This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[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.

[0:18] 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. She was on the most recent tour of Cats as a Swing, covering Bombalurina, Demeter, Rumpelteazer, Cillabub, and Tantamile. So welcome, Elana Valastro, and thank you for joining me.

[0:30] Elana Valastro: Thank you. Thanks, Mike. Thanks for having me.

[0:34] Elana Valastro: I'm excited. We are actually recording live, which is the first time we've done this in a long time besides BroadwayCon. So if the audio sounds different, that is why. But let's kick it off with my favorite first question, which is your experience with Cats before you were cast in Cats. So tell me a little bit about when you first saw it and what your experience was.

[0:50] Elana Valastro: I mostly remember growing up and having Cats be the butt of every joke. Like in musical theater canon, like the musical theater community, I just feel like Cats is the butt of every single joke. And I'm sure I had seen the movie when I was young because I remember Victoria, I remember the white cat, and I remember Misto. I remember somebody was sparkly and turning. So I'm sure I had seen the '98 movie. And then when I was... I don't even know how old, maybe like 10 or something, I saw the tour when it came to my hometown.

[1:36] Mike Abrams: Okay. So you saw the '98 movie, and then at 10 years old, you saw it on tour. Where and where? What city? Where are you from?

[1:36] Elana Valastro: I was in Burlington.

[1:42] Mike Abrams: Burlington. Okay. So 10 is a young age to see it now, especially now that you know probably a little bit more of the backstory. Did you pick up anything as a 10-year-old or did you just go to see dance?

[1:46] Elana Valastro: No, I think I just went to see the dance. I remember, once again, Misto. I remember the Mistoffelees number having more excitement for me as a child. I also remember there were streamers at the end, either end of Misto or end of the show. I don't remember, but there were these silver, this confetti cannon that they shot into the audience. And I remember that feeling being like, oh, my gosh, this is so amazing. But it was literally from the confetti cannon, which we did not have in our production.

[2:18] Mike Abrams: No, okay. No. So I actually, in rehearsals, I was like, ooh, are we going to shoot confetti? Because that is what I remember. So this is probably the fifth tour, I think, US tour, because yours is technically the sixth.

[2:29] Elana Valastro: Yes.

[2:30] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I don't even—

[2:30] Elana Valastro: Okay. So this is the fifth tour going around.

[2:35] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I don't know if there's any changes in that production compared. I mean, maybe little things like the confetti tour, but I don't know if they cut anything major. So, okay. So you saw it at 10 years old. Did you see any other time between that point and actually being cast?

[2:43] Elana Valastro: I don't think so, except for when I auditioned, or no, I guess I did my audition. And then when I was called back as a way to prepare, I started, I tried to watch the '98 movie. I was very busy, so I didn't have a lot of time. So I sort of sped through. And I remember I got to naming of cats and I was like, what is this? Like, what am I watching? And it's funny because I have since, obviously, like drunk the Kool-Aid and now it's so meaningful to me and it has such a place in my heart. But at the time I was like, what the, like, what is this?

[3:23] Mike Abrams: Yeah, it's a lot. I mean, it is, I've seen the '98 movie too. And as I told you earlier, I saw it on a plane, which has got a lot of looks. So it is a strange viewing. And to do it, so I guess it's probably a little different if you're doing it as you're prepping to know you're going to potentially go in the show. So were you knowing that, especially as a swing, were you watching multiple characters? Like how do you view that?

[3:48] Elana Valastro: No, I actually just watched for Demeter because I was in auditions for mostly specifically, well, I thought it was just Demeter. I'm sure they were looking at me at maybe for other people, but I thought it was in for Demeter. So I remember watching Macavity. And the hard thing about auditioning for the show is you don't know the choreography yet. So you're trying, you know, you're standing there in front of the team and you're singing the song and you're trying to just sort of move like a cat, but you don't have any specific choreography. So you're sort of just like trying to be slinky and like a little feral, maybe a little sexy, maybe a little like, you know, paw action. But we hadn't, we hadn't learned it yet. So it's so funny thinking back to my audition. I'm like, I don't know what I was doing, but I had watched, you know, Macavity of the '98 movie just to try to get the feel of it, but didn't know the choreography for my audition.

