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

[0:13] Speaker 2: There's a cat over here. There's a cat over there. I'm the one good night. I'm the one good night. I welcome to

[0:30] Speaker 3: the wrong cat died. The podcast breakdown of the cat, satsie, I'm your host, Mike Abrams, and today we have a special guest. She's been in four different productions of cats, including the 2016 brown revival and the most recent US tour and a regional tour and another tour. And she's also been in many roles, but most notably the meter. So welcome Madison Mitchell, and thank you for joining me. Hello. Thank you for having me. I am very excited because four tours is four different productions is a lot. So you've got a lot of voice on this, to give, to give a lot of different stories of this, because there's a lot to break into with this, and you've got a lot of characters, yes, but before we get into your productions, I would love to hear just about like your first time you saw the musical, or the history with the show. Like, did you see it as a kid? Did you see it like? What was that first experience for you?

[1:22] Speaker 4: Yeah, so I think probably kind of a lot of people my age saw the VHS, the 1998 VHS production. So I hadn't technically seen it, but it was always a commercial before. I think it was like the Annie movie that came out with Audra McDonald when I was young. It was a commercial before, like, one of the movies my sister and I used to watch, so we'd always see clips of it, and I thought it was, like, kind of scary, but kind of interesting. And specifically, like, I remember, because I've grown up performing and dancing. I remember the shot of what's known as the Jetta swirl, and the opening number, where they're all in circular motion jetting. I remember thinking that was cool, and that the white cat was, like, really pretty. And then I was like, What is this weird thing? But I think, like, I used to be, I still kind of think I'm afraid of, like Disney characters, like fuzzies and stuff like that. So it kind of like freaked me out. So I wasn't totally like, I need to watch.

[2:19] Speaker 3: So your first introduction was, like, the three previews you get on the VHS,

[2:25] Speaker 4: yeah, just like little, little teasers. And then I officially saw it a regional production in California when I was 13, and myself being a dancer and wanting to perform in New York, it's like, oh, I have to see this is, like one of the longest running shows ever, yes, and I got out of the theater and I was like, What did I just see? So confused, I didn't quite understand it. And again, I just remember, I'm like, I think the choreography is cool. I don't get it. But now I've experienced that experience

[3:00] Speaker 3: 13 Did you at that age even grasped a lot of the like undertones and a lot of the like storyline that comes with that? No, I

[3:11] Speaker 4: think there's no way. Yeah. And I mean, even, like, when I know, like, look like young, young kids have seen it, it's the visual aspect of it that's either intriguing. I think that happens with adults too, actually, like, it's intriguing, it's visually stimulating in some way, like, what is happening to me, like, what's happening in the show. But yeah, so that's kind of what it was. And I know we got to walk on stage at intermission. They did that part where our dude, like, stays on and basically, I remember walking on stage, and I was like, What is this? No, it was just all a new experience for me, and I'm not seeing shows. But this one was, like, very unique, which, yeah,

[3:50] Speaker 3: symbols, true. Did you see the VHS before the regional production? Yeah, yeah. Okay, so you do you finally you saw Annie enough time? Yeah? Yeah. Okay. Okay, that that is kind of fascinating, because, like, I've heard a lot of people that I did not see, that I didn't grow up as a dancer in the theater or anything related, so I didn't know the VHS production existed until I had seen the show in 2016 and I was like, same thing. I walked up being like, what did I see happened? And I kind of went on a little bit of like, my thesis that I was like, this was poorly written. I would have written the story differently. And that was all I kind of had this. And I was like, Well, did you watch the 1998 movie? And I'm like, what movie? And then it was like, oh, that's what's on YouTube. And one of my friends was like, Yeah, I have the VHS somewhere at home. I'm like, that's gonna be super helpful for me in 2016 like, PHS, but I didn't like everybody I've talked to, who's, who's in the theater world knew it. And was like, it's like, that's a big part of their, like, their history with the show. So you found it. So now you're 13, you see it? Did you see it any other time before you got cast in it? Yeah. No, that was time. Was a 13 year so now walk me through you're on which came first? The first US tour,

[5:08] Speaker 4: the first tour. Yeah, so it's actually, it's kind of weird. It's only four years later. I was 17 when I was auditioning for it. So, um, I was doing theater. I had graduated high school early past was called My California high school proficiency exam. I'm from California, and so I started, I was performing like, just kind of performing in LA, kind of like off, off, like LA theater places, and trying auditioning places and and then going to, like, state college at the time, and there was this breakdown notice for cats in there was a description of a character they were looking for who, at the time, I think pronounced, I pronounced it like, Demeter. Like, I had no idea. Yeah, it was just like. I was like, Yeah, sure, Demeter, I'll go in for that. That's great. And, um, but the description said five, six to five, eight height, like, I don't know, mezzo soprano or something. And then said, like, neurotic. And first of all, I'm five, six and a half Exactly, and that's my vocal range. And then my family calls me the SPAS attack, because I move quickly and, like, kind of fast, and I'm kind of neurotic at times. So I was like, Whoa, that's me. And it's just funny when I mean, you read, I've been in the industry since I was a kid. You read breakdowns all the time that kind of fit you. But this just felt like so funny to me that I could relate to this breakdown. And I didn't really know what it was in the context of cats at all, so I decided to go in for it. It was like a long day of auditions. By the end of the day, it was me and two other girls that I'm actually still friends with, which is so cool, and I've performed with them since. And from that audition, they cast me as demeanor, which is how you pronounce it, and one of the other girls was cast as the swing for Demeter and some of the other lady cats. So it's really fun, because most of the cast had already been they had already done auditions in New York. Most of the show was already cast. They just needed a select few people, so they came to LA which does happen sometimes, but it was just, it just happened to work out that I guess one of the roles they were looking for I happened to fit. And with cats, you do have to have specific site like heights and sizes, because the kittens tend to be shorter. So I just, it's kind of a lucky thing that they happen to be looking for one that I did fit. Yeah, and I think a week later, I got like, a 212, phone call, and I was like, That's New York. That means something

