We got a chance to attend the “Cats” red carpet world premiere at Alice Tully Hall and speak to the actors and dancers in the film!
“Cats” movie poster
Inspired by a collection of poetry by T.S. Elliot, “Cats” follows a tribe called the Jellicles who have an annual tradition of picking one member to send to the Heaviside Layer and return to a new life. Directed by Tom Hooper, the movie stars Taylor Swift, Francesca Hayward, Idris Elba, Judi Dench, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, and many more great actors, dancers, composers, and choreographers!
The world premiere was held at Alice Tully Hall on Broadway in New York City on December 16th. In attendance were cast members James Corden, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Francesca Hayward, Robbie Fairchild, Laurie Davidson, Les Twins, Mette Towley, Bluey Robinson, Jaih Betote, Jonadette Carpio, Danny Collins, Meesha Garbett, Kolton Krouse, Naoimh Morgan, Daniela Norman. Also in attendance was director/co-writer/producer Tom Hopper, co-writer Lee Hall, producers Debra Hayward, Time Bevan and Eric Fellner, executive producer/composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, executive producer Jo Burn, music producer Nile Rodgers, and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler.
The cast of “Cats” at the world premiere at Alice Tully Hall. From left to right: James Corden, Tom Hooper, Mette Towley, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Francesca Hayward, Idris Elba, Rebel Wilson, and Laurent Bourgeois.
The dancers who performed in the musical were incredibly diverse in the styles they used and their abilities. There were ballet dancers, jazz dancers, hip-hop dancers, and several other types that the choreographers utilized in the film. Choreographer Andy Blankenbuelher said “It was a little of everything which was really exciting. It was a challenge because then you had to make compositions with one person who could do this, but couldn’t do that and forth. But the good thing was that we were working on material that had really high stakes. During the show, there is intense tension and intense joy and so I think it was really exciting to say ‘how far can you take that leap? What can that turn into?’” Like many musicals, the routines in “Cats” are very demanding of the dancers. “You’re not just acting,” said actress/dancer Naoimh Morgan, “you’re acting, you’re singing, and you’re dancing.”Along with all of that, they were also doing stunts like wire jumps and dancing close to edges of high buildings. Danny Collins, one of the dancers/actors in the film said “Normally, you just dance on one kind of surface and that’s enough to think about. When you’re doing it up a 12-foot wall and if you step off the side by a foot, you’re going to fall off and be dangling by a wire, that raises the stakes a little bit.”
A dance scene from the movie “Cats”
Alongside the dance performances and the acting, the music plays a vital role in setting the atmosphere for the film and the performances. This film is based on a stage musical also called “Cats” by Andrew Lloyd Weber and a major difference between creating a score for a stage musical and a movie is perspective. In a movie, the viewer only sees what the director wants them to see, so the score has to be handled differently than a stage show. Nile Rodgers, a music producer for “Cats” explains this difference: “The difference between a film and a stage play is the stage play, you see everything, even if the lights are down. You still know there is a presence on the stage. With a camera, you see what the director wants you to see and that was a really interesting challenge for me because I’m reading the score and I’m seeing things that aren’t necessarily being reflected in the score. So some of those little things I toyed around with and they worked and they liked them. Some they didn’t like, but that’s the movie business.” Nile Rodgers actually came onto the project near the end when they were trying to perfect the music. “I came in when it was time to drill down on it [the music],” said Nile, “And it was good because you get to see it through a pair of eyes that wasn’t involved in the early process; you come in at the end and say ‘this is what I see and this is what I hear.’” Additionally, the cast is made up of some great and popular singers like Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, and Jason Derulo who add their musical sensibilities and unique and recognizable voices to the project.
Francesca Hayward dancing as Victoria in “Cats”
The original “Cats” musical which released in 1981, was a big inspiration for several of the actors. Robbie Fairchild saw it when he was younger and wanted to be Mr. Mistoffelees, a young tuxedo-cat that is learning to control his budding magical abilities. But then, when seeing the revival of the show on Broadway later on, he became fascinated by Munkustrap, a grey tabby who is the narrator of the show and the protector of the Jellicle tribe. “When I saw the revival recently on Broadway, I thought ‘who’s Munkustrap?’ He was fascinating and I was like, if I ever did ‘Cats’, that’s the cat I would want to play!” The story of “Cats” is based off of a collection of short poems by T.S. Elliot called “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”. With it being adapted into a play and now a movie, the wonderful story is shared with several generations. “I think it’s a story that’s timeless because it’s so powerful,” said Francesca Hayward, “but I think it’s a story that’s also very amazing today. It’s a story about inclusion and community and its just magical.”
Check out our video coverage of the world premiere below! “Cats” releases in theaters on December 20th so check it out!