[Lady Jemima]

There's a good chance I'll be going to the Newark, NJ production of CATS, and I would dearly love to go in costume. It would be so much more fun and less embarrassing to go with another costumed person, but so far I haven't found anyone to go with me.

Do you think it would be embarrassing to go by myself in costume? I would love and hate the attention at the same time, although I think I would feel hidden and less self-conscience under my wig and makeup. And not that this really matters, but I have a nice figure and being in a unitard in public isn't really an issue.

Opinions?

[littlgriz]

no i dont think so alot of jellicles go in costume ienan went one tim e in cats make up

[JemiBoe1981]

It's up to you. The cast would probably enjoy it a bit if you plan on meeting any members at the stage door, and other audience members may enjoy it as well.
I would never go in costume, though. Too chicken.

[ShadowBalurina]

The big thing is, asking the theatre if they'd allow you to be in costume. Sometimes they're against it because it might be too distracting. People go there to see the actors in costume...not fellow audience members.

If the theatre will allow you to be there in costume-be sure that once the show is ready to start you take your wig off, people behind you need to see too.

I, personally, am half-and-half on the situation of dressing up for shows. The very first CATS show I saw I wore gloves and a little set of ears and some eyeliner whiskers. After that, I didn't dress up again.

I guess it's all a matter on if you really do feel comfortable and if the theatre has no problem with it.

Yep yep.

XO
Gina

[MrsJemimaMistoffelees]

I don't think it's embarrassing at all to go in costume. I've done it twice (once with a group of people, and another time just with my sister). And the cast members seemed to really enjoy it (Adam Lendermon, who was the current Skimbleshanks, asked a picture with my sister and I!), as well as a lot of the audience members. A lady, who looked about 50 something, gave me a high five and told me "awesome!"

But yes, there are rules amongst costumers, and here are the main ones (IMO):

1. Call the theatre to find out if it's okay
2. Don't pretend to be in the show. If someone asks you for an autograph, gracefully decline and say that you aren't a cast member.
3. If you have a distracting wig, take it off before the show starts

(if anyone has any more, add them!)

Veel Liefs,
Jemima

[Smudge]

I would be mortified, especially alone...but that's just me

[sweetjemimakitten]

Personally, I love going in costume ( Then again, you're talking to one odd turtle who's not afraid to be an individual - Thank god for arts schools. )

So, I say if you've got the guts and a costume you want to show off, by all means go ahead.

When I saw CATS back in March ( Whoo, time flies fast! ) I was dressed as Jemima ( minus the wig ). I had called ahead of time to make sure it was okay to wear my costume, which it was. When I got there I got alot of points and stares, but I shrugged it off and trudged on to the theatre Alot of old ladies were coming up to me and asking if I was in the show, which I politely said I wasn't ( Though I wish I was! xP ). A few little kids gave me a hug when I was standing in the merch line, and when I found my seat I was sitting beside an elderly couple and a mother and two children. They all said my costume was adorable, though the kids were slightly afraid of the fact that I was sitting beside them

As I said before, I got alot of cast interaction and after the show I got loads of compliments from the cast ^_^ Mucho fun. I'll be doing it again in January.


SO yes! Go on! Sounds like you've put together a lovely costume and I don't see why you wouldn't want to show it off! Let people compliment you! You deserve to soak up the spotlight for all that work you did ^_^

[Drumdraper]

I saw the twice show recently and I went in costume both times. At the end of the show the cast members came to my side of the stage and interacted with me. A woman even said she liked my costume better than the ones on stage.

[Lady Jemima]

Well, it looks like there are no good tickets available, so I'm going to hope it comes around here again soon. I'm so disappointed; I had great visions of getting really nice seats and eye contact with the cast. From now on I'm going to be very diligent calling for tickets the day they go on sale. (I didn't even know it was coming to NJ, which is why I missed out.) Anyway, thank you all for your tips; I'm going to keep them handy for next time!

[TR_Wolf]

I personally hate it when people go in costume!

Rocky Horror... fine, but Cats? No...

I dont like it because for people who havent been before, it spoils the first time you see a Jellicle on stage because you see girls dressed in not-quite-as-good wigs and costumes, so the first surprise is gone, plus people often think you're part of the show and they dont know how to react, I just find it embarrassing!

But dont have a go at me, that's just my opinion.

[sweetjemimakitten]

[TR_Wolf]

I was referring to my experiences, and in those, it's always been girls.

And I've not seen any of them have better costumes than on stage. Costumes similarly good, make up as good sometimes, wigs never as good, but this isnt about that. The rest of my original point was the main point.

[Clairvectra]

i dont like it when people dress up either. Mainly due to an experience that i had.. when i couldnt see the stage properly due to a big fluffy head in front of me with huge Cat ears blocking my view lol ...

[Moongewl]

[Pounce]

I've seen at the show people wearing just cat's ears and cat's ears with painted on whiskers. Sort of added to the mood. I don't know why they don't sell cats ears as souvenirs. I think they'd make a killing!

[Eponine Poe]

I always go in costume. After all, where else am I gonna go in a Jemima or Rumpelteazer unitard? *rolls eyes* As for people who say it's embarrassing...I htink it's showing that you're proud to be a fan! PLus, if you go in costume, you might meet some fellow fans.

[Cassandra]

[Belle]

One tip from experience:

If you think you're gonna get embarassed, DON'T GO IN COSTUME. The minute you feel embarassed, you look self-conscious and you instantly look silly, embarassed, and foolish. Unless you have the self-confidence to know you look great, all evening, don't go in costume.

And my opinion about going in costume, well, do you have a reason? Is it a celebration of something important, or just you have a costume, might as well wear it? you will get noticed, will get a lot of both positive and negative attention, you need to justify wearing a costume. For example, the first time I went to Cats in costume it was the 20th birthday of the show in london, and nothing was being done, so a bunch of us dressed up, got loads of attention, people realised Cats is valued by a large group of fans! Ideally I'd have liked to have been able to get out of costume during the show itself, there's nothing worse than distracting from the actual performance. But before and after the show, if you have a reason to make everyone aware of you, then go for it!

[Rumpleteazer4760]

All three times I've gone I've done a sort of compromise between going in costume and not: I wore elaborate makeup and regular clothing. That way it doesn't distract from the actors because they (and the rest of the audience) can't see anything different about you unless they get close to you (which happened two times out of three for me). Some of the actors came over to me and did double takes. They were always completely in-character double takes and it was awesome!

[Clairvectra]

[MrsJemimaMistoffelees]

People stopped our group (consisting of MsJellicle, Nick-ko-las Enigma, *asterix*, Sylvani, ~Bal~, myself, my sister and my cousin) in the streets to ask for a picture. We told the guy who stopped us that we weren't in the cast, he said "the people back home won't know that!"

So keep that in mind too, Clairvectra ^_^

Veel Liefs,
Jemima