[7:48] Speaker 3: when you live, yeah? And that, like, it's a fairly promiscuous,

[7:55] Speaker 4: she's, she's a mature role, yeah, it's just making me laugh, because anyone who knows me knows like, that's not necessarily my nature, but, um, but I've also played like, older since I was young, like was playing 1314, year olds when I was 11, in TV, film stuff. So it's just like, I don't know, and I almost feel like, as I'm actually getting older, roles are making more sense for me that like I was going in for when I was young, but yeah, because the woman who had played Demeter before me was over 10 years older than I was so and then I was hearing that the current tour was like, Who's this young 17 year old coming like, Who's that? And like, I don't know, especially, I mean, you hear when you're young, working with younger people, you want to be a good embodiment of what that means to be the young person in the cast, or whatever, but one of a good friend of mine that I grew up dancing with, he also happened to book the role of monkey strap, and he was, I think, 1918, or 19, so just a little bit older than me. So we were, like two young and the swing was also young too. So it was like kind of nice to just have other people. So I wasn't the only one who like after shows. They're like, we're all going out and like, we'll be able to go, I'll go back to my hotel room and watch Friends. And that's fine.

[9:10] Speaker 3: I you know, it's just kind of, again, a fascinating thing, because I learned about the show almost as I wrote the episodes for this podcast, especially like the deep knowledge of it, and the more I like, get into some of the deeper characters. When I saw that you played Demeter, at first, I was like, that's a very dark storyline, depending on the examples. I'm very curious. What were you told? So Amanda, like, what do you talk about? How to play her? Yeah,

[9:33] Speaker 4: I'll say in a way, um, honestly. Like, and it makes sense that she was my introduction to the show. But I just love her and I love like the meat of the story. I always tell people, if I'm describing it for the first time, like, Don't imagine it's a cat. Imagine this is a real woman, like a person. But so in the rehearsals, especially like in the audition, even when I was singing the cavity, because I didn't know the song at all, I was learning it outside the room, they just kind of said, like. She's scared of this person, so it's a little timid. It's not totally comfortable as you're singing about him, but you're like, kind of desiring him. So it's like, okay, so I just kind of went with that a little more so. But then in the actual rehearsal process, our director, who set the tour at the time, Richard Stafford, absolutely incredible. He sets the he sets the tour at the time, and he also said a bunch of regional productions on the East Coast, and he just knew so much about the show and the inner workings. And I remember there was a day it was kind of like a guided salinity exercise. We did felinity Every day, but there was a guided exercise, kind of working through the characters. He had us all close our eyes, and so he was describing each character. I mean, he was describing Demeter. He definitely went into all that stuff that you've probably heard. She's been raped and abducted by Macavity in the past. She's worried at any moment that he could come back and abduct her again. So that was kind of the confirmation of like that is the story that that we're going with and and honestly, it felt, I actually really appreciated, as an actor, getting to have something like that to play, and also trying to find ways. Okay, so if that is the case, then she's also singing Gumby cat. Why is she so cheerful here? What makes her so happy and not as like we're carefree during Gumby cat, as opposed to at the entrance of Grizabella? What does that mean to her? And kind of finding the ways that it all connects for her. So I actually really, really enjoyed it. I had a great time with her. And learning the number Macavity was so cool, like, I just, I still think I remember seeing video clips with Jillian Lynn describing it, and yes, it's very erotic in ways, but it's the sensuality of, like, a female sensuality. She just captures it so well from different perspectives, from Demeter and from bomb. And I really appreciated that having, like, not really worked with female choreographers, to know that this show was set by a woman and what it is for her, it's just really, I enjoyed it. So

[12:09] Speaker 3: it is. It's an it's an interesting piece because it's a piece that, like, when I first saw it, it's like, the whole thing so mesmerizing in the beginning, and then, as I've like now, listened to the music more, and kind of like, It's a song that, like, gets stuck in my head most, like the song I kind of enjoyed the most. Yeah, it's funny. So you're, you go on tour, you play Demeter, you kind of learn all this, and then the next casting is as a regional production,

[12:33] Speaker 4: yeah? And I had, actually, yeah, yeah. I had gone in for Demeter, and I didn't get it. So that's a lesson to any theater person to know or anyone who auditions like just because you've done something somewhere doesn't mean you're gonna get it somewhere else, so nothing's ever owed to you. You still have to show up and do the work. So I did not get it. I didn't even get the show. And then think it was like, maybe a week later, I was happened to be doing a reading with someone who was like, assisting a choreographer. And he just was like, how is your soprano? I was like, I love seeing a soprano. It's actually, like, something I prefer to do. I just never usually get asked to do it. He's like, great. So I think her jelly, Lauren just dropped, could you come in for jelly? It's like, I love to that sounds like so much fun. And I think I like message the girls who had done jelly on tour. I'm, like, any advice on jelly? Like, I know, I don't really know much about her. So I went in, we sang part of the opera, we sang part of Gus, and I found out that day I got it. So then, yeah, so I was like, wow, yeah, from one week. I'm like, I'm not doing the show. And then the next thing, like, Yay, okay. And this, like, maybe, probably won't hurt my body as much. So that's great. I like it to show something different and try something totally different. I mean, because like that, her journey is, as far as character, psyche wise, is totally different. So yeah, so what are you

[13:55] Speaker 3: given? So I've talked to a few people that have done regional productions and done other shows on Broadway, and you're given a lot less to like depth than you probably were on tour and in 2016 in the revival, what were you told about Jay Lorem in the back story? There, were you given as much to work off of, or did you kind of have to base it off of what you knew?

