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Director's Note:

“Hal, it’s about cats.” 

That was Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sole response, when asked by director Hal Prince what his newest musical was about. Prince had puzzled over the script, straining to see the plot, drawn from T.S. Eliot’s poetry, as a metaphor – about the English class system, about post-war politics, about the circle of life and rebirth, about something.

But Cats is about cats. And there’s no doing anything about it.

Those who have pet cats know that there is a world of expression and desire hiding behind their ineffable faces. We may even claim to “understand” our cats, to “get” them. Without being able to speak to them, we build stories about who our cats are: elegant, lazy, thieving, protective, mystical. A cat cannot be fully explained, but a cat can be understood. So, too, can Cats be understood, but never explained.

As you watch, I encourage you to see these cats the same way you would any other cats. Watch for the small details that reveal their inner worlds, the whispers of a backstory that goes unspoken, the tension between who they are and want to be. You may find yourself surprised to see a narrative forming: a story of ingrained prejudices, social divisions, the lure of the future and the pain of the past. Look at a cat for long enough, and you’ll grow certain they’re about something.

And then, always remember, Hal – it’s about cats.

Enjoy the show!

Song List

ACT I: When Cats Are Maddened by the Midnight Dance

“Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” – Company
“The Naming of Cats” – Quaxo, Munkustrap, Company
“The Old Gumbie Cat” – Munkustrap, Jellylorum, Demeter, Bombalurina, Jennyanydots
“The Rum Tum Tugger” – Tugger, Quaxo, Bombalurina, Company
“Entry of Grizabella” – Grizabella, Demeter, Bombalurina, Company
“Bustopher Jones” – Bustopher, Jennyanydots, Bombalurina, Jellylorum, Company
“Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer” – Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer
“Old Deuteronomy” – Tugger, Munkustrap, Deuteronomy, Tantomile, Coricopat, Company
“Song of the Jellicles / The Jellicle Ball” – Company
“Grizabella: The Glamour Cat” – Grizabella

ACT II: Why Will The Summer Day Delay – When Will Time Flow Away?

“The Moments of Happiness” – Deuteronomy, Sillabub, Company
“Gus: The Theatre Cat” – Asparagus, Jellylorum
“The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles” – Asparagus, Munkustrap, Carbuckety, Cassandra, Company
“Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat” – Skimbleshanks, Company
“Macavity: The Mystery Cat” – Demeter, Bombalurina, Company
“Magical Mister Mistoffelees” – Tugger, Quaxo, Company
“Memory” – Grizabella, Sillabub, Munkustrap
“The Journey to the Heaviside Layer” – Company
“The Ad-Dressing of Cats” – Deuteronomy, Company

Cast

Creative Team

Zach Barr Director

Taylor Niemeyer-Symons Choreographer

Olivia Pedroza Music Director

Joelle Robertson Stage Manager

Julia Gorordo Props Designer

Benjamin Radin | PNW Scenic Scenic & Sound Designer

Carolann Voltarel Costume Designer

Dan Schuy | PNW Scenic Lighting Designer

Zoe Loughnane Assistant Stage Manager

Angelina Lapounov Assistant Stage Manager

Gabby Evans Costume Assistant

Virgil Dion Wardrobe Crew

Sebastian Herb Lighting Apprentice

Autumn Lapounov Lighting Apprentice

Robyn Le Sound Apprentice

Alex Robinson Director of Artistic and Production

Aimee Hong Conductor/Key 1 SUB

Thomas Cripe Bass

Noah Barr Woodwind 2 / Trumpet 1

William Bryant Woodwinds 1

Mary Plesko Key 2/3

Mark Plesko Drums / Percussion

Meet the Company

Adele Yoffe

CASSANDRA

Rose Hill Middle school and loves being a part of Studio East. This is Adele’s 11th mainstage production here. Her most recent ones were Fiddler on the Roof and The Phantom Tollbooth. She would like to thank the entire Studio East team and her friends (Mary & Yuval) for supporting her throughout the show and convincing her to get back into theatre.

Aidan Bruce

BUSTOPHER JONES

age 10, has been passionate about performance since age four, captivating audiences with heartfelt storytelling and dynamic portrayals. In ACT Theatre’s 49th A Christmas Carol (2024), he starred as Young Scrooge and Charles Cratchit. A versatile dancer in TAP, Lyrical, and Jazz, he’s also passionate about books and music.

Alice Beeman

CARBUCKETTY

is a rising senior at Inglemoor Highschool where she most recently played Vlad in Anastasia, and Annie in The Play that Goes Wrong. Although she has done Intensive, YAPI, and tech at Studio, this will be her acting debut! She hopes you enjoy the show!

