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miles-crow · 25 days

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The Deuteronomy brothers and more

As stated in previous part - I believe that 'Cats' would work great as an animated series. That's why for my own amusement I started this little project for now called 'Cats! Animated'.

Will I ever truly animate anything with my character designs?

Yes. Most likely. But of course, for fun only. This idea has been in my mind for years now, but that's all you need to know for now.

This series is going to take place in 1980s, so I am going to try to incorporate bits of 80s culture into designs. It is going to depend on the overall vibes certain characters give me, theater costumes and the poems.

For example, Macavity is heavily based on 1880s fasion instead of 1980s, because the cat in the poems is inspired by Professor Moriarty. There's visible contrast between nice clothes and unkempt, sharp fur that shows his two-faced nature. The stripes are a reference to his electric powers. And he has irregular whiskers (4 & 3).

Munkustrap's concepts also show how his hair normally looks like. But as a Jellicle Ball organizer he cannot afford to look wild like one of his brothers, can he? I went for a softer approach with him, a bit preppy. His stripes are incorporated into waistcoat (and as you'll see later, he matches with his bestie Alonzo), his belt is based on his collar and, since there was a lack of chains after Tugger, he got one.

You can also see here very rough sketches of Demeter & Bombalurina. These ladies have much more 80s to their designs. You'll read about them in my next post!

Aaand Tugger was changed a bit. He has now *rock*star shaped fur, his colors were toned down a little, his shapes sharpened. In the beginning I gave him gold accents to contrast with Misto's silver, but unfortunately that didn't work for him. I also had to erase his dark eyeliner like stipes (simply, because he looked too old). 'Cat Call' is the name of his rock band (I know. I outdid myself on this one).

Here's some very dumb concepts. Yes, I really work like that.

Additional info:

Both Munkustrap and Macavity are Turkish Angora mix (kudos to anyone who guesses the second breed, it's really not that hard). They're aged 33 and 36.

Tugger is a Maine Coon. He's 21. Misto's 19.

#cats #munkustrap #macavity #I hope you're not going to despise me for my silly little passion project #I love this musical way too much #rum tum tugger #forgot to mention but he plays electric guitar in his band #I'm not sorry for that #jellicle cats #cats the musical #Cats! Animated

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missing-sock-misto · 2 months

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2, 6, 15, 17, 22, and 25 for tuggofelees? I love your hcs for them

Hi thank you for the ask!

(And thank you so much, glad your enjoying them!)

2-Big spoon/Little spoon?

[Checks art portfolio]… yeah I clearly have no opinion on this XD

(More art here: Missing-sock-art)

But in seriousness!

Big spoon: Tugger

Little Spoon: Misto

There’s a lot of reasons; it’s more comfortable, Misto runs cold, so it’s cozier being the little spoon. But he also feels incredibly safe in Tugger’s arms, hidden away from the world. It’s also reassuring to be held like he’s precious, and like he isn’t dangerous.

For Tugger’s part, he is very protective of Misto, and being the big spoon helps him feel like he’s shielding Misto from the world. But he also doesn’t like being confined or restrained while sleeping, so he prefers being the big spoon.

In CATS as cats, I do headcanon that Misto alternates between using Tugger as a heated bed and sleeping under him with basically only a black tail and maybe a nose sticking out XD

6-What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

Misto: [looks at Tugger’s pants for a long moment.]

Misto: [Looks back at asker.] His laugh 😐

Tugger [grinning]: He’s got a GREAT ass

Misto does love Tugger’s laugh the most. When he first met Tugger, he was annoyed by his cocky attitude and self-centeredness. But when he laughed, like, properly laughed, it made him seem so warm and friendly and… jubilant. It was the first redeeming quality Misto decided he had.

Tugger Loves Misto’s magic. As Misto got more comfortable with it and with Tugger, he stopped controlling it so heavily. Now, his hair has a dusting of sparkles that shift and dance to reflect Misto’s mood. Tugger will entertain himself by trying to see how he can change Misto’s sparks by saying something flirty or funny. It also makes him happy to see how much more comfortable he’s gotten with his magic since they had first met.

15-Who wakes up first?

It changes. Both of them are night owls, neither of them going to bed before midnight or waking up before 9.

Tugger’s sleep schedule tends to be more erratic, sometimes staying up all night because partying/clubbing/hyperfixation, so then he’ll sleep until noon. But other times he wakes up relatively early because he’s excited about something, a concert, a trip, an event, etc.

Misto tends to be more consistent (he has his routines, his routines are important). He tends to go to sleep and wake up around the same times, though he’ll sometimes sleep longer if he exerted himself too much (magic, dancing, excitement, sensory overstimulation) etc. In more human aus, he loves Tugger’s concerts, but he will sleep 12-14 hours afterwards.

17-Who says I love you first?

Tugger. He falls in love first and realizes it first too, which sets off a crisis of identity for him. While he never identified as fully aromantic, arospec is a good description for him. But he’s also used to getting fixated on a person, but after sleeping with them, poof, feelings gone.

But sleeping with Misto when he’s using his magic- boy. Changes something in his brain chemistry.

He goes cold on Misto after he realizes, desperate for the feelings to go away. Which makes Misto feel like shit, honestly. But he can’t stay away for long, and comes back, though he tries to convince himself this is just a fling.

As for Misto, he is mortified when he realizes he’s fallen in love. Sleeping with the tom was bad enough, but FEELINGS?? Really?? But over the time they spent hooking up, he’s gotten to see the more authentic Tugger. He’s still cocky and irreverent and swaggering, but he’s also kind and mischievous and surprisingly clever. He trusts him. After the shock of realizing exactly what the warm-and-fuzzy feeling he gets when looking at Tugger wears off, he’s sad. He knows Tugger doesn’t feel the same way about him, knows he never will. So he carries on, compartmentalizing the relationship as purely physical, as a secret affair that can never become anything more.

When Tugger tells him he loves him, he is flabbergasted.

22-Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?

Misto is an okay cook but he needs a recipe, and NEEDS to follow it to a T. (This actually makes him a pretty good baker, if a slow one). If there is something wrong with the recipe, he will not catch it.

Tugger has the uncanny ability to throw a bunch of Stuff in a pan and make a phenomenal dish. King of pastas and stir-frys. But he is allergic to recipes. If he’s trying something new, he Might skim a recipe, but he Will change it depending on his mood. He is a terrible baker because he doesn’t care about any of the steps or ingredients or ratios.

Tugger mostly takes care of cooking, with Misto preferring to chop veggies and clean afterwards. However, baking is Misto’s domain. He WILL kick Tugger out if the kitchen, because his spontaneous “Vibes” style stresses him out so much.

25-Who needs more assurance? Answered here!

Bonus to make up for it:

24-Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?

Tugger XD

It’s not his fault Misto is so entertaining to fluster.

Thank you for the asks! They were good questions! 😁

#ask and answer #tuggoffelees #cats headcanons

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gaylittlewizardcat · 2 years

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It is he

No one asked but I’m gonna ramble about his design and the different places I got it all from <3

In every single picture of every production I’ve seen where Misto has had a white leg warmer with a big black spot he has worn it on his right leg, this includes the times Timothy Scott wore one such leg warmer. However, Scoffelees’s design varied quite a bit during his run, and most of them would actually have more white on his left leg than his right, which is the opposite of how Misto’s chorus designs look in general. I started out only planning on making his left foot white, but changed my mind, and gave him the spot before realizing I had the image mirrored. Since I had already decided which hand was going to be white (the right one is almost always more white than the left) and which way he was going to be turned (in order to mimic John Napier’s concept art for his solo outfit) I didn’t want to change it, so now it’s like this. I am very happy with it but the fact that it’s on the wrong leg for a spot (but the correct leg for a Scoffelees based design) annoys me just a bit.