[4:44] Mike Abrams: Did you sing that song? Did you sing Macavity?

[4:45] Elana Valastro: Yes. And actually they had me sing the whole thing. So I did Bom's part and Demeter's part as like a one woman. Well, I did Macavity, which is normally a duet as a one woman number, the whole thing.

[4:56] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Well, but you covered both, right?

[4:58] Elana Valastro: I did. And I ended up covering both. I didn't originally cover Bom until like halfway through the tour. They added that for me.

[5:04] Mike Abrams: Okay. So you get cast. I'm fascinated by what you are told, especially as a swing, where you're being told about like most of the, like, if you're covering one character, it's like, all right, I got to figure out the backstory for this one character or a little bit of like that on top of the dance number and the song and everything else. As a swing, you've got five, six that you're covering.

[5:21] Elana Valastro: Yes.

[5:22] Mike Abrams: How do you, do you think through kind of like, this is the personality of this cat? Like how much did you learn about each one?

[5:28] Elana Valastro: I definitely through, I think, well, they actually started me with only three. So when we started rehearsals, I was only covering three and then they added two more for me through the course of the tour. And Kim, our director was really good about saying, you know, as a swing, like the first time you go on, just make sure nobody dies. Like make sure everybody's safe. Because this show, you know, people are flipping, people are leaping. It's so physical. And so she said, if you are in a safe spot, you know, maybe not even the right spot, but if you're in a safe spot and everybody survives your first time as a swing, because we don't get, we don't get rehearsal. We don't get rehearsal with the cast.

We don't, you know, we can like do it ourselves in some hotel lobby, which we did all the time, like truly every day. But, but that is very different than doing it on stage. So, you know, the first goal is, is everybody safe? Am I in the right spot? And you're, it's a little more, you feel like a puzzle piece, just sort of fitting yourself in. And then the more that I did each role, the more fun it was to really play around, start to, you know, be able to give the full expression of the character.

[6:35] Mike Abrams: For sure. How does that, does that change when you talk about a character like Rumpelteaser, where there's very clearly eyes on you at a point? And I guess the same way with Bomb and Demeter versus like maybe Celeb or Tantamile, where it's a little bit less focal point. Like, does that change how you kind of think about it? Where it's like, just kind of make sure you're not in a dangerous spot. But when you're Demeter and Bomb and Rumpelteaser, you are, all eyes are on you at moments of the show.

[7:01] Elana Valastro: Um, I think when you're on stage through the whole thing, you're just trying to be the best that you can be. So even if you are Tant, which, you know, unfortunately like Tant's doing all this amazing choreography, but is largely in the dark. Like a lot of people come see the show and you talk about the twins, the twins, and they think you're talking about Mungo Rump and they don't even notice the twins. They don't notice Tant and Quirico, which is really unfortunate because they're beautiful and they're doing all sorts of beautiful things. But, um, but when you're on stage, you feel like everybody's watching you, even though in the back of your mind, you know, because I had seen the show, I watched, I watched it when I wasn't on stage.

I, I know that everybody's doing a million different things. Some people are in the dark, some people, it's, it's a very complicated show. And I know that the audience probably doesn't have eyes on like that cat who's just like licking themselves in the corner. But, um, but you feel, you feel like everyone's watching you. So I think, you know, no matter what you're trying to be the best that you can be, but yes, there was definitely more pressure for some of the characters that are more featured.

[8:01] Mike Abrams: Yeah. I think it's, it's so interesting because I didn't know much about the twins when I especially first started. And as I've interviewed more cast members, I think they might be two of the most fascinating characters in the entire show, but it's one of those that like, I'm not sure I could pick them out of a lineup right now. And that's where it's so, it's so unique.

[8:13] Elana Valastro: Yeah. But I have, um, I have same thing. I can't, there are moments where I'm like, I can get ready and watch a '98 movie. And there are other times where I'm like, I can't do it, but I really want to watch the '98 movie and just try to follow them, which is, I think can be a little hard because of the way they do this, the shooting of it. But if I ever get a chance to see it, I think it's fascinating to follow them because of the fact that they basically see stuff before it happens. So it's like they jump around. They're like very like they're guiding things. I mean, the same way that monk is sort of the narrator, like the twins actually, um, impact a lot of the show, but for some reason people just don't notice.

