Broadway Breakdown Podcast: "CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL (and an Invitation!)"
Host: Matt Koplik
Date: July 4, 2024
Podcast theme: Passionate, irreverent, deep-dive explorations of Broadway history and artists

Episode Overview

In this lively solo episode, host Matt Koplik delivers a passionate and detailed review of the hot new production CATS: The Jellicle Ball at the Perelman Arts Center. Matt also updates listeners about exciting community-building efforts surrounding the podcast and announces an upcoming Broadway Breakdown live taping at BroadwayCon. Throughout, Matt’s signature opinionated, humorous, and candid style shines.

1. Podcast and Community Updates

BroadwayCon Live Recording Announcement

• Matt shares big news: Broadway Breakdown will have a live episode at BroadwayCon in NYC (Marriott Hotel, July 27th).
  • "There will be a live hour of Broadway Breakdown at BroadwayCon...a bite-sized breakdown, not your usual three-hour dissertation." (00:50)
• Live audience will vote from four possible Broadway shows for Matt and a guest to discuss on mic.
• Details like show time and guest TBD; Matt promises updates on Instagram and future episodes.

New Discord Channel for Listeners

• Listener community now has a Discord server to connect, discuss episodes, and share Broadway geekery. Invitation link is in episode descriptions.
  • "If you decide to join, really use it for that purpose...please don't go to the Discord to troll me. You know, you have my phone number. Just troll me that way." (08:25)
• Previous feedback showed strong interest in Discord over Facebook groups.

2. Rationale for a Podcast Review of CATS: The Jellicle Ball

• Matt polled Instagram followers about whether to do a written, video, or podcast review; podcast won, but only narrowly.
  • The limitations of Instagram reviews—brevity, space for context—prompted the longer form.
  • "The reviews are very short and they don't cover everything. And I would like to cover a lot for this." (04:30)
• Acknowledges some episode sound issues due to home setup—apologizes in advance.

3. Background: Matt’s History with CATS

• Childhood introduction to CATS via the VHS stage recording; deep affection for music and dancing, but family considered the show a joke.
  • "No one in my family would take me to it because they had all seen it in the 80s and everyone hated it." (13:25)
• Memorable experience seeing the original Broadway production ("the claw above my goddamn 10-year-old head"), describing the unmatched spectacle and immersive set that later revivals couldn't rival.
• Reflects on the show’s cultural status as “international phenomenon and joke,” and its immediate slide from blockbuster to punchline.
  • "Cats is one of those pieces of culture where it was so prominent and so successful immediately and also just as immediately became a joke." (22:40)

4. The Perelman Arts Center & This Revival’s Approach

Space & Staging

• Perelman Arts Center's flexible, multi-level, runway-style configuration evokes dynamic, immersive settings reminiscent of London's Bridge Theatre.
• This production ditches the “junkyard” setting and literal cats: the setting is Harlem ballroom culture.
  • "This production of Cats is set in Harlem ballroom culture...the performers aren't even cats." (33:25)

Harlem Ballroom Context

• Matt gives an extensive background on ballroom culture: its genesis with Crystal LaBeija and its elevation by Black and Latinx queer communities; influence on pop culture (Madonna’s “Vogue”), and documentation in Paris is Burning.
  • "That is what the community is, what that environment is. And that is what Cats: The Jellicle Ball is covering." (39:20)
• Keywords and references within the show (“Category is...”) tied directly to the ballroom tradition.
• The show’s title playfully nods to both the “Jellicle Ball” in CATS and the “balls” of ballroom culture.

5. Concept & Execution: A Fresh, Respectful Revival

Artistic Vision and Restraint

• Matt is emphatic that the creative team respected both the spirit of CATS and the new ballroom setting:
  • "Not a lot of material has changed here. It is a balance of having a vision and respecting the original material." (55:20)
• Musical and structural changes are minimal: Only minor lyric tweaks (pronoun adjustments), cutting “Pekes and the Pollicles”—otherwise, it’s CATS as written, but recontextualized.