[14:13] Speaker 4: I'll give credit, a wonderful credit, to Dina salamander and Billy Johnston, who set that regional production that there is a day. I mean, we only had two weeks of rehearsal, so I fully applaud the people who had never done cats before, and that was their first time. I was glad, like, at least I had some verbal like, I knew the vocabulary of the show. I didn't have to hardcore re memorize gimbal Shanks again. Like, I'm like, I know what the 13 eight time is. That's great. We're fine. But they did. There was one day we showed up to rehearsal and they posted paragraphs of, like, a biography of each character. And then Dana, I remember, asked like, kind of like just a general overview. And then Dana said, as a character exercise, she wanted us to, like, for homework, write about ourselves, like, kind of write a personal biography. And so it was fun as jelly Lauren too, because then I did griddle bone, like I did a whole such a nerd. No one ever saw the biography that I wrote, but I did it for myself. And this idea of, like, what is griddle bone like? What operas has she performed in? I just have all of this information. I probably, I mean, this the laptop I'm using right now. It's like from that time. It's over 10 years old, so I probably have it saved in a file somewhere. You should share it in

[15:29] Speaker 4: then the actor who played Gus to I can't remember if he had done it before, but Dina worked with us privately when we were staging Gus, of what this relationship was between the two of us. And I feel like anytime I've seen it or I've done it since, that is very much dictated kind of by those two actors, that Gus and that Jilly Alan, kind of, they themselves bring what their thoughts are to that relationship, and that kind of begins to curate and cultivate what it is in that production. I mean, there's a general consensus, but people kind of build on that,

[16:01] Speaker 3: yeah, which actually makes a lot of sense, because with the VHS, it was Sir John Mills, and he was, I didn't realize that he was mostly blind when he was recording, like, and so that's why they walked him out. So that's why, like, Joe Alan takes him out there, like, ARM and ARM, because he can't see anything. He's just going out there seeing, and then they basically had to walk him back. And so, like, it's even as kind of lines up with with that there, which is, again, I learned something new about the show every time I talk to anybody that's remotely related to it, because there's too many pieces to catch. Two times I've seen it on stage, and like the two times I've seen the movie all the way through

[16:49] Speaker 4: fun story was our first, I think, official preview. We've done all of tech week. I think it was just our first paying audience. So I've also been our first preview, and we were doing that blocking. I'm jelly. I'm getting can for Gus to sit on. And I completely blank on what the words are. And I'm like, I don't know what I'm supposed to say. And I look, I haven't it hasn't officially come yet, but I'm like, in that transition. And I look our Jenny, any dad says near me. And I looked at her, I said, What do I say? And she goes, Gus is the cat. I was like, No, I know that. I knew that, but I didn't know the rest. And I was freaking out, and I set the can down, and it's just like a spotlight on me. And it just like muscle memory came out. But I was so stressed of that moment that after that show happened, I went backstage and I wrote all the lyrics to Gus down, and that intermission every performance, I would read the lyrics over just I think, and I've talked to other jellies about it before. There's some things deceivingly hard about it, because the melody is kind of sing songy. It's a little bit loose, and the mute usually the conductor kind of goes off of you. He keeps tempo, he or she keeps tempo, but you are guiding that song, and there's no choreography with it. And I think it was one of the first times that at least Macavity, if I ever felt, which I did, almost like, go up on my lyricist Demeter, like I had choreography to stabilize, like, to ground me in what the next thing was. And so I was like, Wait,

[18:21] Speaker 3: I don't know what I'm supposed to say. Every show you did that, yeah.

[18:25] Speaker 4: And since then, anytime you play jelly, I still do that, because I'm, I guess I'm just like, in my head that something's gonna go wrong.

[18:34] Speaker 3: So I think that's a the that's a good transition to the revival, because you played a swing in the revival, yes, and that means that you're covering lots of people, yeah. And I've talked to a few swings, I find that like to me, just learning one track in the show seems hard, let alone multiple so how do you keep all the different lyrics and staging and where you're supposed to be and the dance numbers and everything and you're gonna go on potentially in the same day as two different people, yeah,

[19:04] Speaker 4: which did happen once, which is very fun, it makes it kind of exciting. Um, yeah, I'll say like, because then that was probably, gosh, three or four years later, I moved to New York. I'm an audition for that, and kind of, in the auditions, I started feeling based on what they were asking of me vocally and what I would like, kind of where my height was among the other women, I was like, I think I'm being considered for a swing, just because some of the really tall ladies, like, you're for sure, will like, you'd be the bomb, or you'd be the Demeter. But I can actually, like, I can tell I don't perfectly fit one to where you could I could be a swing maybe. So I remember, like, halfway through the callbacks, I was like, Oh man, because I know my friends on tour who had been swings. I'm like, That's so hard. Am I, like, equipped for that challenge? But as any person who gets a swing for the first time, there's just a first time, and you just have to trust yourself and go and know that, like the creative team. Will trust you. So here you go. Um, it was really fun. It was really difficult, one of the hardest jobs I've ever had, but I'll say for I mean, in a way, like the tracks that I did, because I did Demeter bomb, Cassandra and tantamount, like Demeter bomb and cast all have a similar trajectory, literally, as far as like tracking in the show, like they're usually in similar spots, similar worlds of choreography. So like some of the swings that had to do kittens and adults, or just kind of like different characters, like I felt, I guess it made it hard in a way, but I think it made it easier, like I knew the space of like, Cassandra is always in my corner. I when I play bomb here, so I know if I'm cast tonight, bombs gonna, you know what I mean, like, connect them in my head more, but, but, yeah, I mean, it was super I mean, especially with Demeter bomb, both being in the Gumby trio, that just before any show that I did, I would just practice which starting note I had before to make sure, like, bomb goes down here, bomb goes or Demeter goes up here, whatever it is, like track that once just before the show, to know that's the headspace I'm in. Yeah, as

