(Review) “Cats” at DPAC – Captivating, Alluring, Timeless…Still a Must-See!

DURHAM, NC – Cats opened at the DPAC on Tuesday night (Jan. 31) and will run until Sunday, February 5th, as a stop on its North American Tour. Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats is based on the 1939 poetry collection “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T. S. Eliot. The first performance was on May 11, 1981, and as of 2022, Cats remains the fourth-longest-running Broadway show.

Cats is completely told through music with no dialogue in between the songs, although there are occasions when the music accompanies spoken verse. Winner of 7 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Cats tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make the “Jellicle choice” by deciding which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer (their version of Heaven) and come back to a new life. 

All-new lighting design by Natasha Katz (Aladdin), all-new sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne (Phantom) and direction by Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables) enhances the original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock, Sunset Boulevard), as well as the original scenic and costume design by John Napier (Les Misérables). 

Most Memorable Moment

All of the music in this musical is breathtaking. But Western Carolina University alumna Tayler Harris’ rendition of “Memory” is unforgettable! One of the most treasured songs in musical theater, I got goosebumps when Tayler (as Grizabella) belted out “Memory.” She owned that stage at that moment.

Review

Cats at DPAC – Captivating, Alluring, Timeless…Still a Must-See! It’s a production of a new Cats for a new generation. And there were plenty of young ones in attendance, many aptly adorned in their cat outfits. I talked to many patrons who have seen the musical multiple times but were just as excited about the production as the ones who were seeing it for the first time (like me). I highly recommend seeing Cats while it is at the DPAC.

For ticket information, click here.