[8:51] Elana Valastro: Yeah. I get it. There's a lot, there's 25, 30 cats. There's a lot going on at all times. There's no plot. So you're trying to figure it out to begin with. So I can give a little bit of a pass for the majority of the audience. They're seeing it. So let's talk a little bit about your, who'd you go on as first?

[9:05] Elana Valastro: Rump. And I actually went on for Rump for our final dress. It was our press, our press night, final dress rehearsal. You know, they're videoing, taking pictures, like the press pictures. Um, and I was sitting in the audience with the other swings. We had never at that been as swings, we had never been in full cat. So the, the main cast had, you know, gotten into full cat. They were in their wigs, their, their costumes. I had just had my first costume fitting, I think the day before. So I literally put on the unitards for the first time the day before that final rehearsal, final dress rehearsal. Um, and we're sitting in the audience and I remember I looked over to Brian and Megan, who are two of the other swings and they were my, my close friends.

And I said, you know, we're watching the show happening. And I was like, I cannot imagine being up there because at that time, you know, I had never put on the wig. I had never felt what it felt like to be in cat. I had, we had never been on stage even really like we, we had never, it was so foreign to us as swings because we hadn't experienced it yet. And, and they had told us that we would get swing rehearsals. We'd be, you know, very comfortable. But at that point we certainly were not, we were just like still sort of grasping at the choreography. Um, and so we're watching this final press night dress rehearsal and Mungo Rump happens and they do the cartwheels and they fell and, and Kelly and Max, it was like, it was so, so scary to watch them.

Um, they like, you know, they started turning and then they just went down and it was this like absolutely horrifying moment. Um, you know, it was scary for them. And then all of a sudden Brian turned to me and he said, I think you got to go backstage. And I was like, should I, I should, I should go backstage. He's like, yeah, you got to go backstage. And I went running backstage and you know, stage manager comes out, Kim comes out, they're like into cat right now. And literally 10 minutes later I was on stage. And then I did, I ended up doing in full cap and then I ended up doing opening night and I was on as Rump for the first few weeks.

[11:15] Mike Abrams: So you came in halfway through the show.

[11:15] Elana Valastro: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was like mid show swing on. Yes. And poor Kelly, like, oh my gosh, how, how terrible for her to not be able to, you know, do opening night. Like she had, she had, she was Rump, she had rehearsed it and then, and then it was really sad.

[11:27] Mike Abrams: And yeah, it's such an interesting thing because the show is so physical and dangerous. It seems like, you know, of all the other shows you hear, it's like you hear so many injuries and then I mean on tour, I don't think you had a rake stage as much. I didn't know what that was until this podcast. But then I learned about that. I'm like, that seems crazy even more, but there's just so many injuries that that's why there are so many swings and all this other stuff. But, um, so you, okay. So you went on, that is so interesting. With literally no rehearsal. I'm, I'm embarrassed about my opening night performance because I had never, I, I was, the show was so foreign to me. Like the junkyard was a place at all.

It was so, it was still, I had just like, the choreography was barely in my body and we were, and we were trying to learn so many tracks. And so to then go on for, for opening night, like I, you know, obviously my performance grew the more I was Rump, but I wish of course that I had been able to have any rehearsal before, before opening night.

[12:24] Mike Abrams: What was that morning like before opening night? Cause like you've got a half a show basically the night before and then it's probably like, Oh, it's like very real. Cause I think that first night you probably, it happened so quick that you don't even get to think about it, but you had the whole day to think about it.

[12:27] Elana Valastro: I mean, I definitely reviewed as much as I could. Um, and we did have a short, I had a short rehearsal, maybe one hour with Max to, to just review the feature. I had also never sung it. I hadn't had a music rehearsal, so I had never sung it with, um, you know, our music director with our conductor. Like I just had never.

[13:01] Elana Valastro: So, I was a swing on the sixth national tour of CATS, which was an incredible experience. Being a swing means that you cover multiple roles, and you have to be ready to go on at a moment's notice.

[13:31] Elana Valastro: I remember the first time I went on as Rumpleteazer. It was the day before our opening night, and I was so nervous. Our director, Kim, had said, "Just make sure nobody dies!" which was both funny and terrifying.