[21:11] Speaker 3: a swing, do you like? How critical Are you of yourself when you're going through that and you're like, oh, because, like, as a cast members or as a fan, or just someone in the audience, I'm never going to notice that. Now, there are some cats fans in the like the junkyard or whatever, that probably will notice every single thing. But to me, you could have done, you could have said anything up there, and unless it's memory the first time and even memory, I'm like, Oh, I know that song, but I was like, I don't know, I don't know the lyrics to it. I wouldn't know it, and so, but like, but you do and like, how much does that do you just kind of, like, roll with it, or how much is that, like, a to your point, I gotta remember, I get the first one, and the rest just comes to

[21:50] Speaker 4: me. It's kind of a balance. I think anyone Well, who's probably a performer or even has been a swing, you're a perfectionist, in a way, but you have to let that go. And sometimes they do a good job with it, and sometimes they don't, because there are times, like you said, and I would see swings like we all would have some slip up or whatever. And I think it's actually just kind of funny. As long as it hasn't been super dangerous or hasn't hurt someone, then it's like whatever. We're human beings. And I think that's kind of entertaining. So sometimes, if something like that happened just slightly, I'd be like, Okay, now let's keep going. Let's just keep present in the moment as much as we can with things. But so I guess I just it just depended on the night, and I tried to let myself not be too self critical, because then you'll just go crazy.

[22:42] Speaker 3: The concept of swing, to me, is wild, like, it's

[22:46] Speaker 4: just the crazy thing, and it's, I know, we just had national swing day, like, pretty like, last week. Whatever it is, just exciting when there's recognition and awareness of it, not that it that the plane company is not working hard as well. It's just, we're all equally working hard to keep this show running. And I was just, I would be so amazed by seeing swings, you know, haven't had a full rehearsal of a track yet. They're like, spacing through it at half hour, and the audience is going to come in and have no idea that, like, a miracle is happening on stage, you know. So it's cool to kind of be a part of that magic,

[23:23] Speaker 3: yeah. And to do it on, I mean, and to do it on Broadway too, like, June come

[23:29] Speaker 4: yeah. And my, and, like, my physical debut was Demeter, which was a full circle moment in many ways, but then also it was planned, so, like, I knew it was happening. My whole family could come. I mean, there are so many things that, I mean, everyone's Broadway debut, no matter how unique it is, like, it's special in their own way. I was just so happy to have that and to debut as her was just so cool. I still think, I'm like, I can't believe that happened. That's awesome.

[23:59] Speaker 3: Yeah. Now we fast forward to the most recent tour, the one that kind of got kind of got cut short. Tell me about that. Like, that wasn't that long after, like, maybe a year, a year after, yeah, and

[24:10] Speaker 4: again, like, I had auditioned for it, I didn't get it at first. So again, to everyone, like, you just never know when your right time is or when the perfect time is. And like, nothing's ever guaranteed. So I knew just my body was having a hard time with cats, and I wanted to kind of change my trajectory in the show. So because I had done the show, I knew how the tracks work. So on Broadway, I was a vocal booth singer as well as the swing but then there are other vocal booth singers that cover more like the quote, unquote vocal role, so it's jelly and Grizz in the revival production. So I was, like, that would be so awesome. And like to kind of get myself into the Grizz cover category would be like, so cool. So I had auditioned for that. I didn't get it then, like, I think probably six, seven months go by. I and they just needed someone to join the booth real quick, as like, just to be in the vocal booth. And then I think a day before, I was flying out to just sing in the vocal booth for a week, they're like, they might actually need a permanent Grizz jelly cover again. Could you put yourself on tape singing memory this week? So it's like, oh my gosh, yeah. So that happened. And like, thank the Lord, because I was so hungry for a performing job again, and it just happened at, like, the perfect time, and I got it, so then I joined the tour, like, I think three weeks after that happened. And, yeah, got to start covering jelly and Grizz. And

[25:40] Speaker 3: so you're, you're in the booth, which I think that's the only show, at least I've ever heard of that has singers so like that, like a vocal booth like that doesn't exist in most shows, right? There are

[25:51] Speaker 4: some in, like Mamma Mia and Jersey Boys, but it's not like formal it's like off stage singing, but they don't have, like, a specific place where they are. My Mama Mia, Jersey Boys friends can correct me, but I know, like, Mama Mia has so much off stage singing, but I don't know if they have, like, a formal like, this is the vocal booth where they are with their headsets and their

[26:10] Speaker 3: role, versus, like, just, yeah, okay, that was again, news. That's what

[26:15] Speaker 4: makes it unique. It's like a very specific track of cats.

