[Quaxo!]

This might come across as a stupid question, but if you've ever seen a video of an actor who was in Cats, but who was just going through with normal life, or read an interview, or actually met them, I'm sure you've got an impression of their personal character.

Who is you favorite actor as a person? I saw a video of several Cats actors just being themselves, but they were in costume and waiting for the show to start. It was hilarious.

My favorite person that I've become familiar with their personality is Barb Fulton, who played Grizabella in a Canada tour in November of '87. Anybody got another person?

[Belle]

Jo Gibb is an absolute LOVE! She's so friendly, sweet, funny, warm... I met her when she started playing Pearl in Starlight Express in London, and we waited at the stage door - she came out and spent about 20 mins chatting with us, first time we'd ever met her. She's a lot like her Rumpelteaser in real life, bright, cheeky, and fun!

[Spatzthecat]

Hi

Veerle Casteleyn, very small and beautiful, very nice to.

Kay Brown, very nice and very cool person, meet her twice, dosent come across as flashy or off putting, nice smile.

Elaine Paige, very very tiny for a West End Star, very well dressed in a yellow suit, did talk about the show she was in and has the nicest of hand writing.

Jacob Brent very nice the second time around, the first time he was a bit off but then again the pressure was on him, a very good Misto on the London stage.

Phyllida Crowley Smith, put up with my autograph request, photo and all that even with me taking 3 attemsts to pronounce her name right.

Some were only very brief, either too many people or the weather got in the way, Rebbeca Parker, Aeva May, Fergus Logan, Vikki Coote, Leah Sue Morland.

[Akeyla]

all that I've met so far are very special personalities. In a positive way. Often they are different than on stage (in what you expect) but still are normal persons with different characters like you and me, - stressed out running for the train at the backstage or sticking togheter on an aftershow party, or actors that actually recognize you before you recognize them(and start chatting with you for ages ).
I cant really pick a name, I liked all that I met so far, which, looking back now, are many. And I am really bad at names.
Some were funny and you could talk to them for hours, some very special ones never gave you the feeling of "you crazy fan, me actor".
hmmm. ...If I look at it now I must say the one actor I really enjoy(ed) talking to is Keith Wilson(never met him and unfortunatley never saw him on stage ), and the one actor I miss hearing of very much is Junix Innocian.

[abbeycat]

Vikki Coote, Ian Meeson and Carl Parris were amongst some of the kindest Jellicles. Vikki even arranged for me to meet her and Danny Crossley (Mungo U/S) during the interval even though she had injured her neck and needed rest and water!

I have never forgoten that cast, they were amazing and so talented and always had time to talk to the fans before and after the show.

[Mazz]

Drewe Varley's a darling. You just want to pick him up and hug him, though he probably wouldn't appreciate it, what with being a grown man and all that. But he never stops dancing! I think he might have forgotten how to not be a cat...

[Rumblepurr]

My best and most rewarding time was Edinburgh 2003. I had the good fortune to be with Ahdeya and Michaela when the first of the UK Tour casts went to Scotland. Barbara King (Deme), Guy-Paul (Misto), Patrick Clancy (Gus/BJ/Growltiger) (in Joseph video), Chrissie Hammond (Griz), Norman Bowman (Munk) Summer Strallen (Cassandra), Rebecca Vere (Jelly), Tom Dwyer (Mungojerrie) Katy-Jo Howman (Teazer), Joe Ryan (Cori) as well as Adrian Edmeades (swing) and Stori James (swing) - all came over because Ahdeya and Michaela had pictures of them.

Everyone listed above were very happy to meet with us, give autographs, talk a bit with us, and pose for pictures (see: UK TOUR III for pictures at the bottom of the frame). I was the photographer with my old manual 35mm Pentax, and my prize was Summer. I later had the photo painted by Michaela so I could have a Summer Cassie. Norman was priceless since this was Scotland and he was from Glasgow. In one pic, we got him with Ahdeya's drawing of Munkus as a Celtic fan moaning their loss in the Cup. As an interesting contrast, Rebecca Vere started off not too pleased to have three women around her boyfriend (Norman), but cheered up nicely when Anna gave her a "Griddlebone" kitty.

We were there for three performance days in a row, so the cast knew where we were all the time. It was a great time for all of us...

Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.

[jackissensational]

You jellicles KNOW YOUR SHOW.
Jeez you have favorite actors (as a person) from just one show?
No show's following holds a candle to Cat's.

[Mungojerrie_rt]

You're talking to people who know the entire dance steps of the show.

[Quaxo!]

