The Wrong Cat Died
- Episodes
- 312
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 10, 2026
About the podcast
Grizabella was the wrong cat to die. After seeing CATS the Musical for the first time in July of 2016, podcast host Mike Abrams was filled with a whirlwind of emotions. He was amused, confused, and a little angry. Almost exactly three years later when the 2019 CATS movie trailer came out, Mike had enough. It was time to speak his truth – Grizabella was the wrong Cat to Die at the Jellicle Ball. In this podcast, Mike interviews CATS cast members, CATS superfans, CATS haters, and explores the backstories of the Jellicle characters all to make a case for why they were more worthy to ascend to the Heaviside Layer than Grizabella.Part of the Broadway Podcast Network.
Episodes 312
Ep279 - Korie Lee Blossey, Old Deuteronomy in 2025 Casa Mañana "Cowboy CATS"
“Every cat is rehearsing a way to make themself shine.” This episode features Korie Lee Blossey who played Old Deuteronomy in Casa Mañana’s 2025 “Cowboy Cats” in Fort Worth Texas. Korie recounts early fandom …
Show notes
“Every cat is rehearsing a way to make themself shine.” This episode features Korie Lee Blossey who played Old Deuteronomy in Casa Mañana’s 2025 “Cowboy Cats” in Fort Worth Texas. Korie recounts early fandom through the soundtrack, clips, and the 1998 filmed version, plus repeated auditions where he was told he sounded too young. He discusses Cowboy Cats’ country-style ideas with Stockyards-inspired design, props, and Grizabella’s Mule Alley. Plus, Korie shares his experience in a John Oliver Cats spoof where he was credited as Old Deuteronomy.
01:44 Chasing Old Deuteronomy
04:17 Cowboy Cats
17:59 Wild West Stage Magic
21:56 Honesty Over Camp
27:27 John Oliver Cats Spoof
28:06 Ken Page Tribute Moment
33:11 Rapid Fire
- Check out Korey on Instagram: @itsmekorielee
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep278 - Shelby Griswold, Understudy in CATS: The Jellicle Ball & Anne of Cleves in Six North America Tour
“I was just so along for the ride.” This episode features Shelby Griswold who was an understudy in Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the PAC and is heading on the US National Tour of Six as Anne of Cleves. Shelby …
Show notes
“I was just so along for the ride.” This episode features Shelby Griswold who was an understudy in Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the PAC and is heading on the US National Tour of Six as Anne of Cleves. Shelby describes learning ballroom fundamentals, navigating improv versus set staging for a commercial musical, and creating her own movement material when covering tracks like Victoria. She shares how performing in revealing costumes and receiving an audience email about representation shifted her confidence and approach to work. Plus, Shelby and Mike cast the Six queens as Cats.
09:01 Casting Chaos
12:22 Learning Ballroom
20:42 Walking the Categories
32:36 Joining Six Tour
48:11 Rapid Fire
- Check out Shelby on Social Media: @shelby__griswold
- Check out Shelby's website: www.shelbygriswold.com
- Check out Six on Social Media: @sixustour
- Check out Six's website: sixonbroadway.com/ustour
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep277 - Anne Beck, Director & Choreographer at 2026 Beef & Boards Production
“ I have the characters who have a named song be their characters the entire show. And every time Munkustrap announces ‘the cat who will now be reborn and go back to a different Jellicle life’ I have those …
Show notes
“ I have the characters who have a named song be their characters the entire show. And every time Munkustrap announces ‘the cat who will now be reborn and go back to a different Jellicle life’ I have those eight players stand up.” This episode features Anne Beck, director and choreographer of 2026 Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s CATS in Indianapolis and a former Bombalurina. Anne recounts first seeing CATS at the Winter Garden, joining a 2012 Gateway Playhouse production with Ken Page, and learning extensive character backstories from Jacob Brent through rehearsal “tea time.” She explains how she stages CATS by starting day one with feline movement and story, emphasizing clarity, forgiveness, chosen family, and Grizabella’s throughline. She contrasts directing in large venues like Ball State with the intimate Beef & Boards space, notes the show’s fast rehearsal demands, and shares favorite roles, songs, and performance details for first-time audience members.
01:15 First Encounter with CATS
03:15 Playing Bombalurina
16:25 Beef And Boards Immersion
21:05 Prepping First Timers
29:48 Relationships And Family Tree
35:45 Fast Rehearsal Process
37:01 Dinner Theater Audience
45:13 Rapid Fire
- Check out Beef & Boards on Instagram: @beefandboards
- Check out Beef & Boards' website: www.beefandboards.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep276 - Brett Evans, Kermit MaFrog
“I felt like I owed it to the performers in The Jellicle Ball. Just because they changed the way I look at the world so I wanted people to have that experience.” This episode features Brett Evans, known online …
Show notes
“I felt like I owed it to the performers in The Jellicle Ball. Just because they changed the way I look at the world so I wanted people to have that experience.” This episode features Brett Evans, known online as Kermit MAFrog, to discuss becoming a CATS fan after initially viewing it as a “punishment,” discovering how different each production can be, and falling in love with the Jellicle Ball’s cast, intimacy, and audience interaction. Brett explains how he shifted from pursuing theatre to writing a poem a day for 10 years, then created his Jellicle Ball tribute videos to spotlight performers. He shares how his content began with viral Patrick Mahomes-as-Kermit sports videos before evolving into Muppets-meets-musical-theatre parodies.
