[Spylfyr]

Just something I'd been pondering about lately, and reading about the idea of a female Old D prompted me to post about it. I thought it might be an interesting topic of discussion...

I suppose Cats is not male dominated in that there are more male than female characters (I might have to check that one as I don't know the exact number of male and female characters (which would obviously vary according to production anyway), but I'm sure there isn't a significant difference either way), and Grizabella, the main character, is female after all. But certainly the leadership roles in the tribe like Old Deuteronomy and Munkustrap are both male. I think it would actually be nice to have a female Munkustrap character (I can hear the Munku-holics gasping in horror ). And besides Grizabella, all the songs except Jennyanydots are about male cats. And Jenny is a pretty homely, matronly sort of cat. Of course there's Rumpelteazer, but she was actually male in the original poem.

And I guess the creative team is fairly male dominated, since the only female I'm aware of that was part of the original team was Gillian Lynne.

What's your opinion? Has anyone else thought about this before?

[Erikonil]

To be honest it's not something that I've really considered, although I'm guessing it's because the majority of the poems themselves are about male cats...although, I defenetly agree with you on the idea that there are traditionally male roles that could be very easily played by a female preformer.

Munkustrap is never really broadened on in anyway other then his name gets mentioned. I could see a female Mungojerrie, Coricopat, Bill Bailey, Carbucketty... Misto is generally thought as something of a ageless, sexless character, so I would hve no problem with a female playing the role. I mean, with some of the smaller female dancers there really isn't enough diffrence with the chest and hips to make a diffrence to an audienec member.

I suppose the other reason that there are so many men in the show is the choreography. With a lot of the lifting parts, it would defenetly be easier to have a male play the role as opposed to a woman.

[Nemi]

I had a dream that Grizabella was being played by a guy at my community theatre. I screamed at the people and told them to make the kid Mistoffelees instead (since he would be a good one)...

I've had the cutest idea for a female Skimbleshanks for a while now... a small, short, cute little thing. Hmm.

[enkeli-kitten]

In the video there are more guys than girls. I think there's like 5 more guys, but I expect it varies, because there's all sorts of random swings in different productions. But all the main roles are for guys except Grizabella.

In the Helsinki, Finland production, both Quaxo and Coricopat were girls!! (random...)

I drew a female Macavity a few weeks ago!! Except she came out really cute! It was a pretty quick scribble so I haven't put it online. She's like a cute little girl Macavity ^-^

[Drumdraper]

I see it as a male-dominated show, but I think that more of the female cats have more prounced roles. For instance, my earlier post about confusion with all the male characters who aren't mentioned by name, but the females are easily identified because they have larger roles and sing more.

But a female Munkustrap or maybe a female Rum Tug Tugger would a nice way to change the continuity of the musical.

[Mixu]

Female Tugger? Never ever ever ever EVER. IMHO.

[Idiosylph]

Many of the songs are about males, but a lot of the major parts are done by females. Jenny has the big tap number, Demeter and Bombalurina do Macavity (one of the most well known songs), Jellylorum sings a good chunck of Gus/Growltiger, Grizabella sings the show's main song, there's the Gumbie Trio, Victoria's Solo Dance, Sillabub/Jemima joins Griz in Memory, Rumpleteazer is part of a duo...

And yes, a lot of the characters could just as easily be played by females as well as males (and visa versa in some cases).

[MsJellicle]

I can't picture a female Tugger, no. Well, on second thought...that's sorta what Bombalurina is....just a little different, though.
I don't see Mistoffelees being a female, though. His song title keeps him male. "Mr." Mistoffelees.
Munkustrap, Carbucketty, Tumblebrutus, Plato, Coricopat, Alonzo, and Pouncival can all be played by female's I think. Skimbleshanks and Mungojerrie should remain males, in my opinion.

~MsJ

[Akeyla]

[Drumdraper]

I would love to see that picture Akeyla! A female Tugger running around and dropping the toms one by one. Maybe a regional would reverse all of the male and female roles one day. Hmm...a female Macavity and a male Grizabella? If there was a male Grizabella what do you think his story would be? Identical to the female Grizabella or vastly different?

[MrsJamieWellerstein]

Yes, yes it is. This is due, in large part, to the fact that Eliot's cat poems were largely about male cats.

[Roller Boy]

I think a Femme Tugger would be so very TEH~ sex!

WOOTZ, IMAGINE THE FELINE CARESS AND DANCING. make Bombi a guy, and wootz...

Besides, isn't Tuggers attitude very female anyway?

I'm in, no...out... I'm hot...it's cold, I changed my mind let's get pizza... It's not you it's me.

LAughs"

[Clairvectra]

I actually know a guy who's like Rum Tum Tugger... almost exactly like his personality... and its not always a good thing either He's VERY annoying lol Therefore i dont think Tugger's personality is totally female...

[Spylfyr]

I think a female version of Tugger's character would be hilarious! As someone else said though, she would probably be a lot like Bomby. Now I want to do a picture of a character which is a mix between Bomb and Tugger...

[stevef]

In my production now, we have a female Tugger.

[Eponine Poe]

Hmm. I don't think that they tried to make the show male-dominated on purpose...sometimes it's an innate thing, and society is under the sad misconception that males are superior to females, which is very untrue, but people even subconciously think it. That's probably why Munkustrap, the narrarator and "protector" is male, and so is the tribal leader. *shrugs*

[Alonza0]

Hmm... I don't really know... I suppose it is sort of male-dominated, but not purposely. I mean, the only two songs sung entirely by females are Macavity and Memory. One is about a guy and the other's the main song in the show. That gives you something to think about. But anyway I once sung the whole play the whole way through with my sister on a long car trip, her singing the guy parts, me singing the girl, and she seemed to have more lines than me. Also, there are more guy characters in the movie, Broadway and London productions. So is it male-dominated? Maybe. Did they do it on purpose? If they did it on purpose, wouldn't they have found someway to make Grizabella a guy so that the lead was a guy?
And as for a female Tugger, here's one on a site I sometimes visit (Sroll to the bottom to see it):
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/clepsidascatspage/

[i'm_back]

Yeah.
the only really memorable girl cats are Grizabella, Jennyanydots, and Rumpleteazer. And sometimes Victoria (because she dances a lot) Theres a lot more memorable boy cats.
And personally I think a female Tugger would be real weird.