[26:19] Speaker 3: I talked to was a boost singer. And I was like, I didn't know that. I didn't know what that was. When I like, first like, was email me, like, Wait, what was that mean? Because I'm definitely from the outside theater world, so it's like, this is a lot of this is new to me. So okay, so you get to and now you get to go on those grays. So tell me about your first time being Grizabella. Like, what was that experience like? Singing? Weird. We're coming

[26:41] Speaker 4: up today, like we're coming up on the year ago that that happened. It was February 4, 2020, it's like such a special day in my head, commemorating it. But, um, it was unbelievable, even my, I'll say, one of my first rehearsals as Chris getting because the associate who taught me in New York before I replaced on tour, she was my associate on the Broadway production. So I've known her now, well, now, like probably five years, but at the time, it's around four, and for her to be teaching me this role that she was originally teaching me the other one, it felt like I was like, maturing into something and with like, people who knew me when I was younger. And that felt really special, even the music supervisor from the tour that I did over 10 years ago was the music supervisor for this and so it feels so special that I've been able to, like, sing this score at different times in my life, and then progress to find me singing memory. But like, ah, you know, like, just so amazing, and I revere the song so much, and it's such a an iconic song. And as anyone who's done the show and nothing Grizz knows that like hearing the applause after Grizz sings memory and every grid is always like, so incredible. So she's always warranted, but it is so full and incredible, and people are just moved immediately by it and and sometimes anyone knows, like, when you you've just been, like, busting your booty, like dancing the ball, and then you don't get a huge applause, you're like, Gosh darn it, I'm working hard too, but I'm not singing that song that you know. So it doesn't matter as much. But it was just like an the idea in my head of like, I'll be the one standing center singing that song that is crazy to me. So the put in was really emotional for me, which for anyone who doesn't know what put in is basically like, almost like a running of the show with just the cast, or just the swings, no audience, just so you get an idea of what the role is in grace also flies. So I'm like, that's a new thing. That'll be fun. She gets, like, go away. Like, that's cool. So spoiler alert for anyone who doesn't

[28:59] Speaker 4: yeah. So then the performance itself, my little sister got to fly out. It was incredibly large theater in Richmond, Virginia. It's beautiful. And it was just, it was unbelievable. I couldn't believe that I was like, again, the idea of like, standing center and holding the stage. It was my principal debut, too. So I've just never had that moment. And it was really, really cool. And, I mean, as soon as I heard the applause, I literally just like tears down my cheeks. I was like, Oh my gosh. Couldn't believe that people were applauding like that. It was, it was an unbelievable sound. So

[29:34] Speaker 3: kind of also like it fits the moment of like, oh my gosh, yeah, that moment normally, anyways, because were you, did you get to I've talked to a few of your tour casts as well. I've talked a lot of the 2016 guests and a few of your tour guests. And I learned about what was I've dubbed at the bounce Castle stage. Yeah. Did you deal with any of those when you were on tour?

[29:59] Speaker 4: Yeah, you're talking about the inflatable set, right? Okay, so before I had actually joined the non union tour, which is the first one I ever did, I think someone else was joining a trigger tour around the same time, and they're like, Oh, is that the inflatable set? I was like, I don't know what you're talking about. And then I joined, and they're like, so our sets inflatable. I was like, Wait, this is real. What's going on? So the non union tour had most of the set was inflatable, the hard objects for like the tire, the oven, and then maybe one of my memory, no pun intended, might be a little off, but I know for sure the tire was real, of course, because it had to be. But, um, everything else was inflatable, with fans blowing. So the regional production I did was the first time I ever had, like a hard set of, like the whole set, then Broadway, of course, was all hard, and then the tour was partially inflatable in compared to the first tour I had done. And of course, I don't know if you've talked about it, maybe on air, but like, for people to understand it was having to do with the travel, like the non union tour travels on one nighters, and also travels like cities overnight. So it just made load in and load out easier. But yeah, that's kind of fun to play like a little like you're in a bounce house.

[31:22] Speaker 3: The reason it's like, stuck with me is because so I do love the one of the things I love about Broadway when I do get to go since, again, I know so little about singing and dancing, is, I do find the intricacies of set design fascinating. Like, oh yeah, how it all moves, where it goes. I've seen a few of the backstages now where it's like, there's not, there's no room for this. I don't know where you put it. Like, how did it go up, and I know it's incredible. And so I was when I heard that it was inflatable, and I kept thinking, like, Well, that makes sense, like, it's very easy to kind of get that in and out to your point. But then I thought back to all the movement that's happening, and then I've been in, so I kept calling it the bounce Castle set. I've been in, those things are loud and you're already singing and dancing, and like, having to overpower that machine. So just that whole concept, that that's a thing, stuck with me. We find it fascinating. That's like, that is a part of, like, just the way you do tour. Because I have not seen a tour, I would have saw your cast, most likely in that April,

[32:14] Speaker 4: oh, of last year. Wow, yes, there

[32:19] Speaker 3: was. They were stopping back where I'm from, and I was, you know, at that point, I was like, maybe I'll go home and see it, but we just missed by a couple weeks. But okay, I want to dive in now, because I want to talk just a little bit about the story of the show before we go into some rapid fire. You've played so many of these characters, and you've been kind of given a lot of different back stories. How would you tell me the relationships that you've pieced together between them? Like, is Demeter, what's is the meter and bomb sisters? Is like, what's the relationship with Isabella? Like, how does this all together? I have thoughts on Alan, yeah, yeah.

[33:00] Speaker 4: I definitely think Demeter and bomb are sister cats. I don't really know exactly what that means. Does that mean, like, Sister sisters, as in, like, how humans are? I don't know, but there's like, a sister kinship to the two of them. They've grown up in the same sphere together, and Griz was a part of that and split off on her own. So that's now I'm worried that I'm gonna say something. This one's gonna be like, that's not right.