05:33 Why The Jellicle Ball Hit Different
06:41 Poem a Day Origins
14:57 A Poem for The Wrong Cat Died
25:12 Kermit MaFrog Begins
28:12 Muppets Meet Musicals
36:51 Muppets Cats Dream Cast
43:51 Guilty Pleasure Showtunes
46:13 Rapid Fire
- Check out Brett & Kermit on Social Media: @brettevansmafrog
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep275 - Dominik Hees, Rum Tum Tugger in German Tent Tour
“Chrissie Cartwright asked me to do a pirouette and I didn’t know what it was.” This episode features Dominik Hees who played the Rum Tum Tugger on the German Tent Tour and later in the Vienna revival of CATS …
Show notes
“Chrissie Cartwright asked me to do a pirouette and I didn’t know what it was.” This episode features Dominik Hees who played the Rum Tum Tugger on the German Tent Tour and later in the Vienna revival of CATS. Dominik shares how he was cast despite no formal training and initially not knowing basic dance terms, receiving private dance lessons, and learning to sustain eight or nine shows a week in extreme tent temperatures. He shares how choreography and staging were adapted to his strengths, why the role evolved for him from a boy-band energy to a sexier, stiller, more mature performance, and how working with Chrissie Cartwright, Gillian Lynne, and Trevor Nunn shaped different interpretations. He describes changing onstage relationships with Mistoffelees, Grizabella, Munkustrap, and Bombalurina over time, shares favorite characters and songs, and weighs who should be the Jellicle choice. Be sure to see him in his upcoming Beauty and the Beast production.
04:28 From Rock to Musicals
07:07 Learning the Jellicle Ball
12:47 Finding Tugger’s Story
26:59 Parenthood Changes Tugger
28:08 Tugger Relationship Map
36:31 Rapid Fire
- Check out Dominik on Instagram: @dominik.hees
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep274 - Mark van Beelen, Mungojerrie on 2006 Dutch Tour
“Gillian Lynne’’s version of CATS is very much a ballet. So if you really pay attention to her choreography, you see so many connections of why different cats respond differently to each other.” This episode …
Show notes
“Gillian Lynne’’s version of CATS is very much a ballet. So if you really pay attention to her choreography, you see so many connections of why different cats respond differently to each other.” This episode features Mark van Beelen, who played Mungojerrie and covered Munkustrap in the 2006 Dutch tour of CATS. Mark recalls seeing CATS at age 10 at Amsterdam’s Royal Theatre Carré in an immersive, in-the-round setup that sparked his musical-theater passion, then traces his training at Fontys Dance Academy and learning Cats choreography from original Dutch cast creatives. He shares a standout audition story where he was nearly forgotten for final callbacks, then impressed the team by adapting to a revised Mungojerrie & Rumpleteazer song version. The conversation explores CATS’’ evolving choreography, music revisions, and modern licensing that encourages new concepts, including opinions on the 2016 Broadway revival and anticipation for a museum-themed Netherlands production.
00:49 Seeing CATS As A Kid
10:04 Audition Chaos and Callback
14:20 Song Variations
21:23 Why CATS Gets Reimagined
33:22 Building Characters in Rehearsal
39:36 Macavity Scare Story
41:00 Tradition vs New Versions
45:28 Rapid Fire
- Check out Mark on Instagram: @badass.vegan.unicorn
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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From The Vault: Emma Sofia, Skimbleshanks in Cats: The Jellicle Ball & Not Victoria in 2016 CATS
From The Vault: Originally released on February 10, 2021, this was episode 35 with Emma Sofia discussing her very fun audition story for the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS which was long before her time as …
Show notes
From The Vault: Originally released on February 10, 2021, this was episode 35 with Emma Sofia discussing her very fun audition story for the 2016 Broadway Revival of CATS which was long before her time as Skimbleshanks on Broadway in the Jellicle Ball.
"My goal was not to be Victoria; it was just to be an a**hole and wear a white unitard." This episode dives into one of the grandest CATS audition you'll ever hear. Emma Sofia (Caymares), who starred on Broadway as Veruca Salt in the original cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and as Wendy in the original cast of Finding Neverland, discusses her infamous audition and how she always stays true to herself. Check Emma out on ABC's new sitcom Call Your Mother.
- Check out Emma on Social Media: @emmasofiaokay
- Check out CATS The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep273 - John Anker Bow, Gus on US National Tour 6 & Mr. Van Daan in Slam Frank
“In a 4 show weekend, I did Peter, Bustopher, Deuteronomy, Gus, Deuteronomy.” This episode features John Anker Bow who played Gus on the US National Tour 6 of CATS and is returning in Slam Frank: The Musical …
Show notes
“In a 4 show weekend, I did Peter, Bustopher, Deuteronomy, Gus, Deuteronomy.” This episode features John Anker Bow who played Gus on the US National Tour 6 of CATS and is returning in Slam Frank: The Musical, opening off-Broadway in October. John recounts first seeing CATS as a child on Broadway and later on VHS, his path from studying English and doing school musicals to working in theater education and auditioning professionally, and how CATS grew on him during a two-year tour shaped by original creative lineage. John then discusses Slam Frank’s satirical, edgy, timely humor, its sold-out downtown run, and its expanded Off-Broadway staging.
