The show's signature musical number is the poignant and stirring 'Memories.'

The show's signature musical number is the poignant and stirring 'Memories.'
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AKRON -- To the delight of patrons, young and old, cats are everywhere -- cavorting on and singing from railings and slinking down aisles between tables -- in Carousel Dinner Theatre's fast paced production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats."
Director-choreographer Marc Robin didn't devote just token time to cast interaction with the audience.
The cats sing from catwalks overhead and glide onto and off the stage into the audience numerous times during the production.
While a bit wary of the cats at first, my granddaughters, Megan, 9, and Morgan, 4, soon took great pleasure in spotting the cats sneaking up the aisles. And when one leaped onto the railing by our table, they were amazed and enchanted. Their smiles told me it made their night, as I'm sure it did for many others in the audience when cats of every shape and variety visited their area of the theater.
"Cats" is truly suited for all ages.
Robin's other departure from the Broadway and national tours of "Cats" -- adding several ballet sequences -- also seemed to please the audience.
However, the dances in general, while acrobatic and well done, seemed to go on overly long, particularly in the first act. And the words to songs were sometimes lost in the more frantic group numbers.
The setting
For a bit of local flavor, the theme of the set is an abandoned tire factory, a nod to the days when rubber was king in Akron. Signs for Firestone, B.F. Goodrich and General Tire decorate the stage, which includes piles of tires and a calendar, a device that combines steel wires and rubber for the tire, and other tire making machinery.
But "Cats" is "Cats," and it is hard to go wrong.
The dance scenes are well done and helped set the stage for the Jellicle Ball, an annual event at which the Jellicle Cats meet to decide which one among them will be chosen to receive a Jellicle Life, a 10th life beyond the nine usually allotted.
There are wonderful characters -- Old Deuteronomy, played by Dwelvan David, who presides over the Jellicle Ball and decides who gets the extra life; Mistoffelees, renowned for his magical abilities, played by the acrobatic Jason G. Ignacio; and of course, Grizabella, who left the tire factory as its most glamorous and popular cat, and comes back sick and near death to make amends.
Christine Mild, as Grizabella, gives a poignant and stirring rendition of the show's signature musical number, "Memories." Among the show's other memorable tunes is "Mr. Mistoffelees."
Providing more local flavor is cast member Joey Abramowicz, who played the roles of Alonzo, the protector and peace maker of the Jellicle Cats, and Macavity, Alonzo's evil alter ego. Abramowicz has family in Steubenville.
alcorn@vindy.com