Choreography, Music, and Theatricality

• Closesly integrates classic CATS musical theatre with ballroom movement (voguing, death drops)—showcasing dynamic blending of traditions.
• Musical arrangements remain “80% the Cats you know and 20% some funky stuff mixed in there,” with occasional “club beats” but maintaining familiar themes. (01:17:30)
• The “guest judge” component puts audience members at the center, echoing ballroom judging and interactivity.
• “Category is...stars, statements and legends. Tens, tens, tens across the board.” (10:48)

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Ballroom’s influence:
  • "If you're gonna be a Drag Race fan...the number of references to Paris is Burning in Drag Race is just immeasurable." (40:30)
• Describing his surprise and delight:
  • “I'll just say off the bat, I adored this production so much. First of all, it was theatrical, it was entertainment, but it also was really thrillingly original...” (48:50)
• On creative restraint:
  • "The best revivals bring something out of the material already. They're not a complete makeover. And the people who want a complete makeover are the people who just don't like the show to begin with, and then it's like, well, then just don't go." (01:18:45)
• On the importance of diverse casting:
  • "With Cats, we have every body type known to man...you truly feel like every performer has their own niche in the production, which is great. No one's interchangeable and it allows everyone in the audience to grab onto a different performer for whatever reason." (02:13:15)

7. Standout Performers & Staging Highlights

• Andre De Shields as Old Deuteronomy: Majestic, calm, “a wig the size of Jupiter,” providing potent gravitas especially during "Moments of Happiness"—where projections of real ballroom icons amplify emotional impact. (01:48:45)
• Understudy spotlight: Garnett Williams as Grizabella, subbing for Tempress, “devastating” in vocal and emotional delivery.
  • “The way they do ‘Memory’ is both a combination of diva worship and actual pathos. And it’s a really impressive balance to have.” (02:04:45)
• Smart, resourceful design: Notably not “expensive looking” in a Broadway sense, but achieves authenticity and creative flair true to ballroom.

8. Critical Analysis & Broader Impact

• Matt lauds how the production “revives” CATS in the truest sense, making both material and themes “fresh, exciting, never drag.”
• He contrasts this approach with other revivals that merely reproduce or drastically overhaul originals, stressing that blending vision with textual respect is key.
  • "This is a case where the production team could have fucked real hard with Andrew Lloyd Webber's material...but they have a lot of restraint." (02:23:30)
• The broader cultural moment:
  • “It’s so interesting and...feels like a cultural moment in New York City…My own mother…has been talking to me about finding tickets for herself. And I think that is a huge statement to say for the creativity and ingenuity of this production.” (01:58:45)
• Matt hopes the production inspires more openness toward overlooked performance traditions and undermines gatekeeping in commercial theatre.

9. Listener Reviews (Selected & Read On Air)

• Matt reads two new five-star podcast reviews, highlighting the show’s ability to educate, entertain, and foster a sense of Broadway community for listeners near and far.
  • "The magic of this podcast is how it allows the listener to feel a part of the theater and Broadway community from a distance..." (02:36:00)
• Adds personal remarks—often irreverent and self-deprecating—in responding to reviewers.

10. Closing Notes

• Upcoming interviews/promos: Next episode will feature historian/writer Ben West.
• Personal updates: Matt will take his grandmother (who saw the original Oklahoma!) to see Stereophonic, possibly record her reactions for the podcast.
• Housekeeping: Encourages listeners to rate/review for algorithmic visibility (“The reviews and the ratings always help. And I enjoy reading them. And as I said, my mom really enjoys getting them and sending them to my grandmother so they know that their grandson is not just wasting his life in front of a mic.” (02:40:50))
• Signature sign-off, promising more content, and a musical outro.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:45: BroadwayCon live episode announcement
• 04:00–07:30: Listener community / Discord launch
• 13:25–21:50: Matt’s personal history with CATS
• 33:20–48:50: Harlem ballroom context and this production’s concept
• 55:20–01:04:00: Respect for the original material; creative approach
• 01:17:30–01:24:00: Musical/choreographic execution & audience interactivity
• 01:48:45–01:57:00: Cast shoutouts; performance highlights
• 02:03:00–02:19:00: Broader impact, audience diversity, critical thoughts on revivals
• 02:36:00–02:42:00: Listener reviews and podcast sign-off

Final Thoughts

Matt offers a ringing endorsement of CATS: The Jellicle Ball, calling it “the best musical revival since The Color Purple.” He celebrates the production's inventive reconceptualization, musical and performative excellence, and its contribution to a more inclusive, genuinely theatrical Broadway landscape—while maintaining a signature blend of irreverence, candor, and deep respect for theatre history.

For discussion, updates, and to join the Broadway Breakdown listener community, find the Discord link in the episode description and follow Matt on Instagram (@tcoplek).