be fighting you about Rum Tum Tugger and Mistoffelees. But right now those are nonsense words in my mouth.

[9:25] PJ Adzima: They're still nonsense words to most people, which is great. I think great. I think it's fun. I think that's the fun of it. I do think once you get into it, it has a very obvious tie into your stage time. It will be beautifully done in weird ways that you all can do.

[9:44] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Oh man. I'm so excited. It's perfect for you all.

[9:50] PJ Adzima: Thank you. I couldn't agree more. I think it's an extra, I mean, it's, it's, it's not a hot take that Cats is extraordinary, right? Like that, like it's, I mean, do you get anybody on this, on this podcast who hates Cats?

[10:00] Mike Abrams: I've been trying, but the hard part is everyone who hates Cats does not actually have an actual thought or reason to discuss it. So anyone who hates Cats, there's basically two things as it, they either just didn't get it. It's like, it was, it was weird. Cause they were in Cats costumes and I just didn't get it. Or they didn't understand the plot, which because if you don't really dig in or explain it to them and something like there's a deep story that's actually there, but it's hard to follow the first time you see it because there's so much happening in front of you. And like you said, they got these weird names. It's Mungo, Jerry and Ripple Teaser and Tugger and Mistoffelees. And, and so it's hard to kind of follow that the first time.

[10:36] PJ Adzima: So nobody has a thoughtful reason of why they don't like it. It's just like, I saw it when I was 10 and it just wasn't for me. And it's hard to do a 20 minute, 30 minute hour long conversation with somebody that can't articulate anything beyond that.

[10:51] Mike Abrams: Well, I, well, I'll, I'll, I'll give you the reasons that I can see, right? Like I think it's kept me away. It's a nightmare. It's a fever dream. Like the whole thing is just, is, is, is it a piece of modern art that does not care if you get it, it does not hold your hand at all. And so I think for people who like accessible art or they like, but I don't know how to something that feels so inaccessible. It is accessible, right? Like, I guess, I mean, this is the, it's, it's, it shouldn't exist and that's why it's brilliant. It's absolutely singular. It's like, who, who thought this was a good, like they're, they're all mad geniuses that took something that, that like all of the, the sum of its parts makes something that does not make sense and is beloved by millions around the world.

[11:38] PJ Adzima: It's also the most accessible thing though possible because everyone has probably at some point in their life interacted with a cat and you don't need to follow, like you don't need to understand English to follow it because there's, it's really hard to follow anyway. Cause it's gobbledygook.

[11:52] Mike Abrams: Yeah. And it's, and it, and, and tradition and dancing, right? So it is, it is, it's beautiful music and you can just enjoy the spectacle. It's a spectacle show and the spectacle is in, is in dance. I think that that's a huge part of it. Is it like you really are going to be impressed by the athletic ability of these performers traditionally on top of earworm after earworm after earworm. And really it's, it's pure spectacle and, and, and then with it, apparently a very deep story that you know far more about than I do.

[12:28] PJ Adzima: But that's the part that it's, it's so funny. Everything you said is the reason people hate it is actually probably why I should have hated it because I love Book of Mormon. It's funny. It's got a clear story. I know where I'm going. It's leading me down this path. Cats. I walked out exactly what you said. It looked like a fever dream. It was athletic. It was a bunch of songs I couldn't get out of my head and no idea what I watched, but as I unpacked it later, well, the thing was, as I didn't immediately, I was not like a, oh my God, I got to go back tomorrow. It was a, I'm not sure what I saw. It's kind of funny. It's like a funny vehicle when you really dig into it. And then it was not until 2019 for me, it was three full years later that the movie trailer came out and I like dug into it. And I was like, oh, this is, this is what I think might be your future. Like, like if you start, I'm looking into the future. I'm ready. Please bring it on. I'm ready. It's time.

[13:21] PJ Adzima: I've been waiting. I will send you some links. I'll send you some fan fiction stories I found that are wild.

[13:26] Mike Abrams: God, it is. Okay, fine. I'm ready. It is a deep, dark web of people. And it's a really fun community. It's a fun group of people because they are passionate and they're passionate about it for usually one reason or another. And not all of them are the same. It's like, they saw it at a formidable time. They love the costumes, there's cosplayers, there's artists. Like there's a lot of people that bring cats.