The design is a mix of Misto’s chorus and solo designs. The white leg and hand, as well as the mix of white and black in his bib PLUS the white spot on his left side is quite typical for his chorus design, while the sparkly jacket and his tail being pure black is typical for his solo outfit. The mix of white and black in the bib was pretty common in early Broadway designs and adds to the scruffy sort of creepy look I really like from early US based productions. The white spot is something I find really charming but it doesn’t show up all that often among productions.

His makeup/face is inspired by, obviously knowing me, Scoffelees, but also quite a bit of Jonathan Mercer’s Misto, who may actually be my all time favorite Misto makeup design, and is only overshadowed by my love of Scoffelees because there’s a total of two pictures of him </3

I also just want to point out how fluffy all his white fur is while all his black fur is really sleek. This isn’t for any particular reason, I just like it :) also. beans.

Also I made his eyes yellow because I like to pretend I understand color theory (something about breaking up all the purple) but I do not <3

#cats the musical #mistoffelees #timothy scott #my art #cats fanart #cats obc #eye contact #cryptid misto #undescribed

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millenari · 17 days

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2 for wip ask game? Time travel is a crazy concept

Number 2, the timetraveling 7kittens au! This one is inspired by the 'pulled seven kittens out of a hat' line from Misto's song that people often hc to mean that Misto is trans and has given birth to kittens before. This au is an offshoot of Gold Rush, in which only a few elements are changed (most notably that Misto is trans). The story starts when, one night on the junkyard (perhaps only a year or two prior to the events of the show) a group of seven kittens come trotting into the junkyard, claiming to be Tugger and Misto's litter from the future. The kittens have no idea how they got stuck in the past (and had no idea they'd even moved through time at first) so Misto and the others are stuck taking care of the little guys while all the resident magical cats try to put their heads together and figure out how the litter got there, and why. I don't want to call this story 'dark' but it could be severely triggering for some people, because it has a lot to do with Misto struggling with dysphoria due to his heats and the idea of becoming pregnant in the future. The concepts of choice and fate and destiny and such are tossed around a lot, and Misto spends a lot of time struggling with the feeling of having no control of his body. He has to wrestle with these feelings all the while he grows fonder and fonder of the kittens he'd initially resented, and also has to re-evaluate his relationship to Tugger along the way. And if all of that wasn't complicated enough, one kitten of the litter in particular, Victor, is a little too much like Misto for his own good. Or at least, Misto thinks so. Another way too long summary. Anyways, snippet:

Misto waves his paws a little, incredulous. “Don’t you want to know if you actually make your own choices?”

“No. Because I know I do.” Reaching over, Tugger rips a small chunk off of Misto’s fish, and then proceeds to chuck it across the clearing. He’s lucky it’s empty right now, or he would’ve probably hit someone.

“Tugger!” Misto barks, taken aback.

“See? I just chose to do that. I know that for a fact.”

“And if every existing— existing universal iteration of you did that exact same thing at this exact same time? Is it still you choosing?”

“Yes. You know how I know?”

“How?” Misto sighs.

“Because I chose to. Just now.” When Misto groans again and leans back against the crate behind him, Tugger smugly adds, “Put that one in your diary.”

“Do you really not care about any of this?”

“What? Destiny? No. A bunch of shit happens and then we get reborn into a new life. And then a bunch of shit happens again. Repeat for eternity. We’re cats, Misto, how much does any of this matter?”

“Because I want to know where I’m headed!” Misto exclaims up at the stars, gesturing at his chest. “I want to know if there’s any point in fighting against— my destiny, or my future, or whatever.”

“You don’t need to ‘fight’ your destiny at all, Misto.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Misto exclaims, sitting up to look over at Tugger. “You were born in the right body! All I fucking do is try to work against what the universe hands me, and if there’s a possibility that there’s no point in it and I have no say—”

“Then what?” Tugger asks wryly. “You’ll just stop?”

Misto pauses. He scratches his nose before admitting, “Well. No.”

“There you go. Just do your thing, Misto.” He leans back against the crates, folding his arms behind his head. “Who cares about destiny and shit.”

#cats fan on main #thank youu! :D

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carbuckety · 8 months

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🧵🧠🎯

🧵What's your favorite production and why? Oughh.,. this is a hard one. Overall I guess I'd say Zurich, but if we're talking rep and nonrep, my favorite rep is Zurich and nonrep is Budapest! I love Budapest's ever-changing designs, wacky choices, and just the overall ~vibes~ that production has... and Zurich had not only my fav Misto (and mute misto) but the CUTEST pas de deux. <3

🧠Share a headcanon/theory about the show that you like! Honestly, the crack theory proposed by @sillybub that Grizabella was shunned from the tribe because she got a pet cone has a lot of credibility to it... 🤔 and always makes me laugh whenever I think about it XDDD

🎯What's a common headcanon/theory/interpretation that you don't prescribe to? Ehhh... I've gone over this before but I don't really dig the idea of Munk, Tugger, and Mac as the Deut bros. I like the concept of the Deut bros, I just don't think it's necessarily those 3... also I ship Tuggerstrap so that'd be awkward XD if ur curious, my Deut bros headcanons are Munk, Victor, Misto, and George!

#tyvm for askin!

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uppastthejelliclemoon · 1 year

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HEJ HEJ

Please tell me all about the Kade and Nora Demestrap?? The current productions seem to be going all in on this ship and it is very valid of them!

(Also if there were any Kieran and Hank tuggoffelees moments, I need to ask you to share them due to who I am as a person)

ok so i posted the majority of my thoughts on Kade and Nora's Demestrap here, but i just HAVE to mention again how much i love the dynamic they created

like i adore the traditional fully in love happily married Demestrap that Lauren and Devon gave us, but Kade and Nora created a much more complex relationship that grew over the course of the show, from Munkustrap being a little hesitant and Demeter being curious about him, to the two of them having a respect and little flirtation with each other during the Ball, to finally having that moment during the Macavity fight and after when they see one another in a new light.

like their Demestrap makes me think that Demeter's only known by Bombalurina, Mungojerrie, and Rumpleteazer, and they're the ones who brought her into the Junkyard. Tugger's doing his best making her feel welcome (my Tugmeter BFF Agenda was FED by Hank and Nora), but Munkustrap's a little more suspicious.

Seeing her reaction to Macavity actually showing up really changed his perspective, and just... ugh, their mannerisms around each other, the way they moved and grew???? absolutely BEAUTIFUL

NOW FOR KIERAN AND HANK TUGGOFF!!!!!

THEY ARE BEST FRIENDS THAT'S THEIR BEST FRIEND

literally the ultimate hype men for each other during their songs

like there didn't feel like there was a "YES THIS IS TUGGOFFELEES" vibe to their interactions, which i honestly really liked? all their interactions could easily be viewed as either platonic or romantic

idk if this would be a lil nsfw-ish, but when Tugger and Misto do their little dance during Tugger's song, and Misto goes down to crawl between Tugger's legs, Tugger did a little hip thrust and it just made me giggle

there were a lot of cute little moments, like Tugger nudging Mistoffelees playfully during the Ball, and Mistoffelees turning around to interact with him

i got the biggest Bombatuggoffelees vibes during the Ball, especially after the Pas when everyone is cuddling together

THE CUDDLING DURING PEKES AND POLLICLES WHEN I TELL YOU I NEARLY DIED

They were sitting together on the car trunk and just in their own little world like yes give me Tuggoffelees who are completely wrapped up in each other that they forget about everything else 😭

Mistoffelees' song was SO good, Kieran has such a sweet voice, which contrasted really nicely with Hank's more rock star-style singing

them dancing together gets me every single time, but there was a moment where Tugger was up on the tire, and Misto was down on the actual stage, and Tugger was mirroring Misto's dance movements and it was perfection

ok i said this in my main commentary post, but when Old Deuteronomy is brought back???? it was so fucking cute????