Alon Ten-Ami

MUNGOJERRIE

is a sophomore in his second show at Studio East. Past roles include Hades in Hadestown, and Jack in Into the Woods, both at Youth Theatre Northwest. Alon enjoys writing plays as well. He would like to thank his sister, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Avy Brodahl

VICTORIA

age 12, is excited and grateful to be a part of another Studio East production. Besides theatre, singing and being silly, Avy loves to play the piano, draw, play tennis, and read. Special thanks to family and friends for their endless support!

Bella McCabe

GRIZABELLA

Age 15, is excited for her 9th performance with Studio East in such a fun and challenging role!! A few of her favorite roles so far have been Young Alice/Understudy Alice in Alice by Heart, Miss Honey in Matilda, Understudy Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables , Understudy Jan in Grease. She is an incoming Sophomore at Lake Washington High School!! She loves theatre, choir and hanging out with her friends. She would like to thank her best friends Tristan and Lee and her family for their love!!

Bertie Kocher

SILLABUB

moved to Redmond WA from England in 2023. Having trained in elite gymnastics from age 6 and ballet from age 3, Bertie is quite new to theatre! She’s attended Studio East’s Intensive course, musical theatre summer camp and performed in Rainbow of Love Cabaret, directed by Zach Barr. She is SO excited to be working with Zach again, and the rest of the fabulous team, for her first Studio East show!

Charlotte McCormick

CORICOPAT

Debbie Bluvstein

ALONZO

is very excited and grateful to be in this production of Cats. She was most recently seen in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Fiddler on the Roof, and Phantom Tollbooth. In her free time, you can find her hanging out with friends, taking walks, and shopping.

Elena Pizarro

BILL BAILEY

(16) is thrilled to debut at Studio East as Billie Bailey! She’s performed as Matilda (Matilda Jr.), Wednesday (The Addams Family), The Witch (Into the Woods Jr.), and Eurydice (Hadestown Teen Edition). Outside theatre, Elena plays flag football. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Erin Feeney

SKIMBLESHANKS

age 18 is honored to take part in one final show at Studio East before heading off to college! Previous credits at Studio East include Amos Calloway in Big Fish, and Clopin in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He will be attending California College of the Arts this fall to study comic book art! He thanks his art teacher for encouraging him, his cat, Samson, for inspiring his performance, and his friends and family for their support!

Hadley Zilke

MR. MISTOFFELEES/QUAXO

age 14, is so excited to be in this show! She has loved getting to work alongside all these talented and kind people. She would like to thank the cast and crew for being so welcoming, the creative team for being amazing, and Lilla for making her audition <3

Jacob Stowe

RUMPUS CAT / GUS

age 18 is thrilled to be a part of this production! Recent favorite Studio East credits include Chuck in She Kills Monsters, and Vice Principal Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! He hopes you enjoy the show, and would like to thank his sibling Casey for all their support!

Kaelyn Hardy

DEMETER

age 15, is thrilled to be making her debut with Studio East! While her background has been primarily in dance, she’s always had a passion for musical theatre and is excited to explore it further. She’s grateful to everyone who has supported her journey and hopes you enjoy the show!

Layla Dapelo

THE RUM TUM TUGGER

Layla is Jonathan and Jonathan is very happy you’re here to see him pretend to be a human playing a cat.

Lee Klinkenberg

MUNKUSTRAP

gotham needs me.

Lilla Rankovic

TANTOMILE

age 13, is very excited to be in her second mainstage production at Studio East! Previous credits include High School Musical Jr. (Sharpay) and Descendants (Audrey). When not performing, you can find her shopping or hanging out with friends. She would like to thank her family, friends, and directors. Enjoy the show!!

Maegan Skrinde

MACAVITY/ETCETERA

Age 14, attends Glacier Peak High School. Previous shows include Radium Girls, The Music Man and July in Annie Jr. Maegan enjoys dancing, singing, and reading books. She'd like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her creative interests.

Matthew Holman

OLD DEUTERONOMY

Age is 16 and is stoked to play Old Deuteronomy in CATS (FIRST MAINSTAGE LEAD ROLE!!!). Previous shows with the studio include Rooster (Annie) Harold Hill (Music Man) ensemble tenor (Le Miserables) ensemble tenor/ Jehan (Hunchback of Notre Dame). A huge thanks to my family and everyone who comes to watch the show which allows us to do the things we love.

Miette Blood

THE RUM TUM TUGGER

age 19, is thrilled to be preforming in Cats along side Layla Dapelo as Rum Tum Tugger. Past roles at the Studio includes, Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof, and Ensemble in Les Misérables. She would like to thank her friends, family, and enemies for always pushing her to do her best.

Noa Hamudot

BOMBALURINA

age 17. Some previous performances include Suessical (Gertrude McFuzz), Mean Girls (Ms. Norbury), Big Fish (The Witch), Legally Blonde (U/S Paulette-performed), and Fiddler on the Roof (Golde). They would like to thank this cast of beautiful people and their wonderful director Zach for making this an amazing experience. 