Too True, Mungo_rt!!! I don't quite know the Entire show's steps, but I have the songs down by heart! Now I've got about half the steps memorized, too.

[Belle]

[jackissensational]

[tinasattler]

linda boldigard is my favret

[Vladdi78]

coming back to the original topic ...

... Missi Lay Zimmer is really down to earth (or at least appeared to be). I met her in the NYC subway (don't ask me which line it was) after one show coincidentally. I drove to Queens where I stood with a friend of mine, when we (really coincidentally) met and chatted a bit about this and that. That was really cool

Lenny Daniel and Julius Sermonia are quite funny. Between two shows (which they had every weekend) we (them, Dasha (where is she??) and me went to the McD right around the corner and behaved rather like little kids ... at least for some minutes. God, that was a good laugh! They also would stop by at the stage door and chat with you.

Keith Wilson was always available for a nice chat, too. And it was really relaxed talking to him.

Does Hector (as part of the setting) count, too? *gg*

I wish my brain would not let me down now, because for time being I know that there were more people I talked to, but just can't remember.

... now switching to Germany ...

Nadja Solowjova - she's a real sweetheart. We had the chance to meet several times at the stage door in Hamburg ... or even in the cafeteria in the basement. But I think when I started drooling because of all the actors, costumes, musicians and other people walking by just like that she might have felt a bit embarassed. *g* Hope to see her soon, CATS is coming to Frankfurt in December this year. Maybe she's still with the show?

Roswitha Stadlmann, played Bombi in Berlin... at least I think I saw her as Bombi (thank you, brain!). After the show se joined a bunch of fans (including me) to the next fast food supply station (the one starting with Mc...). We had lots of fun ... until the moment when a friend of mine decorated me with an open can of barbecue sauce... you just can't get that smell out of your hair! Still we laughed louder than anyone else was speaking. Fun night! *g*

Wellll .... that's it for now, but I bet tonight at 3:00 a.m. I 'll remember all the stories - just to forget them 5 minutes later

[Alonza0]

My friends and I met Kevin Covert when we were in NYC for a workshop. He was Rum Tum Tugger for a while (on Broadway? Or the Tour... I forget...) but CatsMusical.com only has him down as a swing because he was only RTT for a short while. Anywho, he was extremely nice, very quiet and polite, not at all the Rum Tum Tugger personna. Very knowledgable too - we asked tons of question and he answered all of them very in depth and thoughtfully. He was sweet.

[Vladdi78]

[OldDeuteronomy]

I've met Jennifer Butt (Jellylorum/Griddlebone 1st U.S. Tour) when she played Mme. Thenardier the last time Les Mis came to San Francisco.

[Peritombry]

I've only ever met one performed who I know for sure has been in Cats. I'm not sure exactly when it was but it must have been quite early on because he's now a Salvation Army officer and it takes a few years to move up in various ranks. He's a Major now which takes... at least seven or eight years, I think. Plus he now has white hair. He was a Swing... somewhere in Australia I think as he's from Melbourne, and he's also been in a few other things. I think Oklahoma was one of them... anyway his name is Ray Begley. I must remember to look at the RUG cast lists and see if I can spot him. Last time I saw him he'd just been called by Cameron asking if he'd be interested in being part of the original Woman in White but of course he had to decline it.

Bonnie Langford (original Rumpleteazer in London) is also the friend of a family friend. They went to dance lessons as kids together. I've never met her but they say she's really nice.

Based on interviews etc. I also think the original London Quaxo/Mistofellees, Wayne Sleep seems nice.

EDIT:

RUG doesn't have as many cast lists as I thought so I did a search on catsmusical.com. I got this:

Catsmusical.com CAST Search

Search Results for: ray begley
Returned 83 matches.
Showing results 1 to 50
Display results: 1-50 51-83

But nothing will display for me besides that. I don't know whether it's this computer or the site but it's rather annoying. Oh well :

[iGotRhythm]

I met Jacob Brent when he was in Pittsburgh playing Misto (July 07), and he is such a sweetie! Actually, when I was trying to ask him a question after the show, it came out kind of wrong and too quiet and I was a nervous mess (he was like 2 FEET in front of me! he's actually very short in person.) but after a few tries, he got it and answered my question. I felt so dumb. He probably noticed, because then he smiled at me
...But I went backstage with some special group of people who got a backstage tour.... I wasn't exactly supposed to be there, but I was desperate to see him lol. I was almost thrown out, but Jake didn't seem to notice. Ah man, what I'd give to go back to that day.

I also LOVE Michael Gruber, even though I haven't met him yet. But that's on my list of things to do before I die.