Like Tugger was FULLY in awe of what happened, and he was bouncing around and just so insanely hyped, and he started off singing really loudly and excited, but he stopped and took a moment to calm himself down, but he was just so happy and it was such a good lil moment

and then before they started doing the last bit of dancing, Tugger and Misto had a moment where they gave each other fist bumps and were just smiling and UGH i love them

and then the moment during the finale when they're going off stage together and Tugger's like "WAIT I HAVE TO FINISH THIS" and runs back onto stage

#cats the musical #cats us tour 6 #demeter #munkustrap #demestrap #rum tum tugger #mr mistoffelees #tuggoffelees #uppast's tour comments

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kaijudyke · 1 year

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was talking on discord yesterday about how even though i like the broadway revival a lot and enjoy their characterization of misto on its own merits i don't necessarily agree with the decisions they made wrt his character and especially his relationship with tugger? by which i mean like. listen, it should go without saying that i love it when productions emphasize the romantic undertones of their relationship. but i don't think the only or even the best way to do that is to alter their dynamic so that misto is less snarky and dismissive? i love the revival choreo for the rum tum tugger but honestly i also think it's kind of a misstep bc i think you lose a lot of what makes their dynamic interesting by having misto be an active and enthusiastic participant in that song. i think it matters that he doesn't fawn over tugger the way everyone else does. personally i think the ideal way to play up their relationship while preserving misto's personality would be to keep his participation in the rum tum tugger the same (with the only possible modification being tugger showing more interest in him like maybe trying to get him to stick around after his line and generally trying to impress him), give them a moment during the jellicle ball (does not need to be major or central to the number, i'm not asking for victoria and plato here, i just mean let them dance together for a bit even if it's in the background and maybe have them lie down together), and then go all in on their interactions during mr mistoffelees which is imo the right time to showcase their connection. you've got SO many options there even without making any significant changes to the choreography! before they dance together, at the part where in some productions they bow to each other before they link arms, you could have tugger bow and kiss misto's hand. you could have him pick him up and/or kiss him in excitement after he brings old deuteronomy back. if you did wanna mess around with the choreography a bit you could give tugger just slightly more involvement in the solo, you could incorporate a lift, anything...... idk i think there's so much fun stuff you can do without making misto less bitchy. i love it when he's bitchy 😔

#talk tag #again i really do like the revival. i just have a lot of opinions about misto #jellicle talk tag

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vague-and-aloof · 1 year

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Highlights of CATS Stockholm 2022!

tOkay, so I am late to post this, but I’ve been very busy with school work these last few weeks and I kinda forgot about it. But now I’m free for a bit and I finally got around to writing down some high lights from when I went and saw CATS here in Stockholm last month! While the show was very similar to the 1998 movie that I’ve seen plenty of times, similar choreography, set, costumes and everything, it did have a few moments that I really wanted to share with you. I’m only sorry I couldn’t provide visual aide but hopefully my descriptions will be enough to paint a picture for you.

So without any further ado, let’s get to it!

1. Mistoffelees acting like Munkustrap’s second in command director, always prominent around numbers and directing other cats while Munkustrap is busy or leading a number. He was also tap dancing along with Munkustrap, Demeter, Bomba and Jelly during Jennyanydots number which I loved!

2. During Rum Tum Tugger’s song, despite no clear Tuggoffelees moments, Mistoffelees had moments of looking both disinterested by Tugger or like he wanted to join in the fun but kept getting shooed away by Munkustrap or Skimbleshanks, acting like an overprotective dad/brother to Misto. Clear “why can’t I play with the cool kids?” energy.

3. On a similar note Mistoffelees is the first one to try to get closer to Grizabella, looking quite curious of her, only for Munkustrap to pull him back, similar to the 1998 movie. Munkustrap is Misto’s big brother in this version and you cannot change my mind!

4. Bombalurina acting very much like a protector to the tribe, especially the kittens, actively keeping them away from Grizabella and protecting them from Macavity.

5. Demeter showing strong compassion and sadness for Grizabella, especially while singing ‘Grizabella the Glamour Cat’, clearly feeling very sorry for her and is seemingly the only one who does. Meanwhile Bombalurina acts like a protective girlfriend and glowers at Grizabella while Demeter looks sad for her. Munkustrap wants her to leave, but refuses to look at her face.

6. Tugger acts very much like a cool, aloof teenager who is ‘too cool to play with the other kids’ when he doesn’t act like a diva. For most of act 1 and part of act 2 he is seen hanging around the back, sitting on the oven and just watching. When he joins in on Old Deuteronomy’s song, Munkustrap turns to look at him with a look that says “what are you doing? How dare you interrupt me trying to praise dad, you little sh*t!” Also he looks like he wants to strangle him for a moment, complete with appropriate hand gestures. But once Tugger makes it clear he isn’t going to do anything, he relaxes as they begin to sing together, though they do exchange brotherly slaps on the arms and shoulders before Old D shows up. 7. However, during Gus’ number he takes a moment to flirt with Bombalurina, then shows to encourage Gus, takes part during The Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles, hugs Gus to comfort him after the number is over and helps him put on his old coat again, clearly concerned for him. Then during Skimbleshanks song, he plays along with the other cats, helps build and play with the train, leads Old Deuteronomy after they start dancing after him (Like Munkustrap in the 98 version), gives him a hug, then him and Munkustrap make the tower for Skimble to stand on at the end of the number. Munkustrap was the bottom while Tugger held his arm!

Speaking of Gus, he is very excited to talk about himself and what he’s done in his acting career, is very frustrated about how ‘kittens aren’t trained the way they should be’ and the younger kittens are openly offended. Most notable were Cassandra sitting and pouting with her arms folded like a child and Tugger, who’s been chilling on the oven the whole song, sitting up and giving a look that says ‘now you listen here old man!’

Also he is clearly having the time of his life haming it up to 11 for the tribe, especially as the Rumpus Cat. Though Jellylorum looks a bit annoyed at times, like she wants him to sit down and rest not prance around on stage and possibly overdo it. “Yes, yes grandpa you are very impressive now please sit down before you hurt yourself.” She even tries to lead him off stage before Pekes and the Pollicles number and looks frustrated when he turns around and goes “I could do it again!”

Mistoffelees is also very active during the show, often seen at the front during dance numbers, openly using his magic, sits on Old Deuteronomy’s side, while Munkustrap is on the other. He is also shown to be very protective of the tribe, at one point he literally leaps onto the car, almost attacking Grizabella to chase her off after she shows up in the middle of the Jellicle Ball before lighting the party lights with his magic and party kicks back up again.

Also, at one point Mistoffelees is standing behind the other cats and Old D (I think somewhere behind the tire-throne?), seemingly using his magic to direct/making the other cats’ dance the way he is. It’s a cool concept, but I wasn’t quite sure what it was supposed to mean.

Mistoffelees’ is the this Jellicle Ball’s dance director, fight me!

Line ‘Felines and Friends, I give you the Magical, the Marvelous Mister Mistoffelees!’. Don’t know if this is commonly used these days but I kinda love it.

Grizabella going to the Heaviside Lair. Again, don’t know what the common use is for the show these days, I’ve only seen the 98 movie and the Broadway revival from 2016. But in this show she had a harness on and once she was lead up on the tire-throne, she was lifted into the air, as the colors of the rainbow shining around her as the other cats sang her into her next life. I literally cannot give the moment enough credit with my words, it was just beautiful and I’m so sad I couldn’t catch it on video or photo for you!

All in all, I had a fantastic time and I wish I could go see it again!

(also, I am so sorry for how Getting To Know You hasn’t been updated in forever, I will get to it soon I promise!)

@uppastthejelliclemoon @soh-da-meatball @storyweaverofgondor @roxycake @roselessart @i-overanalyze-musicals @rainbowratsstuff @tigerstripes-and-leopardspots @tigertail94 @rain-bow-donkey @sybright

#cats the musical #cats musical #cats Stockholm 2022 #stockholm #globen #avicii arena

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pbandjesse · 1 year

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I am feeling very very tired. I fell asleep around 6:00 after only working for a few hours today. But being in the sun just wiped me out.