[33:26] Speaker 3: Oh, right answer for few things that have been like, confirmed by directors or something else, yes, the junkyard, who are the super fans that came to a lot of the revival and a lot of the shows, they have thoughts like, very clear thoughts. And then there's some people have tried to map it out, but there is no like, besides, like, this is probably this case, or we've confirmed that, like, moncus trap and Tugger, I think are brothers. Or, like, there's a

[33:59] Speaker 4: yeah, um, yeah. And I never put like, I don't know. I never, especially with Demeter and bomb being a little bit unlike the well, they're like, I don't know. I always call them lady cats, um, that I never made anyone like my kid or anything like that. Like some people like, oh, mango, Jerry might be Demeter and the COVID is child. I'm like, I don't know. I never necessarily played those things, I say, as an actor, when I was her the most, I guess that I played in relation to like the tribe is like demeters, fear of becoming like Isabella, or knowing what her past was, knowing that we're we could be on the same track, and I could end up like you if I make one small decision, or If something happened. So that was, like, the most I played with that. And then what about jelly? Jelly? I think she's so fun. I just remember, like, especially the revival we did have Trevor Nunn come, who had directed the original, and the first day he, like, gave us words. Now I wasn't covering jelly at that point, but. I know, like, just the idea of, like, fun loving, like she's just enjoying which there's a part of me that so is like that, and so I love that she's just enjoying the moment. So yeah, we definitely played that like she's been the caretaker for Gus. And what's interesting is the job I had in the interim between the cats Broadway production and the cats tour. I was a caregiver for someone in New York, so getting to have that experience and then play jelly again, a little bit later than I played originally, was so cool to like know what that is to want to care for someone and look out for them and make sure that they're supported in what they're doing, yeah? So, yeah, I know, like, life imitating art kind of stuff. And like, Jenny is one of her gal pals. I definitely, especially with how the blocking was for the tour at least, which I know was different than some of the Broadway stuff. But jelly interacted with the kittens a lot, and I think that's so much fun. I like the idea of, like, there's this maternal aspect of her. And again, there had been some stuff created by the people before me on the tour, which was, like, pounces, jellies, sun or something like that. And I would play that in if that's what the pounceville was doing, I would play into that. But I didn't feel like because I actually, what I love about the show is there's almost this freedom too, that unless something is specifically set, you can embody your own aspects. That's why there are these eternal questions, right? And Cass is like one of the her words was aloof, like she she's wearing her pearls, she's come she's like, aren't you glad I'm here, but is it like feeling like she has to be a part of the crowd, but there's a part of her that maybe is a little bit lonely and like, wants to play in. What I think is one of the funniest things is Cassandra, is she's and she's blocked, usually, kind of on the outskirts. She's very mad at Giza bell when she comes in. So you have some of that, or at least in the original production, not as much in revival, I'll say. But I loved is in skimble Shanks, she joins in on the skip line and joins in with mostly kittens to play with the train. And I loved that idea that, like, as an actor, I'll find out, okay, why is Cassandra all sudden? Like, I'll help scare skimble And I'll join in on the train and like, I don't know, I just picture like she's like, I'll take off my pearls and have a great time. Like, like, she finally lets her, like, inner child go. And then tantamount, who I actually only played on stage one time, but I did play her once. And just that twin aspect, this kinetic like, this energy of I'm getting signals from Old Deuteronomy and prophesying, like all that stuff is super fun, and it's in the choreography to to anticipate anyone's entrance, or to anticipate a moment the twins sense it, and their cat sets this first.

[37:58] Speaker 3: Yeah, wow. Yeah. Those are the things that like as you learn and you read about the show, or you had to be in it, or, like, I would have never picked up on that as like a viewer earlier. Have you ever seen hair? No, so just I'm the worst person for No, no, that's

[38:17] Speaker 4: okay. I'll say I hadn't seen it, and then I think I was on tour already for a year, and we were off on the summer, and the tour of hair was coming through. La so my sister and I went to see it, and, like, halfway through Act One, I was like, Oh, this is like, cats, because there's an aspect to Well, I mean, they, I know they came out in different decades, but it's a tribe that the tribe knows. And maybe anyone who's done hair can correct me if I'm wrong, but my vision, like as the audience, I'm like, I'm being kind of let in, but I know they know exactly what's going on in their tribe, and they're all connected and supported. But we sometimes get a window in. Sometimes we don't, and the show doesn't expect us to have to know everything in order to be on the journey with them. So when that show ended, I was like, that's what cats. It's like, it's a tribal thing. We all know what's going on and you might not, and that's part of, like, the experience.

[39:13] Speaker 3: The second person that's compared it to hair and someone, okay, those are the two given I if it wasn't on Broadway, since I moved to New York in 2016 since 2016 I have gone to many shows like I embrace being in New York and having the ability to see actors and actresses at the top of their field and top of their stage live perform like I love but I'm not Someone who knows a ton about it, not someone or so. If it wasn't available since 2016 and beyond, then it had to just be one of the few things that came through the not all that much. So it's like my knowledge is like this very, very. Version, which is light, which has become very interesting. So when people are like, Oh, have you seen hair? Have you seen this? No, no,

[40:09] Speaker 3: fascinating. Because when I walked out and again, not having that reference to like, pull through that, I walked out thinking I watched and I saw Leon Lewis. So I'm, like, very aware that things early I saw the last preview, or second to last preview, Saturday

[40:27] Speaker 3: time? Later I saw Amy, and I don't remember it was like, almost exactly year later in June, the show was

[40:32] Speaker 4: definitely still, like, settling like, in previews and stuff that's so interesting. Okay,

[40:37] Speaker 3: my friend who, like, works in the theater world got the tickets was, like, previews are pretty much over, so this should be basically what you're gonna get. Because, like, I didn't know what preview was, the first preview, right, right? And I went dead sober, midday, matinee,