02:07 Choosing Theater Career Path
04:42 Auditioning CATS Tour
12:48 CATS Lore
16:08 Choreo Revival Athlete Talk
18:06 Wild Tour Stories
21:18 What To Expect at Slam Frank
40:39 Rapid Fire
- Check out John on Instagram: @johnankerbow
- Check out Flop of the Heap Podcast on Instagram: @flopoftheheap
- Check out Slam Frank The Musical on Social Media: @slamfrankmusical
- Check out Slam Frank The Musical's website: www.slamfrankmusical.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep272 - Antoine L. Smith, Swing on US National Tour 5 & Berry Gordy in MJ The Musical
“CATS really showed me how important it was to be a team player and how to take care of each other on stage and off stage as much as you can.” This episode features Antoine L. Smith who was a swing on the US …
Show notes
“CATS really showed me how important it was to be a team player and how to take care of each other on stage and off stage as much as you can.” This episode features Antoine L. Smith who was a swing on the US. National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Antoine discuss his lifelong connection to the show after watching the VHS daily in college and becoming inspired by Ken Page’s Old Deuteronomy. Antoine describes auditioning via open call, joining a brand-new tour cast, and the intense self-driven work required of swings, including felinity coaching and learning multiple tracks like Old Deuteronomy, Bustopher Jones, and Gus. He shares his character backstory for Old Deuteronomy, his belief that Deuteronomy always knows the Jellicle choice, and a memorable mid-show emergency where he had minutes to get into intricate makeup and costume.
00:50 First CATS Obsession
08:29 Old Deuteronomy Backstory
09:48 Jellicle Choice Theory
12:39 Importance of Swings
16:52 Tour Chaos
24:49 Discovering The Jellicle Ball
36:27 Rapid Fire
- Check out Antoine on Instagram: @antoinelsmith32
- Check out MJ The Musical on Social Media: @mjthemusical
- Check out MJ The Musical's website: newyork.mjthemusical.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep271 - Jaydon Vijn, Rum Tum Tugger in 2026 Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
“We have this system that every cat in the show is on a different life out of the nine lives which is a really interesting way of thinking about it.” This episode features Jaydon Vijn who is currently …
Show notes
“We have this system that every cat in the show is on a different life out of the nine lives which is a really interesting way of thinking about it.” This episode features Jaydon Vijn who is currently performing as Rum Tum Tugger in Drew McOnie’s reimagined production of CATS at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London. Jaydon shares his CATS fandom from dance college, why Tugger was always his dream role, and what the audition process revealed about the production’s choreography. He discusses how the revival feels like a fresh show while honoring the original, including storytelling focus, character “nine lives” backstories, and relationships onstage. Jaydon details Tugger’s dynamics with Bombalurina, Munkustrap, Old Deuteronomy, and a mentorship-style bond with Mistoffelees, plus his darker, more adult take on Tugger. An episode not to miss.
02:11 Rum Tum Tugger Dream Role
04:18 Reimagining a Classic
10:10 Building a Darker Tugger
11:44 Outdoor Theater Experiences
15:33 Costumes Makeup and New Look
17:44 Tugger’s Relationship Web
25:50 Favorite Show Moments
38:31 Rapid Fire
- Check out Jaydon on Instagram: @jay.vijn
- Check out CATS @ Regent's Park Open Air Theatre: openairtheatre.com/production/cats
- Check out the CATS UK Tour: uktour.catsthemusical.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep270 - Xavier Reyes, Jennyanydots in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
“The Haus of Dots has the best table at the Ball.” This episode features Xavier Reyes who played Jennyanydots in the Broadway production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Hear Xavier discuss his CATS history, from …
Show notes
“The Haus of Dots has the best table at the Ball.” This episode features Xavier Reyes who played Jennyanydots in the Broadway production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Hear Xavier discuss his CATS history, from watching the DVD in Puerto Rico to auditioning for Skimbleshanks and ultimately booking Jennyanydots as a drag mother role. Xavier explains how he blended the original “Gumbie Cat” with extensive ballroom research, vogue classes, and collaboration with castmates, directors, and dramaturgy to marry ballroom and theater while honoring Cats lore. He describes shaping the Haus of Dots as a trophy-winning “empire,” building relationships and developing tension with Macavity via shared house backstory. Xavier reflects on audience reception at the PAC, the transfer to Broadway, improvisational audience interaction, celebrity judges, performing for Andrew Lloyd Webber, and favorite memories from the run.
03:11 Auditioning for Skimbleshanks & Jennyanydots
05:08 Building Jennyanydots
06:49 Researching Ballroom Motherhood
17:29 Haus of Dots
29:08 Broadway Debut
31:19 Audience Improv
40:42 Rapid Fire
- Check out Xavier on Instagram: @xavireyesactor
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep269 - Cast & Creative, 2026 Boom Theatre's Young Actors Edition of CATS, A Cornish Re-imagining
“We’re Bombalonzo.” This episode features the cast and creative team (Faith Stansfield and Matty Franklin from the cast and Kirsten Edwards and Marc Taylor from the creative team) from the Boom Theatre in …
Show notes
“We’re Bombalonzo.” This episode features the cast and creative team (Faith Stansfield and Matty Franklin from the cast and Kirsten Edwards and Marc Taylor from the creative team) from the Boom Theatre in Cornwall, who are performing a Young Actors Edition of CATS inspired by a “Cornish twist.” They discuss their first introductions to Cats, why Boom chose the dance-led show, and how the production reimagines the junkyard as a derelict Cornish harbor with immersive elements like fog and sea scent. Marc outlines three character “tribes” (village cats, mystical moor/legend cats, and pirate/wrecker outsiders), plus costume ideas including Cornish tartan and a tartan-clad Beetle Tattoo. Maddie and Faith explain character-development exercises, relationship choices (including their “Bombalonzo” dynamic), and how they’re adjusting adult themes for a youth cast.