It wasn't a bad day at all though. I slept pretty good last night. And I woke up around 9:00. I didn't have to be a camp and told 12:30 or 1:00 so I was able to just chill. When I got up I felt okay. I decided to strip the bed and change the sheets. I got dressed and I felt fine. I didn't picking up around the apartment and I did some reading and I watched some videos. I had cereal for breakfast and before I decided to leave around 11:30 I had cheese puffs as a snack

I felt real cute in my tyedye t-shirt And when I left the house a woman right outside the door told me I look so pretty today. Made me feel very nice.

Then I spent a couple minutes putting all our stuff back in its place because we have moved it when we drove the Fulwilers to dinner last night. And then I was off.

I decided to go to Hunt valley to go to Rita's for the first time this season. I got a mango misto and it was very nice. The girl at the window was also very sweet. And I felt very smiley.

I got to camp and went to the office to get the key to set up low ropes. And drove up there and timed myself to see how long it would take me to set up. Takes me about 15 minutes. Working with the ladder is the worst part. Later in the day Elizabeth would say she was very impressed by how fast I was.

I would go back to the porch and finish my misto and eat some cold fish and wait for her Celia to show up. We would check in about how we would handle having groups of only five kids. And we decided that I would kind of take over a meeting but in the end it didn't really matter because the group was so small.

We went and got our first group and they were really nice. They were actually really funny and while they didn't talk a time they were laughing a lot and really good at spotting each other and they were very silly. Me and Celia had a pretty silly bit going where I would make a big fuss about asking her to be my spotter and then very dramatically going on the ropes and it was just really silly. But it was a little hard to fill the full hour. With five kids. But it was fine. We did our full hour and then we took a bathroom break and then we walked them up to the horse barn to get the second group and to drop off the first group.

I didn't see any barn staff which was weird. But we got the second group and headed out. I couldn't tell who the shower was at first because no one was introducing themselves but I found who it was before we got over to the bathrooms. And it was a little tough to do this hour because two of the five girls did not want to participate. But the ones that did went all the way down and it was a good time. We were just finished really early so we did the whale watcher but then the chaperone asked if we could be done at 3:00 instead of 3:30 because of some medication needs and meeting up with the other group and it was the whole thing. I did not care but I always get very anxious about timing stuff. So after I walked everyone to the other group which was all the way up at the fort I went to check in with Elizabeth to let her know about the weirdness. Especially because as we were sitting on the whale watcher my first group starts coming down, only 15 minutes into the timed program. So it was very strange. But it's all good. Everyone still had a good time and that's all that matters.

Elizabeth would ask me and Celia to go and check in about putting away tables and chairs and then there were some confusion because they were already mopping down there and then we went to go see if archery tag needed to be put away and it was already done so then I went back to the office and Elizabeth was like you're good to go. So I start to leave and then she calls me and she's like actually couldn't bring us a cooler with water and ice and I was like. Of course. And then after I drop that off I went home.

And I think it was perfect timing because I was fading fast the drive back. I texted James and let them know we needed an oil change according to our sticker and then I would like to get pizza for dinner. So they ordered that and when I got home I got a shower while we waited for food to show up.

As we were eating dinner the doorbell rang again and frustratingly it was the man that's always asking us for money. And he did look a lot better but it's frustrating that he's back. You've been gone for so long and I was really hoping he was doing better and apparently he was also bothering our neighbor downstairs and she's getting really nervous about it because he apparently now knows which car she drives and doesn't make her feel safe. Doesn't make me feel safe either! It makes me feel very uncomfortable that he rings our door bell over and over. And I really don't know what we do because ignoring him doesn't seem to help much. I just hope that he doesn't come back because he promised he wouldn't this time.

I got in bed and would feel very uncomfortable. Just exhausted and hot and bad. And then I got very cold and I had to close my eyes. I told James to wake me up at 7:00 and I'm glad that I took a little rest. I'm pretty dehydrated and I'm going to go drink some water and try to enjoy the last couple hours of the night. I have a very early morning at camp tomorrow having to be there at 8:00 a.m. And then I don't know what the rest of the day will hold. I have two programs and then I'm assuming just some cleaning and prep for the weekend groups. And then who knows. I hope it's a beautiful day.

I hope you all had a very nice day today. I hope you sleep well tonight. Good night everybody.

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rainbowratsstuff · 1 year

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Sense u seem to enjoy wings of fire u got any ideas for cats characters designed as dragons? Or ideas on what some of the cats tribe would be?

This is going to be a bit of a long one as I spent probably too long thinking about this, it's almost turned into a whole AU, but here we go.

Munkustrap, Macavity and Tugger would be mudwings. That might seem like an odd choice but I chose this because of a particular story idea I really want to see. Munk, Mac and Tugger would all be in a mudwing sibling group with Macavity as their big wings. But then Macavity turns against everyone. What would happen to a mudwing sibling group if one of them turned evil? Especially the big wings. I just think this would be so interesting.

Alonzo and Gilbert would be icewings. I think they have personalities that work perfectly for the icewing ranking system. Alonzo would be a lower ranked icewing who is insecure and worried about having a low rank. Even thinking about whether he would consider the diamond trial. Gilbert would be the highest ranked icewing with Griddlebone as the queen who he would do anything for. He does almost anything to avoid losing his top rank. Alonzo is envious of him.

Mistoffelees, Victoria, Bustopher, Exotica (her name would be changed but just so everyone knows who I'm talking about), Coricopat and Tantomile would be nightwings. (Its just too perfect for Misto to be a nightwing. The colour scheme alone with the black and stars on the inside of thier wings 😍) Bustopher is a nightwing withought powers and when his nephew and niece's parents died he took their eggs away from the tribe to where Exotica (she has mind reading and vague prophecy visions) is living with her dragonets, Cori and Tanto. Mistoffelees is hatched with mindreading and animus powers, whereas Victoria has mind reading and the gift of prophecy. Cori and Tanto only have mind reading but they have developed it to become really advanced, they can hear thoughts from really far away. I also like the idea of Misto and Vic talking to each other through mind reading, especially around dragons they dont know.

Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, Jennyanydots, Jellylorum and Gus would be sandwings. Jenny doing a good job managing her way around the Scorpion Den, while also having to look out for her children, who definitely would be theives and con artists. Just trying not to let their mum see. But it's not like Jenny doesn't know, she just likes to make them think she doesn't know ;) . Jelly could be Jennys close friend who's trying to keep her old father Gus alive despite how difficult things are getting. Maybe M and R try to steal to help them too.

Etcetera, Pouncival and Plato would be rainwings. These guys are mostly happy go lucky and just want to have fun. I think they'd fit in really well with the relaxing low stress life of rainwings. Plus they'd love to change colour when ever they want. But I think Plato might try exploring outside the rainforest. Like one of the very few who's actually curious what's going on out there. Also he would definitely be protective over the little ones. They may not know who their parents are but he'll be their big brother for them.

Skimbleshanks, Cassandra and Tumblebrutus would be skywings. I don't have as much reasoning for these guys as the others. It's mostly just a feeling I get. I think Tumble would be trained up for fighting like in the dragonet play area but when he's older he doesn't really want to fight, especially seeing what happens in the arena. Skimbleshanks I think would use those powerful wings to go on long journeys to scout out other places for the queen but maybe also secretly looking for a better place for Tumble. Cass is hoping to take the throne and stop getting these kids into needless violence and give Skimble the safe place he's looking for. Maybe Tumble is also her son here.

Demeter, Bombalurina and Jemima would be seawings. I love the idea of Demeter leaving and coming back to her sister, who's now the Queen, for protection with her animus dragonet Jemima (probably a hybrid if I want to go with Jem being Macs child).