Noya Balas

JENNYANYDOTS

(age 13) is a competitive dancer and has performed in SpongeBob, Anastasia, and Madagascar plays. She attends Timberline Middle School, has appeared in 5 music videos, and has attended multiple dance conventions/competitions. She loves musical theatre, dance, and music. She thanks her family and Studio East for their support!

Ruth Thomas

JELLYLORUM

age 19, is thrilled to return to the Studio stage! Previous Cats she has portrayed include the Cat in the Hat (here at the Studio!) and the Cheshire Cat. Offstage, she studies at UW, and reads constantly. Thanks to her family, friends, the creative team, the techs, and her cat, who is also named Gus.

Violet (Vi) Nagamatsu

RUMPLETEAZER

age 13, will attend Cavelero Mid-High in the fall. Previous stage credits include Miscast Cabaret, Descendants, Shrek Jr, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Seussical Jr. Previous Studio East credits include last summer’s production of Mean Girls. When not on stage, Vi enjoys teaching and taking dance classes and volunteering for the VOA and the local food bank. She thanks her family, friends, and Studio East, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Zach Barr

Director

is a nonbinary theatre artist based in Chicago. A Studio East alum, they previously directed Urinetown, Peter Pan, The Laramie Project, and the cabaret Rainbow of Love at Studio East. In Chicago, Zach’s directing work includes The Legacy of Sherwood Forest, Double Vision, Bicycle Thieves, and the digital play Groups of Ten or More People. As a playwright, Zach has three pieces debuting later this year: Quinlyn Can Paint (Black Cat Theatre), The Pilon (Red Theater), and Winnie-the-Pooh (Talespinner Children’s Theatre). They currently serve as Literary Manager at Red Theater in Chicago, hold an Artistic Associate role with Refracted Theatre Company, and have completed artistic residencies with Filament Theatre and Three Brothers Theatre. Additionally, Zach is the creator of the theatre history video essay series "And Now They Sing" on YouTube, and was a featured presenter at BroadwayCon 2024. Love to M+D & KB. @admiralzachbarr

Taylor Niemeyer-Symons

Choreographer

is a Seattle-based musical theatre performer, choreographer and educator You may have seen her work onstage at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre or on the national tour of Disney's The Little Mermaid. As a teaching artist and choreographer she has worked with The Seattle Rep, Village Theatre KIDSTAGE, Taproot Theatre, Seattle Pacific University and The University of Washington. She truly enjoys sharing her love of theatre, music, and dance with people of all ages!

Olivia Pedroza

Music Director

is very excited to meowsic direct Studio East’s production of Cats this summer! Although she has never taught music to a group of actual cats, she has been music directing humans for at least 2 of her 9 lives. Recent purr-ductions include: The Wedding Singer (Tacoma Musical Playhouse), Legally Blonde (Village Theatre KIDSTAGE), and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Seattle Shakespeare). Olivia is also a composer, musician, teacher, and passionate cat advoCATe. This is her first Studio East show!!

Joelle Robertson

Stage Manager

Joelle is a seasoned theatre professional with over a decade of experience in stage management, directing, producing, teaching, and performing. Currently the Production Stage Manager for Cats the Musical, she is known for fostering inclusive, supportive environments where artists thrive. Her diverse background includes work with Capital Stage, Sacramento Theatre Company, and UC Davis Theatre & Dance, as well as directing original musicals and teaching students of all ages. Now based in Seattle, Joelle brings empathy, clarity, and a passion for storytelling to every project. She is proud to support Studio East and its celebration of creativity and collaboration. creative-coordinator.com

Julia Gorordo

Props Designer

Benjamin Radin | PNW Scenic

Scenic & Sound Designer

co-owns Pacific Northwest Scenic with his wife Jessica. He has spent the last 20 years working as a stagehand, technical director, set and sound designer. He is a journeyman stagehand with IATSE Local #15. Previously he was the Technical Director for Seattle Shakespeare Company and Book-It Repertory Theatre, and before that he spent 5 years as a Scenic Carpenter for Seattle Repertory Theatre. He and Jessica were the Co-Scenic Designers for Solaris at Book-It Repertory Theatre, as well as Covenant at ArtsWest. When not working in theatre, he enjoys soccer, playing drums, and spending time with Anita, the cat that he and Jessica recently adopted.

Carolann Voltarel

Costume Designer

Carolann has been creating costumes, designing plays, crafting products and on the whole kicking butt as a creative for the last 15 years. She loves her dog and travel.

Dan Schuy | PNW Scenic

Lighting Designer

Zoe Loughnane

Assistant Stage Manager

is excited to be back at Studio East for another show. She's probably backstage vibing right now. Previous credits include: things and stuff.