01:21 First Encounters With CATS
06:37 Cornwall Reimagining
11:00 Three Tribes Concept
13:27 Building Characters in Rehearsal
31:02 Designing a Cornish Cats
36:46 Rapid Fire
- Check out Boom Theatre Instagram: @boom_theatre
- Check out the Boom Theatre's website: boomtheatre.uk
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep268 - Linedy Genao, Host of Entre Acts
“That organ sound was iconic. I felt like I was transported to a certain time in history.” This episode features Linedy Genao who is currently playing on Broadway as Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby and …
Show notes
“That organ sound was iconic. I felt like I was transported to a certain time in history.” This episode features Linedy Genao who is currently playing on Broadway as Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby and hosting her new podcast Entre Acts, which is part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Linedy recalls seeing the 2016 revival of CATS while performing in On Your Feet, loving the dancing and music but leaving confused, then later seeing the downtown Jellicle Ball and finally understanding the show. She shares what it was like leading Bad Cinderella, collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and everything involved with that show including the viral spray-paint moment. Now playing Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby, she explains her approach to making Myrtle sympathetic and critiques the double standard in how characters are judged. Linedy also discusses her Broadway Podcast Network show Entre Acts, focusing on the “in-between” periods for artists.
00:59 First Time Seeing CATS
03:11 CATS Revival Vibes
04:06 Broadway Origins Stories
07:46 Working With Andrew Lloyd Webber
09:58 Bad Cinderella
21:53 Playing Myrtle In Gatsby
25:10 Entre Acts Podcast
28:34 Rapid Fire
- Check out Linedy on Social Media: @linedygenao
- Check out Entre Acts on Social Media: @entreacts
- Check out The Great Gatsby on Social Media: @bwaygatsby
- Check out The Great Gatsby's website: broadwaygatsby.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep267 - Denise Jastraunig, Swing in German Tent Tour
“If you show it in your face, people don’t look at your feet.” This episode features Denise Jastraunig who was a swing in CATS on the German Tent Tour and then in the Vienna revival. Denise shares her CATS …
Show notes
“If you show it in your face, people don’t look at your feet.” This episode features Denise Jastraunig who was a swing in CATS on the German Tent Tour and then in the Vienna revival. Denise shares her CATS journey, from first seeing the DVD in school while training as a competitive tennis player to pivoting into musical theater at the age of 16. Denise recounts being unexpectedly invited to audition for the German Tent Tour, moving from a dancer call to the “movers call,” landing her first major job as a swing, and learning tracks with a detailed swing bible. She compares the tent tour’s deeper character workshops with a more time-pressed 2019 Vienna revival, notes production differences like an expanded tap number, and describes going on as Grizabella. She shares onstage mishaps, makeup challenges, and being featured in an Andrew Lloyd Webber Instagram post.
02:07 From Tennis To Theater
08:22 Audition Movers Call
20:45 Swing Life Prep
26:09 First Night Grizabella
31:46 Wild Onstage Stories
34:02 Webber Instagram Shoutout
38:16 Rapid Fire
- Check out Denise on Instagram: @denise__jastraunig
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep266: The Jellicle Tribe: CATS US National Tour 4 Reunion Brunch Discusses Cats: The Jellicle Ball
We were honored to be invited to the reunion brunch for the Jellicle Tribe, a group of members from the US National Tour 4 of Cats. They got together before opening night of CATS: The Jellicle Ball to catch up …
Show notes
We were honored to be invited to the reunion brunch for the Jellicle Tribe, a group of members from the US National Tour 4 of Cats. They got together before opening night of CATS: The Jellicle Ball to catch up and discuss all things CATS. Hear us discuss the excitement for the opening night, changes from their tour, and who is their Jellicle choice.
Featuring (in order): Natasha Davison, Holly Cruz, Nancy Melius, Eddie Buffum & Elizabeth Mills, Helen, Lauren, & Steve Watkins, Linda Leonard, General McArthur Hambrick, Daniel Wright, Joyce Chittick, Rosemary Loar, Jacob Brent
About the Production: Cats: “The Jellicle Ball” is a radical reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, inspired by the Ballroom culture that roared out of New York City over 50 years ago and still rages around the world. Staged as a spectacularly immersive competition by Zhailon Levingston and Artistic Director Bill Rauch. Unfortunately, this production closed way too soon.