Thats my ideas right now. I'm not sure what to do with Griz and Deut. I have this idea of Griz being the mudwing Queen and maybe feeling responsible for Mac and running away or something, leaving Deut to take care of the kingdom? Since I have Griddlebone as the icewing Queen. I should probably have Growltiger somewhere but I'm not sure where, maybe she double crossed him and stoll treasurer from him? But I'm not sure what type he should be.

But maybe I'm getting too much into this. It was a fun idea to consider. Thank you ^^

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per-the-jellicle-magician · 4 months

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What Warsaw character is most similar to their general stage counterpart? And who's the most different? Visually or through choreography / storyline

Hi, thanks for the ask. Those are very interesting questions and the short answers are: visually it's a bit complicated, but most of the "main" characters are decently similar to their general replica counterparts, and story-wise the biggest differences I think are with Victoria, Misto, Demeter and Griz, while the rest of the "mains" are mostly similar to what you'd expect

Long answers after the obligatory read more cuz it got pretty long XD

Starting with the visual stuff, it's mostly complicated by the fact that Warsaw is a non replica and has a rather unique visual style. With that in mind, I would say most of the main characters are actually pretty similar to their replica counterparts, in that you can rather easily recognize who is who based on their costumes when they appear on stage. The patterns and shapes are different but the colours and vibes generally match (Munk is gray, Alonzo is white with some black, Victoria is white, Skimble is orange, Gus and Griz look old and falling apart etc). The only main ones that don't really look similar in this sense are Jellylorum (Warsaw is darker gray with black wig), Jemima (pale pink with black spots and black wig, very glam style as opposed to punk rock replica one) and Cass (black instead of brown).

It's a little hard to tell for me how recognizable they actually are, given how very familiar i am with them, but i'm guessing that for example here the ones least recognizable are Victor and Jemima in the second photo

Speaking of Victor, most of Warsaw' side characters don't really match visually their replica counterparts, and you basically need a cheat sheet to recognize who is who

One fun way to look at the visual similarities are Warsaw's psychic twins. They don't look very similar to their replica counterparts, but their costumes' shape and make up is the most similar to the general cats costume vibe out of all Warsaw costumes so I thought they deserve an honorary mention

And now, story-wise

I'm just gonna focus on the "main" characters, and for the most part it's pretty matched. I think the most similar to their general vibe are Jelly, Gus, Skimble and Old D. Basically they're what you'll expect, and I don't really have much to say about that. But those who are different, that's a different story. I already mentioned it's Victoria, Misto, Demeter and Griz, I can't really pick one so i'm just gonna break it down for all of them

Victoria

As opposed to the regular Vic, Warsaw Vic is very much a little kitten. I'm pretty sure someone said she was the youngest, maybe she is, either way she is very young. And with that she doesn't get a pas de deux with it's coming of age or whatnot vibe, just 2 solos. And in those solos she's taking stars out of the sky so i'd say her being at least a bit magical is another difference.

And the last one: she is really scared of Griz up until halfway through "Memory". First Griz entrence - she's hiding behind the closest adults the whole time, second one - Tumble needs to escort her off stage cuz she's not gonna move if there's no one between her and Griz, and it changes only during "Memory"

Misto

I'm putting him here with the caveat that he is quite different to the current general version. He is more similar to the old versions like old Broadway and stuff, with being full adult, using magic way more and generally being more confident and stuff. Speaking of magic, he's proficient both with actual magic and stage magic, whereas I don't think regular Misto does much of the latter. Plus his power set is closer to what general Mac got, mostly mind controlling and disappearing in the shadows. He does a lot of mind controlling everyone and moving stuff around throughout the show.

There is a difference in choreography in his song too, with some of the dancing being given to other cats or replaced by the magic show, plus the turns got moved after old D is saved. Also his relationship with Tugger, they are very much best friends, got a special handshake and a very much well rehearsed magic show, plus he is the one getting the screen and licks down and moving half the set during RTT. Like there's less fangirling and more "i got you bro" between them, at least to me.

Also, this is kinda random, but he's taller XD. Og Warsaw Misto is 180 cm/5'11 and it's just a funny detail when generally everyone else tries to have Misto on the shorter side XD

Demeter

There are 2 main differences about Warsaw Deme, and it's the fact Griz is her mother and that she seems to be less anxious and more angry when it comes to Mac. First one, adds layer to the fact she is the one to introduce Griz, and then she spends every Griz appearance torn and anxious cuz she clearly wants her back but can't/shouldn't want it.

And with Mac, yeah, to me she seems more moved on from him than general Deme, still bit anxious and scared when he attacks but also kinda more pissed off. More "he's my ex that I'm angry with" than "he's my ex that i'm afraid of". Also little less admiring him. Like she seems more anxious about the Griz stuff than Mac stuff. And while she isn't the one to spot Mac in disguise, she is very much trying to get everyone away and later after he disappears seems to use herself as a bait to get him in the open so the guys can take him out

Griz

Besides the fact that current trend is Young Griz and Warsaw one is very much old, one difference in her story is the aforementioned fact that Demeter is her daughter. Which gives her a new reason to be there and also in the song Deme states Griz was forgotten by the clan.

Another difference is Griz's motivation. This is just my theory, but based on Jemima's line in "Moments of Happiness" where the last line she sings "And you'll feel that you want to be one of us again and you'll start to live again" I don't think Griz crashed the party first 2 times with wanting to be taken back in mind.

Again, just my theory, but to me it seems she gets there wanting to see her daughter and her maybe ex-lover maybe ex-friend Old D once more before she dies, it doesn't pan out. But then Jemima comes in with this "hey follow the memory, you still got the chance". It changes Griz's mind and she comes back again. And the line in "Memory" that seems to get everyone on board, the one right before Jemi comes in, is "I so wish I could turn back time", so in a way she does actually kinda say "sorry" and/or "please take me back", whatever interpretation we want. It's not just the appeal to their goodness and memory of her (which they may or may not have consciously tried to erase), but she actually reaches out to them in this more direct way. And/or apologizes for whatever she did that made her leave and get forgotten if we wanna go with that.

So yeah, this got kinda really long and is probably more detailed than expected but well, I can talk a lot about Warsaw when prompted XD

Thanks again for the ask 💖

#oh yeah it got long and kinda detailed XD #idk if you wanted that or smth short and sweet XD #cats the musical #cats warsaw #grizabella #victoria cats #mistoffelees #demeter cats #jellicle cats #warsaw guy talks #ask post

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impeccablebackside · 8 months

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what was the queens favorite sexual experience to look back to?

Thanks for the question. I always appreciate new ideas to explore.

For a favoured experience, I doubt that it needs to be particularly (aka objectively) pleasurable or something unusual to be memorable. Obviously it depends on the queen, but most of their favourite sexual experiences to reminisce about are ones that are personally significant rather that specifically exciting. If you are thinking something more 'extreme' or rough, maybe dream-like, there are past asks about those too.

I do not have much more to go on about beforehand, so here it is by queen:

Vic's favourite experience was her first time with Plato, and the awakening that rushed through her on that magical night. The care and love he had (and still has) is something that would be impossible to replicate. The infatuation and wanting a physical connection is what steered everything, not the lust of it. The need to embrace someone you love and give yourself to them. It was just so delicate and intimate. Experiencing the sensation of something that is godlike. Something that changes their perception of life and makes them truly feel so alive for the first time. There are reassuring touches, looks, and asks all throughout. They both have that feeling, but especially Plato, where they feel so lucky and in love. There is nothing more beautiful than that.

Rumple's fave experience was the first time she rode Mungo's face. It started off sheepishly as she was sitting on his lap, slowly scooting herself forward and pushing him down. Straddling his face and feeling the way his breath blew against her thighs and heat unlocked a new desire in her that has rarely waned since. Even though she went gingerly at the time, the feel was extraordinary, especially since she found out that Mungo could back up his tongue in more than one way. The incredibly excited look on her tom's face before and after still makes her feel giddy too. Otherwise, she has been privileged enough to enjoy a lot of fun and pleasurable experiences in her time with a number of others. None of them can match the joy she shared with Mungo though.