[13:41] Elana Valastro: The adrenaline was pumping, and I had to jump in mid-show. I had rehearsed the role, but nothing can prepare you for the real thing.

[13:51] Elana Valastro: I think the most challenging part was just trusting myself and my training. I had to rely on my instincts and the support of my fellow cast members.

[14:01] Elana Valastro: The energy in the theater was electric, and the audience was so excited. It was a whirlwind of emotions, but I loved every second of it.

[14:11] Elana Valastro: I also had to learn the backstories of all the cats, which was fascinating. Each character has such a rich history and personality, and it really adds depth to the performance.

[14:21] Elana Valastro: For example, Rumpleteazer is mischievous and playful, and I had to channel that energy while performing.

[14:31] Elana Valastro: I remember diving into the character's backstory and thinking about how she interacts with the other cats, especially Mungojerrie.

[14:41] Elana Valastro: The dynamic between those two characters is so fun, and it was a joy to bring that to life on stage.

[14:51] Elana Valastro: As a swing, you have to be adaptable and ready for anything. There were times when I had to jump into different roles, which kept things exciting.

[15:01] Elana Valastro: I loved the challenge of it, and it made me a stronger performer overall.

[15:11] Elana Valastro: One of my favorite moments was when I got to go on as a different character unexpectedly. It was a great learning experience.

[15:21] Elana Valastro: The camaraderie among the cast was incredible, and we all supported each other through the ups and downs of the tour.

[15:31] Elana Valastro: I think that sense of community is what makes theater so special.

[15:41] Elana Valastro: We all shared the same passion for the show, and it was amazing to see how everyone came together to create something beautiful.

[15:51] Elana Valastro: I also loved hearing the audience's reactions. Their energy really fueled our performances.

[16:01] Elana Valastro: It was a reminder of why we do what we do.

[16:11] Elana Valastro: I think every performance is unique, and you never know what to expect.

[16:21] Elana Valastro: That unpredictability is part of the magic of live theater.

[16:31] Elana Valastro: I feel so grateful to have been a part of such an iconic show.

[16:41] Elana Valastro: CATS has such a legacy, and being able to contribute to that was an honor.

[16:51] Elana Valastro: I hope to continue working in theater and exploring new roles and challenges.

[17:01] Elana Valastro: It's such a rewarding career, and I can't imagine doing anything else.

[17:11] Elana Valastro: I also want to encourage anyone who is interested in theater to pursue it.

[17:21] Elana Valastro: It's a tough industry, but if you love it, it's worth it.

[17:31] Elana Valastro: There are so many opportunities out there, and you never know where your journey will take you.

[17:41] Elana Valastro: Just keep working hard and stay true to yourself.

[17:51] Elana Valastro: That's the best advice I can give.

[18:01] Elana Valastro: I'm excited to see where my career goes next, and I hope to keep sharing my passion for theater with others.

[18:11] Elana Valastro: Thank you for having me on the podcast!

[18:21] Elana Valastro: It's been a pleasure to share my experiences with you.

[18:31] Elana Valastro: I hope everyone enjoys the show as much as I enjoyed being a part of it.

[18:41] Elana Valastro: And remember, always keep your cat-like curiosity alive!

[18:51] Elana Valastro: Thank you!

[19:01] Elana Valastro: I look forward to connecting with everyone on social media, so feel free to reach out!

[19:11] Elana Valastro: You can find me on Instagram at @elanavalastro.

[19:21] Elana Valastro: I love sharing behind-the-scenes moments and connecting with fellow theater lovers.

[19:31] Elana Valastro: It's such a wonderful community, and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

[19:41] Elana Valastro: Thanks again for having me!

[19:51] Elana Valastro: I can't wait to see what the future holds!

[26:04] Mike Abrams: Didn't have to deal with, and even the revival didn't deal with, but there was after 2019 and really into 2020, there was the tour that ended, it went for COVID, and then you all picked back up. Did you feel kind of like, first of all, did you see the movie? How'd you feel about it? But then did you feel that there were some people that maybe were there knowing that that was their only introduction was maybe that 2019 movie?

[26:21] Elana Valastro: Yes, I have not seen the full thing. I've seen clips of it, and it is honestly very cringy to me. I mean, there are some beautiful dancers in it, beautiful actors. It's not their fault. I don't want to say, but like...