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep265 - Bebe Nicole Simpson, Demeter in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
“In ballroom, femininity in particular is embraced. It really shifted my perspective on things.” This episode features Bebe Nicole Simpson who is performing as Demeter in Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Bebe discusses …
Show notes
“In ballroom, femininity in particular is embraced. It really shifted my perspective on things.” This episode features Bebe Nicole Simpson who is performing as Demeter in Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Bebe discusses the show’s early closing, her late introduction to CATS, and how she researched Demeter’s traditionally darker Macavity backstory before adapting it to this production’s “House mother” Macavity. Bebe compares lore variations across CATS productions, including shifting relationships and new theories in The Jellicle Ball, and talks about the move from The PAC to the Broadhurst, where staging and audience sightlines changed performance choices. Bebe shares a unique perspective on how ballroom helped her embrace femininity and body image. An episode you won’t want to miss.
02:46 Demeter and Macavity Lore
13:09 PAC to Broadway Transition
19:33 Learning Ballroom Culture
26:09 Walking Categories and Body
27:43 Costume Confidence
30:37 Ballroom Body Positivity
31:26 Onstage Lore And Relationships
37:47 Improvised Comedy Bits
43:57 Rapid Fire
- Check out Bebe on Instagram: @bebeeee_nicole
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep264 - Jordan Stefanski, The Jellicle Patron
“All of them took concepts here and turned it into just this massive expression of queer joy in the time we are living in right now. It doesn’t deserve to be seen. It demands to be seen.” This episode features …
Show notes
“All of them took concepts here and turned it into just this massive expression of queer joy in the time we are living in right now. It doesn’t deserve to be seen. It demands to be seen.” This episode features Jordan Stefanski, a devoted Cats: The Jellicle Ball fan who has seen the show over 50 times. Jordan comes on the show to discuss how his CATS journey began with the 2019 movie and later shifted after hearing about the ballroom concept through a friend involved in early workshops. Jordan explains why he repeats shows like A Strange Loop and Oh, Mary and his philosophy of bringing friends by buying tickets. Jordan then dives into how The Jellicle Ball’s queer joy, audience immersion, and evolving details reward repeat visits. He shares favorite places to sit (especially boxes), highlights DJ Griddlebone and Junior LaBeija’s presence, and praises swings and dance captains. An episode of true fandom and patron of the arts.
02:06 Surviving the 2019 Movie
04:34 Discovering Cats: The Jellicle Ball
08:50 Why He Keeps Returning
19:07 Hidden Details and Character Choices
21:10 Best Seats
28:35 Swings and Standout Moments
38:40 Rapid Fire
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep263 - Ryan Jackson, Mistoffelees on US National Tour 5
“You know when you walk into a conversation and two friends are laughing so hard you start to laugh? You have no idea what they are laughing about but the energy is infectious. I think that the fact this show …
Show notes
“You know when you walk into a conversation and two friends are laughing so hard you start to laugh? You have no idea what they are laughing about but the energy is infectious. I think that the fact this show is utter nonsense, it allows a freedom so then the joy on stage invites the audience in.” This episode features Ryan Jackson who played Mr. Mistoffelees during the early years of the US National Tour 5 of CATS. Hear Ryan discuss his first exposure to the show, rehearsals filled with unwritten lore, and Gillian Lynne’s surprising insights into the choreography. Ryan describes the ensemble-driven fun of touring, including onstage games, the influence of superfans and fan art, and how constant cast changes kept performances fresh. He reflects on the pre-show ritual of applying Cats makeup which helped launch his later career as a makeup supervisor on Broadway. An episode you won’t want to miss.
03:23 Rehearsal Lore
11:14 Keeping It Fresh on Tour
21:15 CATS Makeup to Makeup Career
26:01 Mistoffelees Entrance
29:32 Makeup Career Origins
34:34 Cats: The Jellicle Ball
38:06 Rapid Fire
- Check out Ryan on Instagram: @thisguysmakeup, @its_ryan_jackson & @thisguysbeauty
- Check out Death Becomes Her on Social Media: @deathbecomesher
- Check out Death Becomes Her's website: deathbecomesher.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
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Ep262 - Leigh Archer, Jennyanydots on 2025 Australian Tour
“If you’d asked me if I’d be in CATS again, I would have absolutely laughed and said don’t be ridiculous.” This episode features Leigh Archer who played Demeter in Australia in 1994 and recently returned as …
Show notes
“If you’d asked me if I’d be in CATS again, I would have absolutely laughed and said don’t be ridiculous.” This episode features Leigh Archer who played Demeter in Australia in 1994 and recently returned as Jennyanydots on the Australian tour. Leigh recounts first encountering CATS music while dancing in a Sydney football grand final show at age 14, later auditioning and joining an already-running Melbourne cast, where a rehearsal exercise helped her embody Demeter’s fear of Macavity. She describes touring Asia in the ’90s, especially Korea’s rock-concert-level audience reactions, and contrasts them with varied Australian crowds on the recent tour. Leigh shares what it was like re-entering the show many years later, relying on muscle memory, adapting to re-choreographed tap, navigating modern backstage social media fun, and defining character relationships. An episode you won’t want to miss.