[40:57] Speaker 3: thinking I saw the most bizarre X Factor episode, right? Like, that was the only way I can conceptually, like, feel about the show, was like, Oh, this is a competition. This is what's gonna happen. Someone's gonna win. They're gonna be rewarded with death, I guess. But, you know, like, but they're gonna, like, there's each person just going up there and giving their performance. So I never, like, pieced together the hair or all the other aspects of this until now that I've spent way too many episodes talking about it, where I now kind of have some of this context. But when I walked out that first time, I was like, that was the weirdest X Factor I've ever seen. And that's where a lot of my when we get into my arguments, of like, where I've positioned, the wrong writing is from that, and I'm very aware of that, and that's how I've, like, stuck with this. But I love learning about the show, because even hearing things like the twins since this and like, those are things I just now will pick up on. Like, I'm praying I'll get a chance to see it again at some point to be able to be like, there we go. Here's that. Like, that's what that has. Oh, that's that story. That's there,

[42:00] Speaker 4: I'll say, and like, I'm super nerdy, and I wanted to go all in when I was first playing Demeter, and even, like, in the, well, first of all, I mean, the fact that it's based on a book of poems. I bought the book of poems and I read the poems through that not only helped me memorize, but also just, I mean, you just have to know, like, it's based on poems. And there are aspects I found, especially even when we traveled to Canada, or the fact that a show is based in the UK, that people not as much in America, we don't read TS Eliot as much. TS Eliot is not as prominent to us. That's funny, because he actually is American. He's an expatriate. But so I think like the like Seussical, which is based on Dr Seuss, we read Dr Seuss poem. So when we see that show it, I mean, it's a whole different story too. But we're used to those poems and that lyric, whereas the UK is very used to the Elliot lyric and and even Trevor Nunn said our first day rehearsals, like I studied him in university. It's a terrible Trevor Nunn, sorry, but um, so it was, I always have to remember that. But like Demeter, I went into, like, the history of the Greek goddess Demeter and her story of being the goddess of the harvest, and tried to kind of find her daughter, Persephone. What does that mean? I don't know. I like, and it makes sense that TS Eliot here is, like, like, knowingly using I was an English major too, so I studied literature, but he's knowingly, like, nodding these very adult names into a children's book. And it's just probably funny to the adults reading it to their kids, who don't know what that means, but then, like, we're now interpreting it in a Broadway musical context, and now I'm, like, playing this role. So what does that mean to me. That was just funny. I don't know. I even got myself. I went to Corinth in Greece on a missions trip a few years ago, and Demeter is their like, patron goddess or whatever. And I got myself like a Demeter statue.

[43:52] Speaker 3: Yeah, it's, it is I would, I wish I would be able to ask a lot of questions to like some of these things I like are the basis of this, because there's a lot of things I'm like, I don't, I think that was just random, like, I think I was very deliberate. And I know that's, I guess, you know, as you're an English major, but that's, like, that's a lot of what you do, and that, like, you interpret it, and you don't know, yeah, okay, I want to do rapid fire with a couple kind of quick questions. You've played a lot of different characters, so I like framing this question a little differently, ignoring your actual like, height, skill set, vocal range, whatever. If you could just play anybody in the cast. Who would you want like, which, which track would you just like? I would love

[44:41] Speaker 3: strap. Okay, why give me the lie? He's like, Well,

[44:45] Speaker 4: I think, and it comes from the VHS from Michael Gruber playing it. I just loved everything about him. I like his makeup plot. I like his color palette. Like, I love the gray, the silver, black accents, like, um. And I love the vocal timber, like the baritone male is, like, so rich and beautiful. And I don't, I just like his stoicism as a character, his guidance so that he's the leader of the tribe. I don't know. I just really, I like him. And I mean, Demeter has, like, a relationship with him, but sorry, it's like, just him. I'm like, Oh, if I were a dude, I want to play him. That'd be cool. Yeah. What about favorite song? Okay, I think, Well, okay, so one of my favorite songs is gimbal shanks. That's super fun. I think it's, it's like, Christmas. It's like, when some of us, like, the lights turn on, you're like, Ah, here we're singing them fun time signatures. But also, oh, it's hard, because I'll say one of my favorite songs to perform is Chris the glamor cat, as Demeter specifically, but also, now as Grizz. I just, I think that song is so solemn and like, my sister's gonna make fun of me. Haunting. I use the word haunting a lot when I describe stuff like that, but it's like, I don't know It's eerie, and I like it. So those are like the two polar opposites of songs in the show. But skimble And girls with every guy.

[46:06] Speaker 3: What about least favorite and favorite character? So cats not take people off. No, no colleagues. Well,

[46:16] Speaker 4: I'll say skimble is, like one of my favorite characters. I think he's adorable. I love this idea that he's, like, so fastidious and a little neurotic, but quirky and funny, like I I love that character, the orange costume and the vest I like he wears, a vest that's so cute, so skillful, would have to be my favorite. I'm trying to think of some I don't really know if there's a character I know it's I know you said disregard people, but I don't want to seem I don't know, I guess, well, well, I guess I'll just say there are some tracks that have been taken out, and that's kind of odd, but since, like in the Broadway revival, we had carbuti and Elektra and on tour, they were Taken out it kind of given over to other characters, but which I think is kind of unfortunate to the people who played those roles, because it then makes it seem like they're not as influential. But maybe, like somewhere in there, I don't know, because I love like Elijah, she's playing with her. It's,

[47:16] Speaker 3: this is very political people. A lot of people have said, This is my this is my one, like, this is my absolute. No, I hate this one, really.