Tanto has lived many lives and has met countless cats in her existence, but little bests a more recent exchange that was her first time with Rumple. A mutual crush between queens that finally exploded into more. Of all of her experiences, the best one with someone else involved remains that intimate time in her den in a daze of mutual orgasms and feline exploration. It also helped that Rumple more than knows what she was doing.

Cass' fave time oddly does not involve another person. The first time she got a bit more adventurous and heavy handed with some fingering that slowly tuned into hand insertion type fisting, the resulting climax from stretching her beautiful tight and puffy pussy shook her body hard enough she was in tears. Laying on her side, legs together made for each pump to rattle her to her core. Pushing herself to take more opened up (literally) a desire to be fucked hard and deep. That does not even count the dizzying aftershocks she discovered that came from fucking her swollen pussy into overstimulation after such a strong orgasm. Running closely in second place was the first time she had a facial, finding out just how much she relished in being a cumslut.

Bomba's fave time was a particularly lustful threesome with Tugger and Misto. Having been part of that world once or twice beforehand as they settled into their new relationship, this time all three left their shyness aside as they met for an all-out fuckfest. A 'sandwhich' so-to-speak, where Tugger was fucking her while being fucked himself was a fun experience for her, and being the only queen made for some experimentation between the three of them as the night went on.

Deme has two that she loves equally in her mind. The first was a fiery encounter with Mac when he was a little more heated than usual. A near feral fuckfest where he showed his prowess and made her cum the hardest she ever had up to that point. The second time was a passionate relinquishing of herself to Munk where they both truly connected on a physical and spiritual level of love and lust for the first proper time. Being cared for so deeply for the first time ever like that made the sex one to remember, especially when her man emptied himself into her with a huge creampie. She still daydreams about both times, and what they respectively offered.

Jenny's fave experience was a particularly energetic affair with a hungry Busto that involved foodplay and enough shared eating oral fun to easily shoot up to one of her favourite encounters. Specifically, being held down and helpless while she was fingering and licked ensured her pleasure was maximized. The way he ate her out that day is something she has never felt matched since, even with repeat performances. He literally licked and sucked the soul out of her pussy enough that she could not walk after from being so weakened.

Jelly's fave experience, and likely best time, was one of her first times dressed as Griddle being absolutely (nicely, but roughly) ravaged, railed, and rammed. She was manhandled really good by someone who was utterly set on fucking the life out of the exotic amore. It was a wildness needing to be experienced, and she let all her 'traditional' reservations fly to the wind as she tried new things and threw her weight around too. The liberation it represented still enpowers her.

#if you want a more detailed run-down of any of these let me know and i can expand on them for you #the platoria one will always be a thing for me #there is a beauty in that encounter that is the absolute peak of why this thirst blog exists #plus i legit feel like background fucknugget Plato sometimes where i am yearning for something i cannot have #just me projecting always #keep the asks coming

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bride-of-jason-voorhees · 2 years

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Screamtober Day 1: Storm

I was woken abruptly from a deep sleep by the loud crack of thunder that practically shook my entire house. When I sat up, I managed to open my eyes just in time to watch the flash of lightning light up my windows. Fuck, that “little rainfall” the weather man predicted turned into a full fledged thunder storm. I stretched slightly before picking up my phone to see it was only about 5am, guess I was gonna have a long day. There was no way in hell I was even going to attempt to sleep again with how loud the thunder was. As I made my way out of my bedroom, down the hall and into my kitchen I grabbed a mug out of a cabinet and decided to make myself some coffee. My power was still on, a miracle really. As my coffee began to brew I began to hear scratches on my backdoor.

“Probably a tree branch..” I shrugged.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. Meow!“...Not a branch-” I felt my heart sink as I ran to open the door. Along with some water came a little black and white cat, completely soaked and shivering from the rain. I quickly shut the door and rushed to grab a towel from my bathroom so I could scoop the poor thing up and get it dry. Once in my arms the cat began to relax, purring to show me just how safe it now felt. I never really was a cat person, but this little one might just change that.

After I got the cat all dried off, I sat it down on my couch, where it made itself home right away by curling up on one of the pillows. I’d have to get food for it later in the day, I thought to myself as I finally grabbed my cup of coffee. I took a seat next to my new fluffy friend and turned the TV on, both to block out some of the noise and to keep an eye on the weather. Hours ended up passing before the darkness of the clouds finally began to fade away and the brutal downpour became nothing but a light drizzle. By then I had finished my coffee, breakfast, named my new friend (Misto, because of how magically he had managed to show up) and found one of my dog harnesses and leashes I had somehow kept after my old dog had grown out of them. I strapped Misto in and brought him with me to my car, there was no way I was leaving him alone after all he had been through. I could tell the effects were still weighing down on him as his claws dug into my arm the second I stepped out the door. “Don’t worry Misto..” I kissed the top of his head “The big bad thunder and lightning are all gone now. Let’s go get ya some fun stuff so next time they roll around you’ll be too distracted to care.”

Clearly I am some kind of psychic, because wouldn’t ya know the very next storm that hit didn’t even seem to phase little Misto. While I had been woken up just like I had been the night I found him, he was all tucked away in a cat tower with several toys surrounding him. Maybe storms weren’t that bad after all.

#screamtober 2022 #writing prompt #yes I named the cat after a character in cats the musical shhh #this is a lil warm up story

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millenari · 2 months

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if you aren't tired of "bitching" about the broadway revival, what are your thoughts on the changes to tugger's number? i find a lot of the characterization in the choreography got destroyed but i'd like to hear your take

My first problem with Tugger's number happens before the song even starts.

It's that little bit they changed, where Munk sings the 'Jellicles ask because Jellicles dare / who will it be?' and then Tugger echoes him for the start of his song. I get why they added that bit (to strengthen the plot, to remind the audience that the Jellicle Choice is the point of all of this) but I've mentioned why I dislike the idea that the cats are ALL competing for the Choice before, and of all of the cats I think reasonably Tugger ought to be least interested in the honor. So having him echo Munk as if indicating interest in being the Choice is bleh to me.

Believe it or not I don't hate Tugger's new number… I don't like it, but I don't dislike it as much as Jenny's number. Given that John Partridge's Tugger in particular is so iconic & beloved, nothing they were going to do was going to satisfy me (or most of us tbh) and I admire that they tried to go at Tugger's character at another angle instead of trying to blindly recreate something they knew they wouldn't be able to recreate.

That being said. I don't like it. In Cats, the way a cat moves is indicative of their personality. The styles they're assigned speaks of their nature, I mentioned that in the Gumbie post: Jenny has tap because it has more of a militant vibe than flowy ballet. Victoria's very romantic and sensual subplot does get flowy ballet. The dances/songs that Bomba leads are all jazzy and sensual and provocative like her. I could go on. Tugger in particular is based off of the glam rockers of the 70s and 80s. He's a rockstar, and like those rockstar figures he's sexual, provocative, unapologetic, wild, fierce, ambiguously bisexual--

He's confident and horny. Let’s put it at that. And the way he moves and dances reflects that. He doesn't crawl much, (In 98 he doesn't crawl ever I don’t think), he struts when he moves, his 'default' position has his hands on his belt right near his crotch, like a solid 30% of his choreo in Lynne's version is hip thrusts… That's how he's been characterized for a long time. In the Bway revival, they take him in a different, less slutty direction.

