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Grizabella
Grizabella the Glamour Cat is a main character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ''Cats''. Lonely and decrepit, Grizabella seeks acceptance from the other Jellicle cats but is initially ostracised. She sings the most famous song from the musical, "Memory". The role was originated by Elaine Paige in the West End in 1981 (replacing Dame Judi Dench four days before the production's opening night), and by Betty Buckley on Broadway in 1982. Buckley won the 1983 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal. Jennifer Hudson portrayed Grizabella in the 2019 film adaptation. Character Grizabella is, at the time of her appearance, a very old and mangy cat, withered to the point that she no longer resembles the glamorous cat of her youth. Having left the Jellicle tribe a long time ago, she is now all alone and left with only the memories of her happier days. She returns to the tribe seeking re-acceptance, but her fellow Jellicles are initially repulsed by her and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cats (musical)
''Cats'' is a sung-through musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based upon the 1939 poetry collection ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' by T. S. Eliot. It tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make the "Jellicle choice" by deciding which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. As of 2022, ''Cats'' remains the fourth-longest-running Broadway show and the seventh-longest-running West End show. Lloyd Webber began setting Eliot's poems to music in 1977, and the compositions were first presented as a song cycle in 1980. Producer Cameron Mackintosh then recruited director Trevor Nunn and choreographer Gillian Lynne to turn the songs into a complete musical. ''Cats'' opened to positive reviews at the New London Theatre in the West End in 1981 and then to mixed reviews at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway in 1982. It won numerous awards including Best Musical at both the Laurence Olivier and Tony Awards ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Memory (Cats Song)
"Memory" is a show tune composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Trevor Nunn based on poems by T. S. Eliot. It was written for the 1981 musical ''Cats'', where it is sung primarily by the character Grizabella as a melancholic remembrance of her glamorous past and as a plea for acceptance. "Memory" is the climax of the musical and by far its best-known song, having achieved mainstream success outside of the musical. According to musicologist Jessica Sternfeld, writing in 2006, it is "by some estimations the most successful song ever from a musical." Elaine Paige originated the role of Grizabella in the West End production of ''Cats'' and was thus the first to perform the song publicly on stage. "Memory" was named the Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 1982 Ivor Novello Awards. In 2020, Jessie Thompson of the ''Evening Standard'' wrote, "Paige’s version set the standard and enabled Memory to become one of the most recognisable musical theatre songs of all time." ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cats (2019 Film)
''Cats'' is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which in turn was based on the poetry collection ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' (1939) by T. S. Eliot. The film was directed by Tom Hooper, in his second feature musical following ''Les Misérables'' (2012), from a screenplay by Lee Hall and Hooper. It features an ensemble cast, including James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, and Francesca Hayward in her film debut. Filming took place from December 2018 to April 2019. It was theatrically released in the United Kingdom and the United States on December 20, 2019, by Universal Pictures, to an overwhelming negative response from critics and audiences, who criticized the visual effects and editing. Considered one of the worst films of all time, ''Cats'' grossed $75 million on a budget of $80–100 million, making it a box-office bomb. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jemima (cat)
Jemima (also known as Sillabub) is a principal character in the musical ''Cats'', written by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on the poetry of T. S. Eliot. The youngest member of the Jellicle cats, she is idealistic and very accepting of others. She becomes the first cat to accept the outcast Grizabella back into the tribe. The role was originated in the West End by Sarah Brightman in 1981, and on Broadway by Whitney Kershaw in 1982. Veerle Casteleyn played Jemima in the 1998 film adaption with Helen Massey providing the character's singing voice. Jonadette Carpio portrayed the role (as "Syllabub") in the 2019 film adaptation. Character The youngest kitten of her tribe, Jemima is jovial, idealistic and free of prejudices. She serves as a juxtaposition to the aged and downtrodden Grizabella. Unlike the other cats, the wide-eyed Jemima is receptive to Grizabella when they first meet. She is sympathetic to the older cat's plea for acceptance, and when Grizabella collapses while singi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elaine Paige
Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16. Her appearance in the 1968 production of ''Hair'' marked her West End debut. Following a number of roles over the next decade, Paige was selected to play Eva Perón in the first production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''Evita'' in 1978, which brought her to the attention of the broader public. For this role, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a musical. She originated the role of Grizabella in ''Cats'' and had a Top 10 hit with "Memory", a song from the show. In 1985, Paige released "I Know Him So Well" with Barbara Dickson from the musical ''Chess'', which remains the biggest-selling record by a female duo. She then appeared in the original stage production ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. Buckley won the 1983 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of '' Cats''. She went on to play Norma Desmond in ''Sunset Boulevard'' (1994–96) in both