04:28 Auditioning for Demeter
11:31 Returning After 30 Years
15:35 Backstage Culture Shift
20:05 Character Relationships
28:17 Tour Memories Then Now
32:14 Modern CATS Fandom
35:20 Rapid Fire
- Check out Leigh on Instagram: @archer5196
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep261 - Petra Ilse Dam, Bombalurina on Asia Tour
“That’s the fun part about the show because the connections are not set and you can change them all the time.” This episode features Petra Ilse Dam who performed as Tantomile in the 2019 Vienna Revival of CATS …
Show notes
“That’s the fun part about the show because the connections are not set and you can change them all the time.” This episode features Petra Ilse Dam who performed as Tantomile in the 2019 Vienna Revival of CATS and then as Bombalurina on the International Tour in 2022. Hear about Petra’s path into the show, from initially knowing only a few school numbers to auditioning for the Vienna revival, watching the 1998 DVD after getting the job, and learning the production in German. Petra discusses playing Tantomile, defining the twins as telepathic and moving as one with Coricopat, and using changing onstage connections to build character depth. She dives into her time on the International Tour evolving Bombalurina and the layered relationships she built out for the character.
00:46 First Encounter With CATS
05:15 Finding Tantomile in Rehearsals
09:20 Learning CATS in German
17:14 Onstage Relationships and Lore
27:11 Swing Life Stories
30:11 Prepping Friends & Family for CATS
35:03 Rapid Fire
- Check out Petra on Instagram: @petrailsedam
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep260 - Nathan Taylor, Bustopher Jones & Gus on the International Tour
“It’s a show unlike any other that has ever existed. I truly believe that. I think it broke all the rules of what made a successful hit Broadway or West End musical at the time.” This episode features …
Show notes
“It’s a show unlike any other that has ever existed. I truly believe that. I think it broke all the rules of what made a successful hit Broadway or West End musical at the time.” This episode features international tour performer Nathan Taylor, who played Bustopher Jones and Gus on the International Tour. Nathan discusses his unexpected history with the show, its universal appeal, and how performers create new character moments nightly. Nathan recounts auditioning in an emotional time in his life, explains how he relates deeply to Gus, and defends Bustopher by clarifying the UK meaning of “gentleman’s club.” He shares his personal lore theory that the show can represent multiple Jellicle Ball nights and ages in Gus’s life, and describes friendships shaping onstage choices, especially with Jennyanydots. Nathan also shares the death of his mother during the tour, including how she heard his recorded performance as she passed.
00:53 Nathan’s CATS History
04:45 Why Cats Works
11:41 Defending Bustopher Jones
22:33 Gus Timeline Theory
26:26 Asparagus vs Peter vs Bustertopher
30:13 Jennyanydots Friendship Lore
42:02 Grief Onstage
44:53 Rapid Fire
- Check out Nathan on Instagram: @sockmatician
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep259 - Tommie Luyben, Mungojerrie in German Tent Tour
“I always think of CATS as a picture book. Like a children's picture book come to life.” This episode features CATS veteran Tommie Luyben who has performed in the show since 2006 and recently assisted Chrissie …
Show notes
“I always think of CATS as a picture book. Like a children's picture book come to life.” This episode features CATS veteran Tommie Luyben who has performed in the show since 2006 and recently assisted Chrissie Cartwright on the 2025 Australian tour (and the 2022 Asia tour). Tommie traces his early fandom from CDs, library recordings, and the VHS to joining the 2006 Dutch tour as a swing, then performing on the German tent tour as first-cast Mungojerrie and later Skimbleshanks, plus swinging for the Vienna revival while covering many roles. He discusses challenges of performing in German, how rehearsal rooms build character backstories without changing the show’s outcome, and a very unique Electra theory. An episode you won’t want to miss.
01:19 First CATS Obsession
05:53 Dutch Translation Secrets
09:46 Vienna Swing Life
11:15 Assistant Director Era
13:33 Building Character Lore
20:55 Wild Rehearsal Theories
22:54 Macavity Deep Dive
26:32 Why CATS Still Hits
34:32 Chrissie Wisdom Nuggets
44:48 Rapid Fire
- Check out Tommie on Instagram: @tommieluyben
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep258 - Tannah Levick, Rumpleteazer in 2025 South Africa Tour
“ I believe that Jellylorum is our mother and she spends so much bloody time with Gus, trying to help Gus and fix Gus. We just wanna get her attention.” This episode features Tannah Levick who performed as …
Show notes
“ I believe that Jellylorum is our mother and she spends so much bloody time with Gus, trying to help Gus and fix Gus. We just wanna get her attention.” This episode features Tannah Levick who performed as Rumpleteazer in the South Africa production of CATS and will be on the continuation of the international tour. Hear Tannah share about her CATS history, how mentors and rehearsal process deepened her respect for the show’s poetry-based story, and how she became obsessed by researching through podcasts and cast discussions. Tannah describes the “I’m in CATS” choreography moments, auditioning in South Africa, insisting on Rumpleteazer, and how her onstage relationship with Mungojerrie shifts depending on who she is performing with(siblings, friends, or lovers). She shares mischievous audience interaction choices, viral tour social media with castmates, connecting with other Rumpleteazers for injury advice, and memorable show incidents including Mistoffelees getting stuck, a tire malfunction, and a bat flying onstage.
01:07 First CATS Memories
02:51 From Hating to Loving
11:41 CATS Theories and Lore
15:04 Rumpleteazer Relationship Theory
21:19 CATS TikTok Goes Viral
24:27 Global Jellicle Community
27:42 Tour Mishaps
32:25 Cats Astrology
37:25 Rapid Fire
- Check out Tannah on Instagram: @tan_levick
- Check out Tannah on Tik Tok: @Tannlevick
- Check out Tannah on Spotify: @Tannahlevick
- Check out the International Tour of CATS: www.andrewlloydwebber.com/show/cats
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep257 - Isabelle McCalla, Swing in McCalla's 1998 CATS & Emma Tate in Schmigadoon!
