
*$25 lottery tickets available through the TPAC Concierge App. If you don’t win, we’ll have $30 rush singles (subject to availability) and if you don’t want to risk it, standard priced seats are still available.
Anyone captivated by the furry flurry of feline acrobatics spinning across the stage in perfect synchronization knows there’s much more to this group of actors than intricate makeup and patterned body suits.
Tim Gulan plays Bustopher Jones, Gus the Theater Cat and Peter in ‘CATS’.
Nobody knows this better than Timothy Gulan, who manages to do just that with not one, but three “jellicle” cat personas: Bustopher Jones, Gus the Theater Cat, and Peter (who appears early on in the “The Naming of the Cats.”)
With the CATS national tour returning to Tennessee Performing Arts Center for its ninth life November 19-24, we thought we’d have a little “cat chat” with Gulan to see what goes into recreating the magic, mystery, and whimsical enchantment of the 1981 Tony-Award winning Broadway blockbuster.
“It’s a fun challenge,” Gulan says. “It’s a lot of unseen backstage work with all the change of face and change of wig. It’s crazy to experience the show in so many ways.”
Among the many skills Gulan has that make him uniquely suited for the multiple roles he covers is his familiarity with felines.
“For Bustopher, I was lucky that I had about 12 years of research for the role sitting around my apartment with a 25-pounder named Stanley,” he says.
As Gulan straps on the fat suit to become Bustopher Jones — the enormous, lovable, upper-class cat whose costume resembles a tuxedo — he thinks about Stanley, a reddish cat “so big he would fall asleep in the bathroom sink and make it look like a plain countertop because he filled the whole thing up.”
Seasoned actor and storyteller Timothy Gulan
Perhaps the principle character he plays that he most relates to is Gus the Theater Cat, who — like Gulan — has plenty of experience under his paws.
“I’ve been around the block, like Gus, so I get what it’s like to be another old story telling guy,” he says.
At 50, Gulan is the oldest performer in the show. On Broadway or on tour, his acting credits include Sting’s The Last Ship, the 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables, South Pacific, The Lion King, and more.
Working with everyone from Tony Curtis to Lady Gaga, Gulan’s television and film credits include LCT’s Passion, Boardwalk Empire, and The Producers.
And just like Bustopoher, he took his inspiration for Gus the Theater Cat from another one of his past pets, a tiny white kitty named Blanche.
“Blanche used to wink his eye constantly, so that’s one of the things I incorporate into playing Gus,” Gulan says.
Anthropomorphizing oneself into three different cat personas night after night can certainly take its toll. Since taking on the roles, Gulan has noticed some cat-like coincidences springing up in his daily life.
“It’s like anything else that becomes a physical habit. It slips out without you realizing,” Gulan admits. “Sometimes, with no reason, I find myself out in the world blinking like Blanche or putting my fingers together like they’re in ‘paw’ form.”
All 29 cast members of the CATS national tour sing some of live theatre’s most revered show tunes while convincingly showcasing their singular abilities and catlike qualities through revamped choreography by Hamliton’s Andy Blankenbeuhler.
The North American Tour Company of CATS. Photo by Matthew Murphy
Each jellicle has an individual tale to tell relating to the traits they share with humans. With some jellicles mysterious as “Macavity” and others mischievous like magical “Mr. Mistoffelees,” cat-like quirks are as important to this musical as the dancing.
So, how does one train to become a cat?
“Well, nowadays all you have to do is go online, because the internet sure loves its cat videos,” Gulan jokes. “But actually, we had at least one whole day of the training where we didn’t do anything else but be cats. There’s a lot of extremely distinct qualities to their movements that we had to make ourselves aware of.”
Though CATS first pounced on Broadway nearly four decades ago, Gulan says the tale is timeless.
“I see people my age taking their kids, and then think about those kids one day taking their own kids, and it just blows me away,” he says. “It’s sort of like this baton being tossed from generation to generation. Getting to see these family’s faces transform as they experience this magic together, it’s pretty amazing.”
Skip the cat nap and make “Memories” with CATS at TPAC November 19-24.
Come see how Andrew Lloyd Webber turned a few T.S. Eliot’s poems into a global musical phenomenon — and check out more CATS facts below.
CATS was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and first performed on London’s West End in 1981. Lloyd Webber based the wide cast of characters on one of his childhood favorites, poet T.S. Eliot’s 1939 book Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.
The book is a whimsical collection of poems that details the antics and histories of all the kitties that would later appear onstage in the musical. Lloyd Webber set Eliot’s original verse to his own music, turning the poems into lyrics. The originating team included producer Cameron Mackintosh, director Trevor Nunn, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and set and costume designer John Napier.