& to be frank, you usually would have immediately lost me at 'less slutty' but I'll admit that some of the heavy-eye-contact-plus-pelvic-thrust elements of 98 are a little. Weird. So I do protest removing the sexuality from his number (not only because I'm pro-horny and not only because I respect Gillian Lynne's horndog vision but also because I think it's vastly unfair that the Macavity number is barely touched but this one is toned down pretty aggressively. Even in the Bombadance the female dance is present and just as sexual (you know, the bending over part) but the bit where the boys join in is pretty much removed. Why are women shaking their asses as objects to be admired acceptable but abstract depictions of actual sex/sexual elements aren't? Ugh.) buuuuut I see why they would have wanted to change it. Less slutty doesn't inherently mean less good, after all, right? And he is still a little slutty, it's not like they Kids Bop'd him.

But then they also add this element of insecurity to him. Where original Tugger is oftentimes unshakable, Revival!Tugger tries to slap the shit out of Munk and Alonzo for delivering the 'terrible bore' line (And usually I prefer Misto having this line but plenty of productions give it to these two instead so whatever), he hisses at the group of cats sliding up on him near the end, and you can see him kind of primping in the background when Old Deut is announced, like he's nervous.

This… is fine, I guess. Giving your characters more depth is usually not a bad thing, but I protest Tugger + insecurity on the grounds that

A) Bomba and Demeter's (the main Female Horny Cats) sole interesting skill is apparently flirting, and yet Tugger (the main Male Horny Cat) has to have all these hidden depths, and

B) this element in addition to how they seemed to be deliberately casting (for the bway revival AND us Tour 6) Tugger as younger-sounding and also kind of sillier, he comes off more to me as somebody's lost fratboy who needs therapy instead of a famous star. And it really leaves me questioning why all these characters are supposed to like him so much when, again, he kind of gives the impression of being a bratty frat boy.

So yes, I agree on the characterization. I admire that they tried something new, but I just don't really care for what they tried, and I think the changes actively work against the core of the character, which is: the obnoxious horny guy with so much charisma and confidence that he keeps pulling anyways.

But enough on Tugger, onto the actual song.

I really like the layout of the classic Tugger number because everyone is pretty finely split up by how they think of him. You've got:

his baby fangirls on his left doing their cute little fangirl dance

his hornier, older fans just to his right (Plato in the front) who are doing a dance that's a bit more provocative

his backup buddies on the far right who seem to be less attracted and more deferential to him

a group of cats just behind him doing a dance that strikes me as neither particularly sexual nor particularly platonic (who melt into the previous two groups during certain sections of the song)

the elders in the far back, watching on with disapproval

Bomba, Munk, and Misto, who each watch on alone(ish), indicating perhaps that each of them has a unique relationship to Tugger there.

(Sometimes there are additional watching cats, depending on how the number is set up. In 98, Alonzo also watches him alone, as well as Cori).

But I love how after only a minute or so of watching, you can tell what the majority of the cast thinks of Tugger, and who agrees with who. It's super efficient storytelling. In Broadway Revival Tugger, pretty much everyone is one of Tugger's backup dancers. There are some elements of Elder Disapproval (Jenny standing up to him, Skimble trying to shoo others away) and you can see some sections of the dance are the girls fawning over him while some are the boys backup dancing for him, but they're real quick. The song has a lot of [group of cats do a dance near Tugger] [group of cats move away] [Tugger spends a couple seconds there just kind of doing nothing] [another group of cats come up] [repeat]. Compared to the classic, there's not a lot going on, and yet it still feels more disjointed.

So anyways, the song starts, Tugger poses for Google Earth, (always taking pictures), some cats come and go & backup dance for/with him, Alonzo and Munk do the terrible bore and nearly get slapped for it, Jenny and Skimble try and fail to interrupt, and then Bomba's section happens.

I don't like this part especially; it bothers me that Tugger and Bomba don't really dance with each other during her section. They just sing their lines while staring at each other and kind of walking around. Not only does it feel kind of boring, but I really love that butt-to-butt dance they do in the original, and it makes me so sad that it was removed. [smacks fist against desk] it was SO bisexual. So, so bisexual…. Plus having Bomba kneel in front of Tugger for the following 'nah' is so strange, because honestly it looks more sexual than Tugger dipping her, and makes it way less obvious that he's rejecting her after (potentially) leading her on. I'm not sure a first-time viewer watching from far away would even realize he's saying no to her. Also this section includes the entire(ish) cast lining up behind Tugger in two different ways over the course of like 15 seconds. Why.

Then Tugger admires himself in the mirror after 'Horrible muddle'— which is fine, but I like it less in conjuncture with the self-esteem thing. After that comes the little dance break, which is my favorite part of the whole song.

First, I love having Plato and Victoria doing a little dance in the background, it kind of builds up to their later dance and I think the idea of them bonding over liking Tugger is the cutest. Second, I love the Tuggoff dance that happens at the same time.

It's weird, because a lot of the time I look at the bway changes and I can't really figure out if the new choreo means anything or is trying to say anything the way the original often was. (Like that screenshot I posted just a couple paragraphs up. Why is everyone lining up behind Tugger? To show that they're all on his 'side' in regard to his interaction with Bomba? Why do they do it twice? The answer is probably just 'because it looked cool'. Tragically.) But this little Tuggoff dance is weird because it’s one of the few sections where I can easily make a guess as to what they were trying to say do/say with the choreo. I talked about it in the tags on this post, I won't type it all up again.

Tugger deliberately passing by his attention-hungry fans and grabbing Misto chilling off by himself, and then pulling him into the literal spotlight is just so on point to their relationship I made a post about the same concept not too long ago. Like this whole idea of Misto being the only one to give Tugger the space he needs and Tugger returning that sentiment by giving Misto all of the attention and spotlight he needs, is just. 10/10. No notes.

After that point I don't have much commentary. Everyone dances together for the end: I don't love that part but that's mostly just me not liking the overarching style of the new choreo than anything to do with this number in particular. I also don't like the new ending but I can't really pin down why, so I think it's just me not liking change? I'm not sure.

So yeah, don't love it, don't hate it. I have to say though: I think it's kind of incredible how this choreo has already aged in comparison to the original. The bit after the mirror where Tugger basically nae-naes makes me want to beat my head against the wall due to Cringe, and that choreo is only like 8 years old! The original is nearly 40, and it still stands up fine! It's just wild how much effort they put into making Cats 'modern' and before a decade has passed those changes are already dated!

(Though I think the cats taking a 'selfie' with the big prop camera at the end was kind of hilarious. Maybe we can have some modernization.)

#cats fan on main #jelliclerants

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fluffytuffles · 2 years

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So I Saw Cats (Again)

SATURDAY, MAY 7TH

This is gonna be shorter because it’s gonna be just Saturday stuff, either small differences from the Thursday show, stuff I noticed for the first time (especially from the balcony versus front of orchestra), or changes with cast differences.

Same disclaimers apply.

Word count: 1950

BEFORE THE SHOW

Unlike Thursday we got to the theater with plenty of time and got to look around and be the first at the merch booth when it opened (an hour before the show). I got the book of music, the pin, and the keychain. I also dabbed on Macavity.

SHOWTIME

Zach Bravo was back as Tugger, Lauren Louis as Demeter, and Alexia Waites as Tantomile. Elana Valastro was on as Teazer again, and I was a little disappointed to not see Allison, and even more so that Kelly wasn’t back yet, but Elana is a delightful Teazer and it would’ve been hard to be actually disappointed even if I tried.

ZACH

Yes, he gets his own section. Biggest difference from the Thursday show was that Zach was on as Tugger, and I think seeing the first show without him only made me appreciate his presence more, if possible. The charisma and energy Zach brings to Tugger is unparalleled. He has such great chemistry with the rest of the cast and it really shines through. This was his second-to-last show and he was giving it as much as ever. He had the audience wrapped around his finger. I’m sad to see him go but so, so grateful we had him as long as we did. I hope he has a well-deserved rest, and goes on to receive every dream he’s earned.

GENERAL

So so so glad I got to see it twice.

Like Thursday this happened to be the 2nd show of a 2-show day again.