“My most treasured possession was that VHS. I played it every single day. And then I started teaching myself every single track.” This episode features Isabelle McCalla who is currently starring as Emma Tate in …
Show notes
“My most treasured possession was that VHS. I played it every single day. And then I started teaching myself every single track.” This episode features Isabelle McCalla who is currently starring as Emma Tate in Schmigadoon! on Broadway. Hear Isabelle recount seeing CATS in 1998 at age five, petting the actress playing Cassandra, and becoming obsessed with the London VHS, learning songs and choreography in her parents’ ballroom dance studio. She talks favorite and hardest tracks, her childhood understanding of the show’s sensuality, and reactions to the new Jellicle Ball revival’s ball-culture framing and storyline, plus the 2019 Cats film and the viral “Mr. MESStoffelees” video. Isabella discusses the incredibly fun Schmigadoon! and then she and Mike cast the Cats into the show.
01:03 First CATS Encounter
02:39 1998 CATS VHS Obsession
09:13 Cats: The Jellicle Ball
18:28 2019 CATS Movie
20:08 Schmigadoon!
24:10 Schmigadoon Meets Cats
32:54 Rapid Fire
- Check out Isabelle on Instagram: @izzymccalla
- Check out Schmigadoon! on Broadway: schmigadoonbroadway.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep256 - Kendall Grayson Stroud, Swing in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
“Ballroom has been one of the most important pieces of my life so far.” This episode features Kendall Grayson Stroud who is a swing in Broadway’s Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Kendall joined the earliest 2022 …
Show notes
“Ballroom has been one of the most important pieces of my life so far.” This episode features Kendall Grayson Stroud who is a swing in Broadway’s Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Kendall joined the earliest 2022 workshop, performed as Electra at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, and is now a swing covering 10 characters. Kendall describes going into the project with no prior CATS knowledge and only a small introduction to ballroom, then receiving ballroom briefings that kept the production rooted in the community. They discuss developing Electra’s story, the shift to Broadway, and the demands of covering 10 roles, where improvisation and adaptability are essential.
01:46 Audition Story
04:35 Workshop Chaos And Ballroom Briefings
07:20 Building Electra At the PAC
10:25 Swing Tracks And Broadway Debut
17:49 Transfer To Broadway
21:12 Joining The Ballroom Community
29:41 Dream Judges
35:15 Rapid Fire
- Check out Kendall on Instagram: @kendallstroud
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep255 - Emma Sofia, Cassandra & Skimbleshanks in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
"I have a dream that Skimbleshanks, as a representative of the MTA, is able to have a sit down with Zohran Mamdani to talk about the MTA fares.” This episode welcomes back the wonderful Emma Sofia for her third …
Show notes
"I have a dream that Skimbleshanks, as a representative of the MTA, is able to have a sit down with Zohran Mamdani to talk about the MTA fares.” This episode welcomes back the wonderful Emma Sofia for her third appearance on the show to discuss transferring Cats: The Jellicle Ball from the Perelman Arts Center to the Broadhurst Theatre, including how they adapted the PAC’s long runway into a proscenium space with tiers, onstage seating, boxes, and continued audience immersion. Emma explains how she maintains Cassandra’s boundaryless audience interaction, where Cassandra and Skimbleshanks tend to play in the house, and how the team expanded relationships and ballroom “family tree” lore. Emma talks about cast/story tweaks such as Leiomy as Macavity, Emma receiving the Legacy Robe, the pace of Tony season, and standout promo moments like Miscast and an upcoming MTA Sessions Skimbleshanks collaboration.
01:34 Broadway Transfer
04:00 Designing Immersion at Broadhurst
07:05 Cassandra Crowd Work
16:52 Legacy Robe
22:59 Miscast Experience
30:44 Dream Collabs
33:09 Award Season
40:03 Rapid Fire
- Check out Emma on Instagram: @emmasofiaokay
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep254 - Victor Vazquez & Sujotta Pace, Casting Directors in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
“Junior does not have an agent or a manager. Junior has a community in front of him and we had to move through that in order to get the call.” This episode features the casting directors of Cats: “The Jellicle …
Show notes
“Junior does not have an agent or a manager. Junior has a community in front of him and we had to move through that in order to get the call.” This episode features the casting directors of Cats: “The Jellicle Ball” Victor Vazquez and Sujotta Pace of X Casting talking about casting the show from early workshops through the PAC run and to Broadway. They discuss their personal introductions to CATS, receiving the initial “ballroom CATS” pitch, and how evolving workshops shaped everything about the show. They describe prioritizing the ballroom community through dedicated open calls, using community networks to reach artists without traditional representation, and the challenges of assembling an ensemble while honoring CATS legacy. Enjoy this deep dive into the creative process and the intricacies of the show.