[13:51] PJ Adzima: I just did a talk at BroadwayCon and I was so happy when I saw people in full cats get ups. I was like, yeah, this is great.

[14:02] Mike Abrams: This is the first year I didn't do BroadwayCon. I've done the last four.

[14:05] PJ Adzima: You know, I think that the Jellicle Ball is one of those things that, when you see it, it just stays with you. It’s such a unique experience, and it really captures the essence of what makes CATS special.

[15:05] PJ Adzima: I remember the first time I saw it, I was just blown away by the choreography and the music. It felt like I was transported to another world, and I think that’s what makes it such a powerful piece of theatre.

[15:35] PJ Adzima: Diving into the CATS world was a bit intimidating for me at first. I mean, there’s so much lore and so many characters, and I didn’t want to get it wrong. But once I started exploring it, I realized how rich and fascinating it is.

[16:05] PJ Adzima: The Jellicle Ball itself is such a pivotal moment in the show. It’s where all the characters come together, and you really get to see their personalities shine. It’s a celebration of life and individuality, which I think resonates with a lot of people.

[16:35] PJ Adzima: I’ve always been a fan of musicals that have a strong sense of community, and CATS definitely embodies that. The way the characters interact and support each other is really beautiful.

[17:35] PJ Adzima: And then, of course, there’s the music. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score is just iconic. Each song tells a story and adds depth to the characters, making them more relatable and memorable.

[17:43] PJ Adzima: I think that’s why CATS has such a lasting impact on audiences. It’s not just a show; it’s an experience that stays with you long after the curtain falls.

[17:48] PJ Adzima: I’ve had the pleasure of performing in some incredible shows, but CATS holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of those productions that you can’t help but fall in love with.

[18:18] PJ Adzima: As for my journey in Broadway, it’s been quite the ride. I started out in community theatre, and then I made my way to New York City, where I had the opportunity to perform in The Book of Mormon.

[18:48] PJ Adzima: That show taught me so much about the craft and the importance of storytelling. It’s all about connecting with the audience and making them feel something, which is something I strive for in every performance.

[19:18] PJ Adzima: The characters in The Book of Mormon are so well-written, and I think they have a lot in common with the characters in CATS. They’re all searching for something, whether it’s acceptance, love, or a sense of belonging.

[19:48] PJ Adzima: I love the idea of casting Book of Mormon characters as CATS. It’s a fun way to explore the similarities between the two shows and see how different characters might fit into the CATS universe.

[20:18] PJ Adzima: For example, Elder Price could definitely be a leader among the Jellicles, while Elder Cunningham would bring a lot of humor and heart to the mix.

[20:48] PJ Adzima: It’s interesting to think about how each character would interact with the others and what their roles would be in that world.

[21:18] PJ Adzima: The Book of Mormon has such a unique blend of humor and heart, and I think that’s something that CATS also captures in its own way.

[21:48] PJ Adzima: The secret sauce of a good musical is that balance of emotion and entertainment. You want to make people laugh, but you also want to make them feel something deep inside.

[22:18] PJ Adzima: That’s what keeps audiences coming back for more. They want to experience those highs and lows, and musicals like CATS and The Book of Mormon deliver on that promise.

[22:48] PJ Adzima: Speaking of delivering, I’m really excited about my production company, Stage Time. We’re focused on creating innovative and engaging works that push the boundaries of traditional theatre.

[23:18] PJ Adzima: It’s been a dream of mine to produce shows that not only entertain but also inspire and challenge audiences.

[23:48] PJ Adzima: I believe that theatre has the power to change lives, and I want to be a part of that change through the projects we’re developing at Stage Time.

[24:18] PJ Adzima: We have some exciting new works in the pipeline, and I can’t wait to share them with the world.

[24:48] PJ Adzima: The showman’s role is to create a space where people can come together and experience something truly special. That’s what we aim to do with every production we put on.

[25:18] PJ Adzima: I think it’s important to keep pushing the envelope and exploring new ideas in theatre. There’s so much potential for creativity and innovation, and I’m excited to be a part of that movement.

[25:48] PJ Adzima: Whether it’s through CATS or The Book of Mormon or any other project, I believe that theatre can be a powerful force for good in the world.

[26:18] PJ Adzima: And I’m committed to making that happen through my work at Stage Time.

[26:48] PJ Adzima: The showman’s role is to entertain, but it’s also to inspire and uplift. That’s what I strive for in every project I take on.