London and New York, receiving a 1995 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, and was nominated for the 1997 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for '' Triumph of Love''. Her other Broadway credits include ''1776'' (1969), ''Pippin'' (1973), and ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' (1985). From September 2018-August 2019 she starred as the title role in the U.S. national tour of '' Hello, Dolly''. Buckley starred in the TV series ''Eight Is Enough'' from 1977 to 1981 and played g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, television, and theater. Hudson became the youngest woman and second African-American woman to receive all four of the major American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony ( EGOT). She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013. ''Time'' named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020. Hudson rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of ''American Idol,'' placing seventh. She made her film debut as Effie White in the musical ''Dreamgirls'' (2006), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the youngest African-American to win in a competitive acting category. After signing to Arista Records, Hudson released her self-titled debut studio album in 2008 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Deuteronomy
Old Deuteronomy is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' and its 1981 musical adaptation, '' Cats''. He is a wise and beloved elderly cat, further serving as the Jellicle patriarch in the musical. The role of Old Deuteronomy originated by Brian Blessed in the West End in 1981, and by Ken Page on Broadway in 1982. Judi Dench plays Old Deuteronomy in the 2019 film adaptation. Poem In Eliot's original poem, Old Deuteronomy is described as an ancient, wise cat who has "lived many lives in succession" and is respected by the other cats and humans (and perhaps even dogs) around him. His name derives from the biblical Book of Deuteronomy, which shares the central element of law with the character (who is a magistrate). Musical '' Cats'' expands on the theme of wisdom by depicting Old Deuteronomy as the leader of the show's Jellicle tribe, providing comfort and guidance to the other characters. He also has the task of making the "Jellicle Choice" a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombalurina (cat)
Bombalurina is a principal character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ''Cats''. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'', and the character's name is given in the poem "The Naming of Cats". Bombalurina is a flirtatious, confident female and mischievous cat with a distinct red coat. The role was originated by Geraldine Gardner in the West End in 1981, and by Donna King on Broadway in 1982. In the 2019 film adaptation she is played by Taylor Swift. Character description Bombalurina is a self-assured and generally well-meaning adult cat. She can be quite mean at times, particularly towards Grizabella initially, though she later comes to accept her. She is best friends with Demeter and often watches out for her troubled friend; they also share an intense hatred for the villainous Macavity. Bombalurina flirts with many male cats, particularly Rum Tum Tugger who rejects her during his musical number, but later relents and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Demeter (cat)
Demeter is a main character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ''Cats''. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'', and the character's name is given in the poem "The Naming of Cats". Demeter is a very troubled and skittish female Jellicle cat. The role was originated by Sharon Lee-Hill in the West End in 1981, and by Wendy Edmead on Broadway in 1982. Daniela Norman played this role in the 2019 film adaptation. Character description Demeter is a refined and mature adult cat. She is best friends with Bombalurina and often turns to the latter for help in unpleasant situations. Unlike Bombalurina, she shows no interest in Rum Tum Tugger's advances. Despite her outward appearances, she is very troubled inside and particularly paranoid when it comes to the villainous Macavity, who she has an intense hatred for. Demeter is the cat who unmasks Macavity when he tries to trick the tribe by disguising as their leader Old Deu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Victoria The White Cat
Victoria is a principal character in the 1981 musical ''Cats'', written by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T. S. Eliot's 1939 ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats''. Primarily a dance role with no solo singing parts, the role demands extensive ballet training and a high degree of flexibility. The character is featured in a ballet solo ("White Cat Solo") as well as a pas de deux in the musical, and leads most of the ensemble dance routines. The role was originated by Finola Hughes in the West End in 1981, and by Cynthia Onrubia on Broadway in 1982. In the 2019 movie adaptation, the role is played by Francesca Hayward. Unlike her stage counterpart, this version is made the de facto protagonist of the film and has more of a singing role. She performs the film's sole new song " Beautiful Ghosts" as her signature song, as well as taking over Jemima's part in "Memory". Character description Within the Jellicle tribe, Victoria is a naive and shy white kitten who is known for her be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass. Several of his songs have been widely recorded and were successful outside of their parent musicals, such as "Memory" from '' Cats,'' "The Music of the Night" and " All I Ask of You" from ''The Phantom of the Opera'', "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from ''Evita'', and " Any Dream Will Do" from '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'' In 2001, ''The New York Times'' referred to him as "the most commercially successful composer in history". ''The Daily Telegraph'' ranked him the "fifth most powerful person in British culture" in 2008, lyricist Don Black writing "Andrew more or less single-ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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