02:31 The Ballroom CATS Pitch
04:56 Writing the Viral Casting Call
07:34 Workshops and Role Discoveries
09:43 Finding Stars and Ballroom Legends
32:40 Casting For Representation
41:48 Honoring Elders Legacy
45:13 Icons Leading The Company
48:20 Rapid Fire
- Check out X Casting on Instagram: @xcastingnyc
- Check out Victor on Instagram: @victorvictorv
- Check out Sujotta on Instagram: @sujotta
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep253 - Dudney Joseph Jr., Munkustrap in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
“I think that the magic that MCs create and where they're able to activate someone. I think that's a gift and it's really incredible.”” This episode features Dudney Joseph Jr. who is currently performing as …
Show notes
“I think that the magic that MCs create and where they're able to activate someone. I think that's a gift and it's really incredible.”” This episode features Dudney Joseph Jr. who is currently performing as Munkustrap in Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the Broadhurst Theatre. Dudney shares his first exposure to CATS via VHS in Buffalo, roles he once imagined playing, and how the production grew through workshops into a Broadway transfer. Dudney explains blending musical theater narration with ballroom MC responsibilities, learning to “take up space,” and developing the Legend Statements and Stars (LSS) curtain-call chants, an idea he voice-noted to Zhailon after the Lincoln Center workshop, then built under tight timing at the PAC before it went viral. He discusses changes from the PAC to Broadway, collaborating with creatives to honor both Cats’ legacy and ballroom culture, and working alongside ballroom icons like Junior LaBeija and Leiomy, including how they supported and informed his performance. Dudney also created a custom “Wrong Cat Died” chant for a podcast curtain call.
01:00 Introduction to CATS
04:26 Jellicle Ball Workshops
07:01 Building Munkustrap as MC
11:12 Creating the Curtain Call Chants
23:19 From PAC to Broadway
28:45 Ballroom Meets CATS
38:11 Why You Should Go
44:00 Rapid Fire
- Check out Dudney on Instagram: @dudney_jr
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep252 - Dee Roscioli, Grizabella on US National Tour 5 & Standby in Death Becomes Her
“It was a compliment when someone was like, your felinity was really beautiful. They’re really good at being a cat. Your hands up in little paws, maybe wash your little face. Looking back it’s probably one of …
Show notes
“It was a compliment when someone was like, your felinity was really beautiful. They’re really good at being a cat. Your hands up in little paws, maybe wash your little face. Looking back it’s probably one of the more ridiculous things I’ve done in my life.” This episode features Dee Roscioli who is currently a standby for Madeline and Helen in Death Becomes Her on Broadway and was Grizabella on the US National Tour 5 in CATS. Dee shares how CATS was her first Broadway show at 16, her lifelong connection to “Memory,” and what it was like playing Grizabella at 25, including what she recalls about auditions, rehearsal focus on felinity, and portraying an outcast despite being close with the cast. She recounts touring mishaps and backstage stories from her time on tour. Dee then shares her work in Death Becomes Her including the challenges of being a standby who covers two leads, including gaps between performances and viral audience expectations. We cast the cats into Death Becomes Her and discuss upcoming performances Dee has planned. An episode you won’t want to miss.
06:43 Auditioning For Grizabella
10:24 Building Grizabella Physicality
12:30 Cats Felinity
21:11 Wild Tour Stories in Costume
24:36 Death Becomes Her Standby Life
28:14 Viral Moments and Making Them Yours
33:58 Casting Cats Into Death Becomes Her
39:02 Rapid Fire
- Check out Dee on Instagram: @deeroscioli
- Check out Dee's Linktree: linktr.ee/deeroscioli
- Check out Death Becomes Her on Social Media: @deathbecomesher
- Check out Death Becomes Her's website: deathbecomesher.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep251 - Ken Ard, DJ Griddlebone in CATS: The Jellicle Ball & Macavity in Original Broadway Cast
“You have to see it. It’s one of those things that if you miss it, you’ve missed a cultural moment in time.” This episode features the incredible Ken Ard who originated the roles of Macavity, Plato, and the …
Show notes
“You have to see it. It’s one of those things that if you miss it, you’ve missed a cultural moment in time.” This episode features the incredible Ken Ard who originated the roles of Macavity, Plato, and the Rumpus Cat in the original Broadway production of CATS and is currently performing as DJ Griddlebone in CATS: The Jellicle Ball at the Broadhurst Theatre. Ken shares his experience hearing the West End cast album, auditioning as a gymnast-singer-dancer, and developing Macavity as a chaotic street cat without the fan-made “family tree” lore, while learning in rehearsal through acting exercises alongside Betty Buckley. He describes the dangerous Rumpus Cat star-trap floor stunt, a knee injury during the original run, and meeting celebrities backstage. Ken dives into how The Jellicle Ball’s ballroom setting makes CATS clearer and emotionally resonant for a new era, his audition path into the expanded DJ Griddlebone role, and why skeptics and even CATS haters should see this reinvention, praising key performances and the production’s inclusive cast and culture.
01:05 Auditioning for CATS
03:25 Creating Macavity
05:05 CATS Lore vs Reality
09:16 Rumpus Cat Trapdoor
13:05 Original Run Memories
21:33 Becoming DJ Grizabella
28:31 Ballroom Meets Broadway
33:54 Standout Moments
44:53 Rapid Fire
- Check out Ken on Instagram: @thekennethard
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Social Media: @catsjellicleball
- Check out CATS: The Jellicle Ball: catsthejellicleball.com
Produced by:
Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network
Social Media: @TheWrongCatDied
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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