[27:18] PJ Adzima: I think that’s what makes theatre so magical. It has the ability to connect people and create a sense of community, and I’m grateful to be a part of that.

[27:48] PJ Adzima: So, whether you’re a fan of CATS or The Book of Mormon, I hope you’ll join us on this journey and experience the magic of theatre with us.

[29:12] PJ Adzima: And enjoyable piece of comedy in the musical theater medium.

[29:17] Mike Abrams: Yeah. And I mean, you all sold out like immediately on that show.

[29:21] PJ Adzima: Yep.

[29:21] Mike Abrams: You're working on, I think you're working on a cast album right now.

[29:24] PJ Adzima: Yes. So we sold our developmental run. We booked the theater and we said, hey, let's just see what we got. We'll workshop it like in front of an audience and we'll use this time to play. That exploded. We were like, oh, hey, we'll run for four weeks. And then that sold out and we went, okay, we'll run for six. And then it turned into four months completely sold out back to back at the asylum, like turning people away, getting international press coverage about it. Like we were getting, we were being written up in London and in Tel Aviv and like around the world for, and then we ended up in the, the list of the New York Times list of the best comedies of 2025 across mediums. Not even just for theater.

We were one of the only theaters and it was like us and Kimmel and Colbert. Like it was an insane and this scrappy workshop of a musical. So we went, okay, let's, let's take that workshop version away because we were still just, I mean, and I'm the first time producer on it. Like we did it for no money with a non-union cast, like just downtown for fun. And then all of a sudden we were, were like the talk of the town. So we're going away now making our album, which we're going to release through a Kickstarter because again, completely scrappy, scrappy, scrappy. We, we, we've gotten, you know, we're as, as down and dirty as it gets doing this all like for the love of the game and for no money.

So we need help with the community to do, to get the, the album across the finish line. And then we're eyeing at a return in 26 for a 2.0 production because we, we just loved it. And the, and I, we think everybody else will continue to love it as well.

[31:01] Mike Abrams: Yeah. We'll link the Kickstarter cause this will probably come out, I think after or right around when I think you're starting it. And then you also had a former cat in your production. I don't know if you knew that John was, John was, was on the tour.

[31:11] PJ Adzima: Oh yeah. It's amazing. I can't believe he was a guy. God, I'll ask him more about that. I still want him to come on. I did have the Luberger team come on a while ago when they were doing their first musical. So I know that you, you had some, some stuff there. So they were great, great, great cast. A, a incredible show, a wild show to go see. I mean, it was, I was very lucky to, to slide my way. And I think I might've been yours, like definitely in the last month, but really close towards the end to see, which is cool. Cause as a developmental show, it is changing at all times.

[31:48] PJ Adzima: Yeah. It will never be that. It will never be that version again, and thank you so much for coming and for supporting it really, especially to be a new thing and to be a new piece of theater. It's just, it's so it's, it's, we know how hard it is to, to make something work in this town, especially in this medium. And the fact that we're doing so just as scrappily as possible and really trying to, you know, model something like different, really, really trying to kind of break the wheel a bit on how, how we can make, make new things and make stuff that can be really cutting edge in a, in an industry that is, I don't think very cutting edge right now, which is, which brings me back to the Jellicle Ball and why I'm so happy about it.

I, I, I viewed that as such a huge cultural point where I'm, where we're seeing, Oh, the, we're, we're letting the rest of the culture of America, like America influence our, our art form, which I think we've been really precious about for a long time. And so it's, it's to, to take a, I'm, I'm really, really excited to be pushing the boundaries of what, you know, this industry can do, and then to be seeing other, other shows that are doing it also. And I'm like, Oh yeah, I'm like, we're onto something. Cause, cause we're all smelling the same thing, right? Where it's like, Oh, we need to be more relevant. We need to be more, we need to be cool. We've got to just like, get this, this art form of musical theater and Broadway back to being a really sexy industry. And, and, and that's a big, a big mission of mine.

[33:21] Mike Abrams: I love it. So can I pitch you my stage time variety show cats, the like segment.

[33:28] PJ Adzima: Gimme.

[33:28] Mike Abrams: So I viewed cats as a American Idol X-Factor, like style show.

[33:33] PJ Adzima: A hundred percent.