[26:41] Mike Abrams: Oh, totally. No, no, totally.

[26:42] Elana Valastro: But... It's one person's fault. It's an interesting movie as far as I can tell from what I've seen. I think at some point, I should really watch, I should watch the whole thing, but maybe after the influence, you know?

[26:56] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I was going to say, I saw a press viewing. It was an experience, and then I saw half of it again with my family, and they just were like, does it get better? And I'm like, it doesn't, so we stopped.

[27:05] Elana Valastro: Yeah, you would need some either influence or bring some of your former cast members with you where you can kind of enjoy it. It's going to be an experience.

[27:14] Elana Valastro: Yeah, I actually live with Bri now who played our Sillabub, so we'll watch it together one night, have some drinks or something to make it more enjoyable and be ready for chaos.

[27:26] Elana Valastro: Yeah, but there definitely were people in the audience, I think, who had... That was their most recent memory, or that was their only knowledge of the show, which is...

[27:36] Mike Abrams: Bad.

[27:36] Elana Valastro: Interesting, yeah. And I hope they enjoyed the stage version. I think it is meant... I mean, the '98 movie does a really good job of filming the stage version, but I think it is meant to be seen on stage.

[27:47] Elana Valastro: I don't think you can... My experience, again, it was 2016. I was not ready to see it, didn't know anything about it.

[27:54] Mike Abrams: You were stunned.

[27:55] Elana Valastro: And I walked in, and I think the thing that the '98 movie and definitely the 2019 movie doesn't do justice is you just walk in and you walk into the experience. The junkyard is a junkyard. And I had really great seats the first time, so the set is fascinating and so cool and very intricate. And so you do walk, you feel like you walk into an experience. And then for me, I don't think your cast got to do this because of COVID, but Green Eyes, you start the show with all of a sudden a cat in your face. And so it's like, it is... Neither of the movies can do that justice. But the '98 movie does a pretty good job of giving a pro shot version of where you see a stage production. They added in a few special effects to make it like... Mistoffelees has a few lightning bolts and some other things that...

[28:40] Mike Abrams: Like 1998 CGI, basically, is what they could add.

[28:45] Elana Valastro: Did anybody from my cast tell you about Cats in Concert?

[28:49] Mike Abrams: I don't think.

[28:50] Elana Valastro: Okay. So we had one night where we're on the bus and we're heading to the theater, and Grace Buckley, our resident choreographer, stands up and she said, okay, so the freight elevator was broken in the theater. They could not get the set in. They could not get the floor in, the lights, any of that. And she said, so we're just going to do a concert version.

[29:09] Mike Abrams: Wow. Where was this?

[29:12] Elana Valastro: Oh, where was this? Somewhere in Iowa or Indiana or South Dakota.

[29:17] Mike Abrams: It didn't come to Indiana. It didn't come to Indiana. So I can tell you... Well, maybe it went to Evansville. It didn't come to Indianapolis because that's where I'm from. And it was supposed to come with the first one, but in April of 2020. So I don't think it went to Indiana.

[29:29] Elana Valastro: It was some Midwest-ish.

[29:32] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Okay. Sounds right.

[29:33] Elana Valastro: We were somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Somewhere in the middle of nowhere. And we only had one night in that theater.

[29:39] Mike Abrams: Okay.

[29:40] Elana Valastro: And so they decided to do the concert version of Cats. And we walked... Oh, and she said, all the swings will be on. So she said, you will all be, all of us, all 10 swings and all main cast in full Cats.

[29:52] Mike Abrams: Just doing a concert version.

[29:54] Elana Valastro: Yes. So we had duplicates because we don't have our own swing Cat. Our costumes are the same.

[30:04] Elana Valastro: The same. Wow.

[30:05] Elana Valastro: So Bree and I were both dressed as Sillabub. Megan was a second Jenny. Everybody was a duplicate, essentially. And then two, Kellyanne and Carolyn were both baby Griz. And then Tay had full Griz. So they just sort of... There were duplicate Cats. And they said, just try not to be next to each other at any point. They said, just sort of stay on the other side of the stage. And when we first walked in, there were chairs set up. We were just going to sit there and sing the show. And then that got cut because I think Grace Buckley was like, I'm not having these grown adults sit in these unitards and just sit there in full Cat. So basically for two and a half hours, we just crawled around the stage because they didn't want us to do any choreography since it wasn't the full version of the show. They didn't want it to sort of be like bastardizing somebody's work. It's disrespectful of somebody's work to do sort of half of their work.