[47:30] Speaker 3: I won't hold you to I want to ask now my, my thesis question, which is this whole, the whole thing is centered around the fact that I don't think Grizabella should have been the winner, right, right. I'm curious. You've played grizzabel, and a lot of other people up for the role you've you know, on behalf of Gus, who would you pick? Do you think Isabelle is the right cat to die at the end of the show? Or would you be on a different team? I

[47:54] Speaker 4: totally think. I think Gus could definitely be the one chosen. And I not even as someone who has played jelly, but when you kind of look at the show as a whole, I guess just the idea that it is this older person cat who has learned like, sees their life in a different way than many of the other cats do, like just that appreciation of people who are old, the older generations that have come before you, and what they've lived through and seen. So in a way, I always think like, and it was fun, kind of nervous jelly, because I'm like, I sometimes I would play the like, Well, I think it should have been you like, but, but we all have to come to Christmas side at some point. But I know I would go off, like, seeing the Gus, he would almost like, nod, like, it's okay. It's not much, which actually, then, I think makes him even more noble, because then he's like, I I'll probably die before next year, but it's okay.

[48:54] Speaker 3: So Gus is the most obvious choice outside of your spell, yeah, yeah. My humorous answer was, you know, the the X Factor version was, was Tugger, and most awfully so interesting, the most fun, ruined that for me, because he said that he didn't think Gus had a life to live. He was gonna that would have been the end, and that's why he didn't want to go. And I'm like, thanksgiv for like,

[49:18] Speaker 4: selling yourself. He just goes off in a corner and he dies. And that's okay. That makes

[49:22] Speaker 3: it because I think team guess is the most obvious choice, like, it's the one that's got the most like convincing this. This makes sense in the broader theory, besides my little kind of fake play World of how I interpreted it. But that's fine. Okay, so you are on Team guests, but you're you're cool with I

[49:38] Speaker 4: always did think it was kind of funny that Jenny was nominated because, in a way, it's like, I think she's, I don't know, I haven't played Jenny. I'd have to ask some of my Jenny gals, but I feel like she's, like, loving the idea that she's getting up at night and cleaning and making all the cats do what they need to do. Like, I think she's enjoying herself. And like, maybe, is there an answer that she does want to leave this because I think she's. Was having a grand old time doing tap numbers, but maybe not

[50:04] Speaker 3: revival. It was always she said that she didn't think that she could, like there's too much to do. She had to be there. She's always said that. So there's been again, I've had enough. I've had a lot of conversations about this in a lot of different ways, and so I'm trying to find every angle I can of whether or not I'm right or wrong, because I the whole, this whole, like, this whole podcast premise is based on the fact that grisbuild shouldn't have died, right? Okay, let's, let's kind of pivot what you know, like, what else are you working on? What are you doing these days, now that you know, with everything going on,

[50:38] Speaker 4: right? Yeah, well, I think, as any artist knows, it's been an interesting time to to kind of look outward and inward and see where are we supposed to be, which we're all on our own paths. But I've used this time I decided I'm working on my Pilates certification. So I'm currently working toward getting Pilates certified. Because, as anyone who's done cats knows it's very physically taxing, and I've gone through different injuries over the years from the show and pilates and PT physical therapy was super helpful to me. So in this time, I've decided to invest time and energy into that, which is so great because it's just helping me with my body and feel stronger in this time, which is great. And then I'm also just like, kind of, I've rebranded my website a bit did like a lifestyle photo shoot, and I'm hopefully going to be getting some music, me singing some stuff online soon. We're working on that right now, but awesome.

[51:41] Speaker 3: Yeah, so that's the My last question, how can we find you on social media? How can we keep up for when these things do come up? Yeah,

[51:48] Speaker 4: so my website is Madison mitchell.net and you can see stuff there, and then I'm on Instagram, at Madison dot Mitchell, underscore, I believe that's correct, and I'm on Facebook too. I've been not as good with posting stuff on Facebook as much, so I either need to get better at that or just go on Instagram and stuff, yeah, so that's where I'll be sharing some stuff, yeah. And I just kind of like to use creative energy and like, I'll say something that a friend of mine actually started in a production of lame as I did, but I kept it in productions of cats are, there are these things called angel cards that just are like words of kind of like positive words or affirmation. And it's something to like, meditate or pray on throughout the day. And I would do as a swing. I loved doing it if I felt I knew the role well enough it wasn't gonna be in my head. I would pick an angel card and like, see the word is celebration, and I'm playing Demeter. Okay. What does that mean for today? How can I work on that word in the performance today? I think our closing show of cats, the angel card I drew a closing and Broadway, the angel card I drew was sisterhood, brotherhood. And I loved that. And I felt it was like, just so perfect for what this experience was in this tribe and family coming together. So I'll say I've also been doing my angel cards every day, and just finding ways to like be inspired. I've been reading a lot too, so I don't know, just finding ways to like be a consumer, but also creator at the same time. Yeah, I

[53:20] Speaker 3: love the idea of the angel card idea, like, that's so very kind of like something for each day, because there's so much going on with, like, mental health and just being able to take some of that and like, one thing to celebrate or focus on, yeah, yeah, intentions, yeah. It's great. That's awesome. Well, thank you so much for indulging me on all four productions of cats. And although I wanted to ask you about I thoroughly enjoyed getting to hear from you and you teaching me stuff too about the show that I didn't know. Yeah,

[53:48] Speaker 4: thank you so much. It's so fun. Cats has been such a special part of my life, and I would have never expected it at 13 to know. And I'll just say to close that, like getting to experience the show from six different vantage points over the past 10 and a half years now, is so unique and something that speaks to I know people don't know what cats is all the time, but there is this depth to it. And getting to be an actor and explore that, explore the Jellicle Ball from all these different angles, is really cool, and I've enjoyed getting to just try my try my best and see what I can do in the show.

[54:30] Speaker 3: Well, thank you for coming and thanks for listening to this episode with Madison Mitchell on the wrong cat died the podcast breakdown of the cat's atrophy. To follow along, you can subscribe on Apple podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or anywhere else you listen to your podcast, follow us on Twitter and Instagram at the wrong cat died. Or check out our website, the wrong cat died.com. You.