[33:34] Mike Abrams: I also have had on Ginger Minj and some like, there's some drag queen, drag queen, like RuPaul integrations. You can also find that have some similarities. So I want a competition cats, whether you do it in full cat or more Joke-a-ball, but I want it to be an audience voted who gets to be sent to the heavyside layer at the end of your show. So it can just be a segment of the variety show, but a different person wins every time you do it because I want the audience to vote.

[34:01] PJ Adzima: That's incredible. You are, you are talking about something that I'm going to debut this year, really, which is not, not with cats, but we are having like a more of a competition model when it comes to like the talent, the talent show of everything.

[34:10] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[34:13] PJ Adzima: Stage time.

[34:14] Mike Abrams: Well, if you do a cat's version, I'll be in the front row for you.

[34:17] PJ Adzima: I would love to do a, a cat's version. They won't let me do it in New York City. They won't release the rights now that this is going on. So I'll have to go to, to California.

[34:27] Mike Abrams: I think you could get away with a parody version that's adjacent. That is, that doesn't fall into the rights discussion because they're a little strict on the rights in the sense of like, they're really, you know, the Andrew Lloyd Weber and they're going to be very tight on what they're going to allow, which rightfully, like, I understand this is a 40 year musical that has a lot of history. So they're allowing some different things to happen, but the rights are very tricky. But I think with the parody rules, you can get away with doing some stuff. Cause I saw some stuff happening that is like, I don't know the legality of that. I will let your LLC figure out, but I think there are ways around that to be adjacent. Um, that still would work.

[35:08] PJ Adzima: That's fun. I liked, I liked that a lot. It's kind of, that kind of reminds me of like fact Asia. How are you, are you familiar with fact Asia?

[35:13] Mike Abrams: I'm not, but I, you're going to love, yeah.

[35:18] PJ Adzima: So fact Asia is a, is a, um, like musical parody company that is run by an amazing group of nightlife performers. And they basically like throw a pair, they put on a parody production of a musical fully staged, fully rehearsed, like, but it's the actual songs all often featuring dragon variety performers. Like they just did, like they're doing, um, and they always change it. Like this, the next one they're doing is called Chicago. And it's, it's like, it's like a bunch of nightlife performers and drag Queens doing their version of Chicago.

[35:51] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Did they do cats dashing? And there was a Kardashian cats one.

[35:56] PJ Adzima: It's probably years ago, but yeah. So that's my, that's my idea for you. But okay. I love it. Those are, those are great.

[36:05] Mike Abrams: Oh yeah. Check out fact Asia and that's my fact Asia plug. Go fact Asia.

[36:09] PJ Adzima: Okay. Let's do some quick rapid fire here to close us out. We're going back to cats. So if you could be in cats, which cat do you want to play?

[36:14] PJ Adzima: Oh, I want to be the, the train cat.

[36:18] Mike Abrams: Skimbleshanks.

[36:21] PJ Adzima: That's it. The railroad, the road, the cat, the cat on the rails.

[36:26] Mike Abrams: You've already, you taught yourself tap. You're ready to go. So you can,

[36:29] PJ Adzima: I'm ready.

[36:30] Mike Abrams: You could do skimbleshanks now.

[36:32] PJ Adzima: Is that really? Okay, great.

[36:33] Mike Abrams: Oh, there's tap. I mean, it's tap.

[36:35] PJ Adzima: I love, I just love, see, I don't know. I, I just love trains. So that's, that's a fun fact about me, man, man. I love trains.

[36:43] Mike Abrams: Um, who are your favorite characters in cats? Like favorite one and least favorite one.

[36:48] PJ Adzima: Okay. Um, uh, I think, uh, my favorite one is going to be the, the Mr. Mistoffelees, of course. And honestly, because freaking, um, I, I was so blown away in particularly, um, uh, by silk Robert Mason. So Robert Mason, uh, who actually I, so this is to get back to the stage a little bit. I was so rocked by cats and by silk, particularly that I, I slid into silks, DMS and had stage and had silk on stage time, like the next day. So performance is unbelievable.

[37:29] Mike Abrams: It's unbelievable. And so silk has since been a, a, a regular friend and collaborator of mine. I work with silk whenever I can. And the world is about to, uh, the world is about to be, um, worshiping at the house of silk.

[37:42] Mike Abrams: I can't wait. You have you, I think you had Emma, um, has done some stuff with you too, right?