[31:05] Mike Abrams: Yeah, totally.

[31:05] Elana Valastro: And so they said, no choreography. You're just a Cat. And for literally two and a half hours, 32 grown adults crawled around a stage and sang Cats, but did not have any other aspect of the show.

[31:17] Mike Abrams: But you didn't dance at all, or like loosely, but not like the full thing.

[31:20] Elana Valastro: No, we just sort of moved around, I'd say. And then by the time we got to Misto, Paul did sort of improv it. How do you get to Mistoffelees? Well, you're supposed to just stand there and sing. And there's so many dance breaks. There's a 12-minute dance number, the Jellicle Ball. And so we're just sort of, we're all moving around the stage trying to be Cats.

[31:46] Elana Valastro: They played every single thing.

[31:47] Mike Abrams: Oh, they sure did. Yes, they did.

[31:49] Elana Valastro: Such an interesting decision because when you said Cats in concert, I'm like, oh, okay, they just played the album.

[31:54] Mike Abrams: The songs. No.

[31:56] Elana Valastro: Play the tracks. Just play everything. Forget all the stuff in the middle.

[32:00] Elana Valastro: We did the whole thing. And we were all on stage too. So we get to the part where we're like, we have to find old Deuteronomy. And Andalacio is just sitting there on stage in his old Duke costume. So it was just really, really wild.

[32:13] Mike Abrams: Was there the whole kidnapping scene?

[32:16] Elana Valastro: We did everything, but everybody was just on stage the whole time. And we just sang it and tried to pet ourselves and lick ourselves as cats.

[32:26] Mike Abrams: This is good for next time I talk to you.

[32:28] Elana Valastro: You'll have to ask somebody else about it.

[32:30] Mike Abrams: Well, here's what I want to ask. I want to ask Taylor, because hopefully we're still going to find time to record. But I want to know, because she had to do a whole show versus her...

[32:38] Elana Valastro: Yes, I think at some point they might have taken her. She did a lot of the first acts. She might have done the whole first act. And then at some point they said to her, it's too weird. In act two, I think they said, it's too weird. You're supposed to... You're not part of the tribe. You're not supposed to be sitting there, which she was the whole time. And so I think they took her, they sort of like waved from the wings or something and said, come on, come on. And then I think from memory, she did enter from memory.

[33:12] Mike Abrams: That is fascinating. I have definitely not heard about that, because I would have remembered that. And I would have had a lot more questions.

[33:21] Elana Valastro: I'm going to probably have a lot more questions I'm going to be asking you as I think about them after we finished recording. That is so unique.

[33:28] Elana Valastro: They did give, they gave the audience the offer, I think, of being refunded. I think they said, you can come... They phrased it in a very funny way. They were like, you can come in for a once in a lifetime, never seen before version of Cats, or you can have your money back.

[33:44] Mike Abrams: Yeah. I mean, being from the Midwest, I bet you probably had a pretty full crowd still.

[33:51] Elana Valastro: I think we did. Yeah. I feel bad for them. But we did. I don't know.

[33:58] Mike Abrams: Depending on how small of a town you are, you get to some of those small towns and it's like, that has been on the calendar for probably six months. And so it's like, that is the night out.

[34:06] Elana Valastro: Or more because of the pandemic. Some of our people had been waiting for years, because they thought it was coming before the pandemic.

[34:12] Mike Abrams: Yeah. So interesting. All because of Freight Elevator didn't work.

[34:15] Elana Valastro: All because, yeah, they literally just could not get the set in. And so we did Cats in concert.

[34:20] Mike Abrams: Isn't there, I guess this would be so hard to figure out, but isn't there's a, one of the two, I think before the pandemic used an inflatable set?

[34:24] Elana Valastro: We did have, yeah, we had an inflatable set.

[34:27] Mike Abrams: Okay. So you also didn't even get the inflatable set in.

[34:32] Elana Valastro: I guess not. They could not get anything in.