It was fascinating getting the same show from two very different vantage points over just a couple of days. Thursday we were fourth row center in the orchestra; Saturday we were up in the balcony center, about halfway back in the theater. We were toward the front still, with no one blocking our view of the stage (the LA Lakers couldn’t show apparently, iykyk). So it might’ve been in part our unobstructed view, but the experience was in no way diminished from being farther away. Actually, for some elements this was an improvement, as we could see the whole stage and all the characters at once.

There was no cast board in the balcony area which was odd. I happened to see the board from a distance before I went upstairs so I knew Elana was on as Teazer, and that someone was covering booth but I couldn’t tell who. Previous and subsequent boards suggest it was Megan Arseneau.

Something happened with either a mic or the orchestra that one of the instruments was missing from the arrangements during Act One. This seemed to be fixed at intermission, wouldn’t have been noticed by anyone not so familiar with the score, and not overly distracting for someone who was. (I actually liked how it affected the Platoria dance during the Ball so that was neat to hear!)

I had a much easier time watching everyone on stage from the balcony (and also having already seen it).

It was still pretty easy to make out facial expressions, especially on those I indicated as mugging (affectionate) last time -which makes sense, being why they do it in the first place.

Seeing almost all main cast with this show I can say for certain and finally that everyone was impeccably cast in their roles. This is the most talented company I’ve ever seen.

CHARACTERS

If I don’t mention a character, assume I have nothing to say about it that I didn’t say in the Thursday review.

Demestrap didn’t have the chemistry I was hoping for, but I think that’s because they have fewer moments together than I remembered. I also literally just might’ve missed it while I was watching other cats.

Paul’s Misto has such fantastic chemistry with Zach’s Tugger but like we knew that.

Old Deuteronomy in this production has a relationship with everyone in the tribe and that’s so lovely to see.

Actually, many of the characters have pretty clear and consistent relationships to one another.

Zach and Nick gave strong big-brother!Tugger, little-brother!Munk energy

I like Nick but I would’ve liked to see José go on for one of the shows.

SONGS

If I don’t mention a song, assume I have nothing to say about it that I didn’t say in the Thursday review.

“Overture”

We could see the light display much better from the balcony.

“Jellicle Songs”

Like with all the big group numbers, it was so much easier to see and appreciate the choreography (and the performances thereof) from a higher angle.

“Gumbie Cat”

Preferred Gumbie Trio with Lauren’s Demeter

“Rum Tum Tugger”

Zach my beloved. Iconic. The only Tugger for me, thanks.

Obviously COVID meant I had no chance of Tugger sitting in my lap but–

Tugger’s extended finale to play to the audience, what a ham.

“Old Deuteronomy”

Zach and Nick sound great together.

Tugger is so sweet with Old D.

“Jellicle Ball”

This is one you definitely want to see from the balcony. Absolutely incredible.

“Memory (prelude)”

Grizabella’s “fail dance” works a lot better when you can see the big empty stage she’s standing on. It really communicates how alone she is.

“Gus the Theatre Cat”

Bow’s comedic timing in coming back on after the applause and Jelly tries to escort Gus away was just delightful.

Victoria’s so excited to hear her name, even if it’s not referring to her. What a cutie!

There’s a slight variation in the “blood-curdling noise” that also got a big laugh out of me (and everyone).

“Pekes and Pollicles”

Tugger gives Tumble head scritches and Sillabub a paw touch for doing such a good job (*sobs*)

“Macavity/Macavity Fight”

I prefer Lauren’s Demeter to Megan’s

I still don’t like the song but they perform it very well.

“Mr. Mistoffelees”

I actually tried watching for Deut coming back onstage but literally did not catch him and at this point I don’t want anyone to ruin the magic.

Deut gesturing for Misto to run at him, I cry.

“Memory”

Tayler’s Grizabella feels so much more tragic than a lot of other versions, especially modern versions.

STAGE DOOR

If you’ve made it this far in my screed I imagine you like me enough to tolerate my self-indulgent stage door notes, and if that’s the case, thank you. :)

I’m writing this partly to share what my experience was like and partly to remember it for myself.

I was convinced I was too anxious to do stage door until right before the show, that I couldn’t be normal around them. But I realized that if I didn’t at least try to meet them, I would only ever regret it. And I’m so, so glad I did.

As a whole, they were all so nice. Their kindness and patience actually made it so much easier for me to feel comfortable interacting with them and I couldn’t thank them enough for taking the time after a very, very long day to meet with fans.

I deliberately addressed them by name if I was trying to get their attention, and if I thought to, mentioned a fan work by, or interaction with, me that they might remember. I think it helped them know that I was an actual fan of theirs and genuinely excited to see them, not just any cast.

Huge, huge love and thanks to @dilfstrapisanormalword for taking the time and energy to do this with me. I know you didn’t want to, that you only did it for me, and I hope the couple of autographs I got for you too was worth it. Also, again, shoutout to @munku-collar for lending me an extra marker. I’m sorry I lost the cap but I’m glad Aiden and Taylor found it.

(I also did see Chris Salvaggio, Max Craven, and I think Nick Davis but if it was Nick I couldn’t tell with the mask on, and Chris and Max didn’t seem to be up for meeting, which is completely fair.)

Dominic Fortunato (Pouncival) - Dom looked like he was leaving at first but he hung back and was the first one I worked up the courage to approach (which I did by myself). I told him the kitten trio was giving me life during the show, and he didn’t really react so we parted then. He came up to me a minute later to say he hadn’t heard what I said and he wanted to thank me. What a sweetheart.

Aiden Pressel & Taylor Rosenberger (Plato/Macavity & Coricopat) - Taylor seemed really excited to be recognized, which was lovely. I told them it was my first time doing stage door and that I was super nervous but I’d been following them since September and they’d always seemed so approachable, which they were happy to hear.

Tayler Harris (Grizabella) - Tayler seemed to be in a bit of a rush and I was pretty starstruck honestly but I told her what a wonderful job she did and she was grateful for that.

Sean McManus & Vinny Andaloro (Tumblebrutus & Alonzo) - I mentioned my tiktok username to Sean because we’re mutuals on there and he said he was happy to be able to put a face to the name, that he felt like he’d known me forever from tiktok. He also called Vinny over from a few feet away with “Vinny this is Litsy-K from tiktok” (in a previous livestream he’d pointed out me saying hi to him). Sean asked if we were from around here and Karyn bonded with both of them over being from New Jersey. Also Vinny is smaller in person; almost everyone was but especially Vinny.

Zach Bravo (Rum Tum Tugger) - Zach was as amazing offstage as he was onstage. When I mentioned I’d sent him the card and Zugger necklace back in November he said he’d meant to write back but he’d only had so much time at home. I don’t know if he forgot he did send me a signed playbill or if he’d actually meant to go even further than that? Incredible. He offered a photo and after Karyn took it for me he asked her if she wanted one too. My hands were shaking so much with nerves that I had to try multiple times to get a decent shot. When I told him I was super nervous about meeting them he offered a hug. I got a hug! Absolutely wonderful person.

Lauren Louis & Chelsea Mitchell (Demeter & Bombalurina) - I met them together and they were the last before I had to leave. I mentioned to Lauren that I was the one who made the trace art of her as Demeter and Bomba for her birthday and she was so excited to hear that. They were both so sweet.

CONCLUSION (FINAL)

So yeah, that was Cats! I honestly couldn’t have wished for a better production, or a better person to see it with. I’m so grateful I got to see Zach’s Tugger before he left. Fate really was kind to me in general, as not only were all my long-time faves on, but I got to meet and talk to them after the show. Truly an unbelievable and unforgettable experience.

I’m a little sad that it’s over now; I won’t have the chance to see them again before their run ends next month. But I’m excited to follow them into their next projects, and in their bright futures.

Stay jellicle, kitty cast.

#cats the musical #cats us tour 6 #kitty cast #op

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