CATS has been presented in more than 30 countries, translated into 15 languages, and seen by more than 73 million people. It debuted on Broadway in 1982 and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
It’s hard to believe Trevor Nunn’s original Broadway production ran for two decades, with nearly 7,500 trips to the Heaviside Layer. It held the title of longest-running musical in Broadway history until being surpassed in 2006 by Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. It’s currently the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history, behind Chicago and The Lion King.
This first-ever national tour of the first-ever Broadway revival — also directed by Nunn — features choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) based on Gillian Lynne’s original choreography. In addition to freshening up its fur and makeup, the revival includes Broadway original’s scenic and costume designer John Napier updating the iconic looks of Grizabella, Mr. Mistoffelees, Old Deuteronomy, and the rest of the jellicle jubilee.
CATS takes place among a tribe of cats called jellicles who are preparing for a ball and ensuing ritual in which one jellicle is chosen to become “reborn.” Each of the main cats — the curiously named Munkustrap, Jennyanydots, Rum Tum Tugger, Grizabella, Bustopher Jones, Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, Jellylorum, Skimbleshanks, Mr. Mistoffelees, and more — get moments to shine and show off their distinctive personalities in choreographed dance numbers.
In the second act, there’s a fight between the mischievous Macavity and the patriarch Old Deuteronomy, who gets kidnapped. With the help of the good cats, Old Deuteronomy is rescued and the old and oft-shunned Grizabella is finally chosen to ascend to a new life.
The cats in the show refer to themselves as “jellicles.” The term has a long history: it’s a contraction of the phrase “dear little cats,” turned into a nonsense term in poetic style for Eliot’s 1936 poem Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats. In Eliot’s imagination, jellicles were black-and-white cats with nocturnal tendencies. But in the Lloyd Webber musical, they embody a broader array of colors and looks.
Connect with Michael Aldrich on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter @michaelwaldrich.
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Friday, March 20, 2020
Saturday, March 21, 2020
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Purchase a 2-Day Pass*
*Promo codes are only good for 2-Day Passes.
When the national tour of Once on This Island kicked off in Nashville, there were a few lucky enough to immerse themselves in the Tony Award-winning revival’s unique on-stage seating, literally putting their toes in the sand.
When you walk into TPAC’s Jackson Hall Oct. 15-20 for the Tony Award-winning revival of Once on This Island, you may wonder why you feel transported to a faraway land just ravaged by a storm. There is water, garbage, a huge tractor trailer, and sand that blankets the stage. What was the inspiration behind this realistic and immersive set design?
The cast for the National Tour of Once on This Island has been announced! The musical will officially kick off the national tour right here in Nashville October […]
Not every Broadway conductor conducts their orchestra with a toothbrush. But since SpongeBob The Musical — which floats into TPAC Nov. 5-10 — isn’t your average musical, Patrick Hoagland is not your average conductor.
The critically acclaimed, award-winning The SpongeBob Musical will make its Nashville debut at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Jackson Hall Nov. 5-10. “Wonders pour from the […]
Are you ready, kids? I said, are you ready?! After 11 seasons, two movies, and more than $13 billion in merchandising revenue, the animated residents of Bikini Bottom have left their underwater dwellings to conquer the Broadway stage.
“So many millions of people have a love affair with this show; I feel it is important to give them what they remember,” says Andy Blankenbuehler, who choreographed the first Broadway revival of the 1980 musical phenomenon by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
There’s one musical that certainly has more than nine lives. One of the biggest hits in theatrical history, CATS, returns to Nashville for its ninth time at TPAC Nov.19-24.
This past Monday, hundreds of people from far and wide showed up to get their golden ticket to the international musical sensation, Hamilton, coming to Nashville Dec. 31 to Jan. 19, 2020. The Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned show plays a total 24 times at TPAC’s Jackson Hall, the longest running show of the 2019-2020 Broadway season, but that didn’t slow down Nashvillians.
Tickets for HAMILTON at TPAC will go on sale to the public Monday, November 11 at 10 a.m.
Excitement has been building for the last several months, as Nashville prepares for the arrival of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical sensation “Hamilton.” But as Tennessee Performing Arts […]
Last winter, Lincoln Center Theater sat down with acclaimed theater director and actor Jerry Adler, recognized for his roles as Herman Rabkin in The Sopranos and as Howard Lyman in The Good Wife. He began his career in 1951, working as a stage manager on many notable shows, including the original production of My Fair Lady.
Excitement has been building for the last several months, as Nashville prepares for the arrival of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical sensation “Hamilton.” But as Tennessee Performing Arts […]
Before the ‘Blue Man Group’ busts into TPAC’s Jackson Hall Feb. 11-16, we thought we should take a peek behind the face paint and bald caps to see what has kept the drums tuned and marshmallows flying since 1991.