[34:34] Elana Valastro: I call it the bounce house set.

[34:35] Elana Valastro: And it's so loud too. It's really loud. We had one sort of swing rehearsal where we were practicing on the stage, but because we didn't have sound and we didn't have, we weren't mic'd, we were just, it was just the swing sort of on the stage. And I was being Sillabub, but Sillabub sings her little, you know, moonlight, like in the up stage corner, right near where the Bouncy Castle is like, it's loudest. And so the people, the other swings couldn't even like, could barely hear that I was singing. And Connor was like in the wings. And I think, I think maybe he just didn't know that somebody at that swing rehearsal was being Sillabub or something, or he just didn't think of it, or he just was in the wings and was like, you know, and he starts singing full out, like Sillabub's little bit, like Connor is like just full on singing moonlight and everybody's like looking over, although I couldn't hear him and he couldn't hear me, but we both were singing moonlight. But the set is so loud that it's really hard to hear.

[35:32] Mike Abrams: Again, fascinating things that I've learned because of this podcast that there's inflatable sets that travel around. Okay. Let's switch to some quick rapid fire.

[35:41] Mike Abrams: Who, I mean, you played a lot of cats, but if you could play any cat anytime, forget whether it's male, female, vocal range, dance number, just if you could be one cat one time, who would you want to go on as?

[35:50] Elana Valastro: I liked Demeter best out of all my tracks, but I think it would be fun to be Skimbleshanks maybe. People probably say that all the time.

[36:00] Mike Abrams: It's a wide range of answers. And it's usually someone that either says something that's like the opposite of their personality that they would just want to do, or it's like very away from their vocal range or for something else, or it'd be like, it'd just be fun to do that. So Skimbleshanks is a good answer. It's also like a crowd-pleasing number. People love it. You get, you know, there's the train and it's, it is a, I've grown to like, I had a scarring moment the first time. Cause when they make the light and they shine it out into the crowd, it hit me. And I just remember being like, I don't like Skimbleshanks because of that moment. So I'm like, I couldn't see it. It was like, trying to like close my eyes and get my like sight back for the next part. So I always have this like slight anti-Skimbleshanks that I probably shouldn't have. And it's, it's grown on me.

[36:49] Elana Valastro: We had one, just like a quick little anecdote as my, you know, I had been Rump for so long and then I switched to Sillabub and then I went back to Rump and in my, my brain, I was like, well, I know Rump so well that I didn't, I didn't review Skimbleshanks as well as I needed to. And I accidentally, we're, we're making the train and I got, or like earlier in the number, we sort of make a train with our bodies. Um, and I got into Bree's spot because my, my brain, I had just been Sillabub and then I was Rump. And you know, you have these moments where you look down and you're like, what cat am I right now? Like, what, where am I going? Um, and so in my head I was like, okay, follow Vic, follow Vic.

And I, and I did. And all of a sudden we're standing there in this train formation. And I realized that I had turned it, I was wearing Rump's costume and I had turned into Sillabub. And Bree, the angel that she is, she just like got into Rump's spot. She, she was like, okay. And she just saw me in her spot and then she went into Rump's spot and we like finished out that portion of the choreography in our swapped spots. And just, you know, she just went with the flow, which was, thank God she did that. But that was one of those moments where, you know, the audience doesn't know. So it was kind of funny, but I felt bad. I was like, oh my gosh, I like forced her out of her character.

[38:02] Elana Valastro: There, there were a few people, I don't know if they were in that particular show, but there are some Junkyard fans who would have noticed, who would know.

[38:07] Mike Abrams: They sure would. And because I've got, I, trust me, I early on, I got called out on any error I might've said in the show of like, that's not right. I'm like, well, is it though? Cause I don't think there's the answers to a lot of this stuff. Right.

[38:21] Mike Abrams: Who are your favorite and least favorite cat?

[38:29] Elana Valastro: Um, I, I, John, who played Bustopher did an amazing job as Bustopher. I don't, I think that number could get cut. I'm sorry. I'm pretty sure that number did get cut. Cause there's a Royal Caribbean cruise. Yes. A shorter version. They gonged Bustopher. I'm pretty sure Bustopher got cut. Yeah. In my version of Cats, he could also sort of get the boot, I think. Although, you know, John did an amazing job. It is funny, but.

