Three Rivers Music Theatre and Fort Wayne Dance Collective invite you to “join the Jellicles” as they collaborate to bring the iconic musical Cats to the stage.

Based on a collection of poems written by T.S. Eliot in 1939, this show tells the story of the Jellicle Cats. 

“The Jellicle Cats come out to play on one special night of the year — the night of the Jellicle Ball,” a description reads on the Dance Collective’s website. “One by one, they tell their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.” 

Music is the main medium through which this story is told, and the music was composed by none other than the great Andrew Lloyd Webber. In addition to the accolades Webber received from Cats, which has garnered seven Tony awards, he is also responsible for the scores of the Broadway productions of The Phantom of the Opera and School of Rock.

And, of course, where there is music, there is dance. 

Just as iconic as its score, the Cats choreography is an integral part of conveying the story of the Jellicles. Dancers flock to see this “dance-driven extravaganza,” and now you will have the chance to see it right here in Fort Wayne, beginning Saturday, March 2, at the downtown USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center.

Working in collaboration

The musical and choreographic prowess required to pull off a production of Cats made this show a perfect choice for FWDC and Three Rivers Musical Theatre to collaborate on.

“Our first collaboration with Three Rivers Music Theatre was in 2022 with the hit Off-Broadway musical by composer Jason Robert Brown, Songs for a New World,” said Mandie Kolkman, artistic director at FWDC. “This production was a collaboration between our two organizations. We both directed the show, and then FWDC also provided choreography for the show, while Three Rivers Music Theatre provided the music portion and set direction of the show.”

The reaction of the community to this initial collaboration was overwhelmingly positive. 

“The wild success of that performance and the reaction from the community led us to want to explore more opportunities in future years,” Kolkman said. “The community was so impressed at how these two organizations put on such a high-caliber production.” 

In 2023, FWDC and Three Rivers Music Theatre collaborated again for the original showcase Matters of the Heart. 

“It was a cabaret-style event where we featured different vignettes and singers would perform their own interpretation of popular love songs from different generations,” Kolkman said. “FWDC company members provided the movement and the choreography that went hand-in-hand with those musical numbers.” 

For the upcoming collaboration, the organizations decided to revisit the idea of producing a musical.

“We’ve kind of been following this trajectory of going from well-known musical to original concept then back to well-known musical,” Kolkman said. “We’ll have to see what the future holds for us, but we’d love to explore an original concept again in the future.” 

DIY production

FWDC’s choreographic contributions to this show have been no small feat, with Kolkman taking on the bulk of the choreography. 

“When you buy the rights to produce a musical, the musical score is sent to you, but not the choreography,” she said. “So, I am having to reset and restage a lot of the choreography from scratch. 

“That being said, I am paying homage to the original choreography, and I also think that the work that I’ve done so far is a nod to the revival choreography, but it definitely has my own spin on it. (FWDC program director) Ashley Benninghoff is assisting with choreography as well.”

Along with working with FWDC’s company, Kolkman has also been working with members of the Fort Wayne community. 

“We have a lot of really fantastic community members who participate in other theater shows, so you’ve probably seen their faces before if you’re a Fort Wayne theatergoer,” Kolkman said. “A lot of them have been in musical productions with other theater groups in the area, so there are definitely some veterans up on stage in this production.”

The costumes are also an essential part of what makes Cats such an iconic musical. 

“Just like the choreography is not given to you when you buy the rights to a musical, the costumes are not given to you either,” Kolkman said. “The fantastic costume designer that we are working with, Michelle Cook, is having to design and reproduce these costumes from scratch.”

Kolkman said though the organizations could have rented costumes, having the ability to put their own spin on their creation was an important artistic decision. 

Local Venue, Local Artists 

For the production, Goldstine PAC was chosen for its downtown location and accessibility.

“We want everyone to have the ability to come see this really phenomenal show that we’ve been able to produce,” Kolkman said.

“Another reason we chose this space was that there are several entrances to the theater. You’ve got entrances to the stage proper, as well as entrances to the thrust at the front of the stage and into the audience. We really want to immerse the audience by surrounding them with Cats.”

It’s that kind of exuberance that has Kolkman excited for this production.

“I’ve had the opportunity to direct, co-direct, and choreograph hundreds of shows locally at this point, and this production of Cats is up there on my list of favorites,” she said. “It is near and dear to my heart not only because I love the original Cats, but because this cast is beyond words. They are some of the most talented people that you could possibly work with in Fort Wayne.” 

In addition to the talented cast members, this show has a plethora of talented individuals who will be working behind the scenes. 

“We’ll be working with Corey Lee for lighting design. He is really well-known for his phenomenal eye for lighting design, and I can’t wait to see how he is able to really work with us to accentuate the show.”

Scenic designer Ben Roney will also be sharing his talents to bring this production to life.