Work Light Productions announced casting today for the 50th Anniversary Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s iconic musical, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Winner of the […]
We all remember Cynthia Erivo’s emotional, Tony Award-winning performance as Celie in the 2016 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, an uplifting story about the triumph of the […]
Excitement has been building for the last several months, as Nashville prepares for the arrival of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical sensation “Hamilton.” But as Tennessee Performing Arts […]
TROIKA Entertainment announced today the casting for the North American tour of Jimmy Buffett’s ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. The musical will star Chris Clark as Tully, Sarah […]
Oompa loompa doompety doo. TPAC has the perfect show for you. Step inside a world of pure imagination with Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, coming to TPAC’s Jackson Hall June 9-14.
Flex Packages allow you to pick 4 or more performances from Once on This Island, The SpongeBob Musical, My Fair Lady, Escape to Margaritaville, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and these specials: CATS, Blue Man Group, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Color Purple.
It means you’ll be unable to see the entire stage from those seats.
We sell these seats because for many fans the limited view is not a problem, and the tickets are clearly labeled at time of purchase (see photo below). Limited view seating varies event to event and could be something as small as a tiny corner of the stage being blocked from view. Call our box office at 615-782-4040 for additional information on limited view seating.
Seats marked with “Limited View” during purchase path
Ascend Amphitheater is located at 310 First Ave. S. Directions and Parking
All performances are rain-or-shine. Severe Weather Updates
All bags will be searched upon entry.
Lawn chairs higher than 9″ off the ground will not be allowed into the amphitheater. Low-back lawn chairs, blankets and stadium seating cushions are allowed.
Visit AscendAmpitheater.com for:
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Dear Evan Hansen makes a triumphant arrival in Los Angeles: EW review
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Review: ‘Once on This Island,’ Revived and Ravishing
‘Once on This Island’: Theater Review
Once on This Island is a joy – filled Caribbean escape on Broadway: EW review
Broadway Review: A Glorious, Timely Revival of ‘Once on This Island’
Review: ‘Once on This Island’ on Broadway: Lovely, timely, touching one heart at a time
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
There are no “lap” tickets available. All patrons, regardless of age, will require seated tickets.
Review: ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ a Watery Wonderland on Broadway
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical” is the Surprise Hit of the Season
Broadway Review: ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ the Musical
Review: ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ now swims with the Broadway sharks
SpongeBob SquarePants is a bubbly musical delight – Palace Theatre, New York, review
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
The show contains some strong language and non-graphic adult situations.
Hamilton is appropriate for ages 10 and up.
No child under age 3 will be admitted.
Review: ‘Hamilton,’ Young Rebels Changing History and Theater
Review: ‘Hamilton’ makes the most of its Chicago shot
Review: ‘Hamilton’ finally comes to Minneapolis and, yes, it’s great
‘Hamilton’ Triumphs In Boston – The Opera House Is The Room Where It Happens (Finally)
Theater Review: ‘Hamilton’ lives up to buzz at The Bushnell in Hartford
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Review: Whose ‘Fair Lady’? This Time, Eliza’s in Charge
‘My Fair Lady’ Review: Grown Accustomed to Success
Broadway Review: ‘My Fair Lady’
My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center Theater Broadway, review – an Eliza for the MeToo movement
My Fair Lady returns to Broadway with a captivating new Eliza: EW review
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Review: ‘Escape to Margaritaville’ provides fun for Buffett fans and the masses
Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville musical will give you a light buzz: EW review
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
‘Summer’ review: Donna Summer’s songs are the hot stuff
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical will make you ‘Stamp Your Feet’: EW Review
‘Summer’ Broadway Review: It’s Winter for Queen of Disco Donna Summer
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Broadway Review: Warner Bros Bets On ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’ Redo
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: EW stage review
‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’: Theater Review
‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ Broadway Review: Christian Borle to the Rescue
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Review: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’ Returns to Broadway
Review: Does ‘Cats’ Have Nine Lives on Broadway? Two, Certainly
Review: On Theater: ‘Cats’ prowls wonderfully on Costa Mesa stage
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Blue Man Group Show s a Sense of Fun at Astor Place Theater
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Jesus Christ Superstar: Theater Review
Lyric Opera’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ a glorious rock-opera celebration
Theater review: ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ rocks Broadway again
Preview the content of this show at the links below. If you have questions, please call TPAC Box Office at 615-782-4040.
Contains strong language, sexual situations, and mature subject matter.
The Color Purple finds new meaning on tour: EW review
The Acting and Singing Are the Best Parts of The Color Purple
Tony-winning ‘Color Purple’ revival opens at The Smith Center
Theater Review: The Color Purple Is One of the Greatest Revivals Ever
Many shows impose ticket limits to allow as many people as possible to have equal access to seats. This is done as a deterrent to third party vendors, i.e. scalpers, who may purchase large blocks of seats and then resell them online at an inflated cost. The term “household” refers to any shared information on one or more accounts. This includes, but may not be limited to matching names, mailing and billing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and credit card numbers. Any households that purchase more than the allowed number of tickets may have their order(s) refunded without notice.