[38:48] Mike Abrams: I'm not talking about cast members. I'm talking about cats.

[38:50] Elana Valastro: Just the character. I'm like, get rid of him. Um, and then my favorite, what is my favorite? I do, you know, this is, it is cliche, but I think that memory, the song is famous for a reason. It really moves people. It re people love it.

[39:05] Elana Valastro: So, as a swing, you have to be ready to go on for multiple characters, and it can be really intense. I remember the first time I went on for Rumpleteazer, it was the day before our tour opening. I was super nervous but also excited.

[39:20] Elana Valastro: The adrenaline was pumping, and I just kept thinking, "Okay, just make sure nobody dies!" That was our director Kim's advice, and it really stuck with me.

[39:35] Elana Valastro: I had to jump in mid-show, which is a whole different ballgame. You have to be aware of everything happening on stage, and you have to trust your instincts.

[39:55] Elana Valastro: The energy from the cast was incredible, and they really helped me feel supported. I think that’s what makes being a swing so special; you have this unique bond with the ensemble.

[40:10] Elana Valastro: I also remember the backstories of the characters really well. Each cat has their own journey, and it’s fascinating to dive into their histories.

[40:30] Elana Valastro: For example, Rumpleteazer is mischievous and playful, but there's also a depth to her character that I love exploring.

[40:50] Elana Valastro: The more you learn about each cat, the more you can bring to the performance. It’s like giving them life on stage.

[41:10] Elana Valastro: I think that’s why the show resonates with so many people; each character has their own struggles and triumphs that audiences can relate to.

[41:30] Elana Valastro: And as a swing, you get to experience that from multiple perspectives, which is such a gift.

[41:50] Elana Valastro: There’s a lot of pressure, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. You really feel like you’re part of something bigger.

[42:10] Elana Valastro: I remember one night, I had to go on for two different characters, and it was a whirlwind.

[42:30] Elana Valastro: But the thrill of stepping into those shoes and making it work is just unmatched.

[43:00] Elana Valastro: The camaraderie among the swings is also something special. We all support each other and share tips and tricks.

[43:30] Elana Valastro: It’s a unique experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

[43:50] Elana Valastro: I think the most important thing is to stay adaptable and keep a positive attitude, no matter what happens on stage.

[44:10] Elana Valastro: That mindset really helps when you're thrown into unexpected situations.

[44:40] Elana Valastro: And honestly, those moments often lead to the best stories.

[45:00] Elana Valastro: I’ve had some wild experiences that I’ll never forget, and they’ve shaped me as a performer.

[45:20] Elana Valastro: It’s all about embracing the chaos and finding joy in the unpredictability of live theater.

[45:40] Elana Valastro: I think that’s what keeps me coming back for more.

[46:00] Elana Valastro: Every performance is a new adventure, and I love being part of that journey.

[46:20] Elana Valastro: Plus, the fans are amazing. They bring such energy and enthusiasm to the show.

[46:40] Elana Valastro: It’s really special to connect with them after the performances and hear their thoughts.

[47:00] Elana Valastro: It reminds me of why we do what we do.

[47:20] Elana Valastro: The impact of theater is profound, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.

[47:40] Elana Valastro: I think that’s what makes the Jellicle Cats so memorable; they each have a story that resonates with people.

[48:00] Elana Valastro: And as a swing, I get to explore those stories in a way that’s unique to my experience.

[48:20] Elana Valastro: It’s a beautiful thing, really.

[48:40] Elana Valastro: I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next.

[49:00] Elana Valastro: I’m always excited for what’s to come, both on and off stage.

[49:20] Elana Valastro: The possibilities are endless, and I’m ready to embrace them all.

[49:40] Elana Valastro: Thank you for having me on the podcast to share my experiences!

[50:00] Elana Valastro: It’s been a pleasure chatting about all things CATS.

[50:20] Elana Valastro: I hope listeners find inspiration in the stories of the Jellicle Cats and the magic of live theater.

[50:48] Elana Valastro: Remember, every cat has a story worth telling.

[51:08] Elana Valastro: And I’m just grateful to be part of that storytelling.

[51:28] Elana Valastro: Thank you again for this opportunity!

[51:58] Elana Valastro: I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us in this amazing community.