[37:47] PJ Adzima: Uh, I, yeah, we've, I'm on, I have crossed through nightlife, but I've never had Emma on the show. I look forward to that. Shout out to Emma. Everybody ready for you.

[37:59] Mike Abrams: Absolutely. It's, it's cats is cats is key. Cats is King.

[38:03] PJ Adzima: Favorite cat song.

[38:05] Mike Abrams: Um, probably, well, you know, what's the, what's the dark horse. We like the Gus, the theater cat. No one, no, no skips on Gus, the theater cat. Okay. Yeah.

[38:19] Mike Abrams: Okay. All right. My, my whole podcast is centered around. I don't think Grizabella should be the one to be the jellicle choice at the end. So I want to know who's your jellicle choice and who are you sending up to the, up on the tire and why.

[38:31] PJ Adzima: Okay. Um, uh, I'm going to send it. What's the worst one to choose just to be contrary. No, I like to give me the train guy. Let the trains, let the, I think the train guy is like the, the, the train cat is the worst case. And so like no one would ever fight and be like, Oh no, it shouldn't be, you know, the cat on the train. Like nobody cares. Nobody, nobody gives any love to, to the railroad train. Okay. I'll choose that.

[38:54] Mike Abrams: He does have a few votes, but not many. It's usually from someone who played him.

[38:59] PJ Adzima: It's like, yeah, I want to go. It's a joke answer. Nobody, nobody actually, who do you, who do you think actually should be? I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with your answer.

[39:06] Mike Abrams: The, I mean, so my original joke, cause it started as comedy is I saw Leona Lewis, I saw the X factor and the X factor makes boy bands and girl bands. So I wanted Tugger Mistoffelees together. I wanted them to be the dating duo or boy band. The other, they're the one direction of cats. It's killer. The, the logical answer is actually Gus, because he's old and ready and needed. And the reason for me is, is that Grizabella is played historically very young. We're not historically now very young. I've seen mostly pretty young performers playing Grizabella and it feels really cruel to like be welcomed back to your family. And then he immediately murdered. So I'm like, give her a year to spend some time with her family, like have a birthday, have a, you know, have, you can go next year.

[39:53] PJ Adzima: Yeah. Heard. I get it.

[39:56] Mike Abrams: This has been really fun. How can people stay in touch with you and Stage Time and I'll link the Kickstarter and everything else.

[40:03] PJ Adzima: Please do. Best way to catch me is online. I am at PJADZ on Instagram and also at Stage Time NYC. And you can keep track of all of the events that we're doing beyond the Slam Frank and the Stage Time variety shows. We also do a whole bunch of like parties and nightlife stuff. I've got a Valentine's themed a thousand person rodeo themed Valentine's dance party. That's going to be on Valentine's day coming up. So we have like fun theatrical nights out because a lot of my philosophy is we need to be partying more and getting and getting together and putting down our phones, especially during trying times like these in our, in our country. The answer will be community and we will dance our way to freedom.

[40:51] Mike Abrams: I love it. We'll link everything. This has been so fun. I am excited when you're, when you're ready, when you got the parody cats, I'm, I'm ready. I'll help you. I don't know how to produce. I don't know anything in the theater background. I'm just here to tell you as long as, Hey, as long as you can help bring in the money, you can do whatever you'd like.

[41:18] PJ Adzima: Yeah. That's, that's the way the world works.

[41:23] Mike Abrams: Right. Not just the correct. No, it is. It is. It is in fact show business and it's, it's the exact same way you make any product.

[41:30] PJ Adzima: Yes. So that's it. Wow. Surprise. Now, now, you know.

[41:36] Mike Abrams: Yep. Well, this is again, been such a fun conversation. I'm glad we got to get your cats experience on record. And like you said, when you're, if you become an expert because of the Joe Cabal, we will bring you back.

[41:50] PJ Adzima: I'm gonna, I can't wait. I can't wait to fight with you about why you're wrong about Gus.

[41:56] Mike Abrams: Okay. All right. I'm ready. I'm ready. Looking forward to it. A pleasure, my friend. Thank you very much. This is fun. Thank you. And thanks everyone else for listening to this episode of The Wrong Cat Died. The podcast breakdown, the catastrophe to fall along. You can subscribe an Apple podcast, Spotify, or any of us in the podcast, false social media, their own cat died or check the website, their own cat died.com.