Angelina Lapounov

Assistant Stage Manager

is 14 years old and an incoming sophomore at Juanita High School. Previously with Studio East she was a stagehand in Mean Girls, Fiddler on the Roof, and Seussical, and Assistant Stage Manager for The Phantom Tollbooth. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing various musical instruments, and learning about countless topics. She would like to thank the crew and cats cast for all the hard work they have put into this show, and of course her mom and brother for always being there for her, no matter what.

Gabby Evans

Costume Assistant

is so excited for you to see this amazing production and hopes you enjoy it!!

Virgil Dion

Wardrobe Crew

has loved the musical 'Cats' since they were eight years old, and will never forgive Tom Hooper for messing it up so badly. (They implore any audience members further interested in the musical to not watch the movie, but to instead look for the 1998 Broadway recording, which is free on YouTube and showcases some of the best technical work they have ever seen.) Virgil is currently a creative writing student at Bryn Mawr College, where they will serve as assistant director and costume designer for a production of 'Dracula' this upcoming fall. They hope you enjoy the show!

Sebastian Herb

Lighting Apprentice

is excited for his first technical role at Studio East on the run crew and as a lighting apprentice.  He also plays piano and pipe organ for his three jellicles.

Autumn Lapounov

Lighting Apprentice

is wrapping up his associate’s degree at Bellevue College. In his free time, he enjoys drawing, writing, reading, and playing the violin. Previous shows with Studio East include Grease (ASM), She Kills Monsters (soundboard op), Mean Girls (ASM), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (ASM and lightboard op), Big Fish (assistant lighting designer and lightboard op), and Hunchback (assistant lighting designer and lightboard op). He was also recently given the opportunity to fully light design Seussical Kids. He’d like to thank his mom, his sister, and the creative team, as well as his friends, both in the cast and outside of it.

Robyn Le

Sound Apprentice

is so excited to be working on her first production with Studio East! She's recently been on the crew for shows at Lake Washington High School and Redmond Academy, and loves cats. Huge thanks to family, friends, her amazing tech crew at LW, and everyone who's worked on this incredible production!

Ruth Thomas

Hair Design Assistant

Alex Robinson

Director of Artistic and Production

With a diverse career spanning the country, Alex brings a wealth of experience as a Director, Arts Educator, Performer, and Producer. She currently enriches the Seattle arts scene as the Director of Artistic and Production at Studio East, the Associate Producer for Showtunes Theatre Company, and as the head of the Musical Theatre program at Duvall Performing Arts. A dedicated educator, Alex has been a Teaching Artist with Village Theatre for over 10 years and is a proud alumni of the Washington State Teaching Artist Training Lab. As a performer, she has performed on stages nationwide, from cruise lines (American Queen Voyages) to acclaimed theaters like Village Theatre and The 5th Avenue Theatre, most recently starring in Mamma Mia! at Great Lakes Center for the Arts. Her directing portfolio includes productions of Matilda, Legally Blonde, Seussical Jr. (Village Theatre), The Boys from Syracuse (Showtunes Theatre Company), Associate Director for Mamma Mia! (GLCFA), and Co-Director for Fiddler on the Roof (Studio East). She will be directing the upcoming productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella & Shrek The Musical this season at Studio East! Enjoy the show!

Aimee Hong

Conductor/Key 1 SUB

Studio East MD credits: Big Fish & Music Man Jr (this past year). Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow. Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow. Meow meow meow meow meow meow. Meow meow meow!

Thomas Cripe

Bass

Noah Barr

Woodwind 2 / Trumpet 1

William Bryant

Woodwinds 1

Dr. Bryant is the Director of Music Ministries at Faith Lutheran Church in Redmond, WA, where he also leads the Fine Arts at Faith Concert Series. An accomplished organist, he previously served at Mercer Island Presbyterian and University Lutheran Church–Seattle, where he oversaw a major organ restoration. A recognized composer, Dr. Bryant has earned several awards and had works published by Morning Star and Lambert Academic Publishing. His commissions include a centennial choral work for University Lutheran Church. Active in Seattle’s music scene, he is Second Clarinetist with the Seattle Festival Orchestra and frequently performs in local theatre productions. He has also soloed with regional orchestras and held leadership roles in the American Guild of Organists. In addition to performing, Dr. Bryant teaches music at several institutions across the Seattle area and is a strong advocate for contemporary American organ repertoire.

Mary Plesko

Key 2/3

is thrilled to be in the pit orchestra for her first time! She has been in the cast of ten shows, most recently Once Upon a Mattress (Lake Washington High School), Fiddler on the Roof and the choir of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Studio East). When she's not at the theater, she sings church choir, writes and arranges music, and rides her horse, Toni. She thanks her family, piano teacher, Olivia, Alex, and Studio East.

Mark Plesko

Drums / Percussion

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