Vienna 1983

Cats had its Austrian premiere at 24 September 1983 at the Theater an der Wien. It was the third production worldwide and the first time that Cats was performed in another language than English. Gillian Lynne both directed and choreographed the show and Michael Kunze wrote the first German translation of Cats.

It was also the first time that the show took place on a usual stage (proscenium arch) instead of being performed on a round stage with the audience around it as it was done in London and on Broadway. Therefore, Gillian Lynne had to restage the show. In the following years, most productions were placed on a pros-arch.

Compared to the Original London and Broadway casts, the Vienna cast was rather huge: it included both Carbucketty and Pouncival, Bill Bailey and Tumblebrutus, Quaxo and Mistoffelees as well as Etcetera (whose costume actually looked similar to the London Electra). Unlike in the London and Broadway productions, Mistoffelees was a mute character. He didn't sing or speak any line in the whole show; not even in the ensemble numbers. This concept was later transferred to productions like Amsterdam, Paris, Zurich, Asia/Pacific Tour and others.

While the show was settled in Vienna, the cast had guest appearences in East-Berlin in 1987 and in Moscow in 1988 during the Vienna summer breaks. In 1988, Cats moved to the Ronacher Theater in Vienna before it closed in 1990. With a runtime of 7 years, Cats remains the longest running musical in Vienna till today.

Later productions that were based on the Vienna production (score, costumes, staging, a mute Mistoffelees etc.) were Amsterdam and Paris.

Venues

 * 1983 - 1988: Vienna, Theater an der Wien
 * 1987: East-Berlin, Komische Oper (Guest appearance)
 * 1988: Moscow (Guest appearance)
 * 1988-1990: Vienna, Ronacher Theater

Creative Team
Director / Choreographer: Gillian Lynne

Artistic Consultant: Trevor Nunn

Assistant to Gillian Lynne: Jo-Anne Robinson

Costume & Set Designer: John Napier

Dance Captain (1983): Steve Barton

Resident Director: John Yost

Costume Supervisor: Alison Todd

Director of the theatre: Peter Weck

Translation: Michael Kunze

Original Cast
Alonzo/Rumpus - Darryl Robinson

Alt-Deuteronimus - Gordon Bovinet

Bill Bailey - David Forman

Bombalurina - Ute Lemper

Bustopher Jones/Asparagus/Growltiger - Joachim Kemmer

Carbucketty - Laszlo Czergezan

Cassandra - Laura Edmunds

Coricopat - Calvann Cole

Demeter - Jutta Bryde

Etcetera - Beatrix Wipperich

Grizabella - Angelika Milster

Jellilorum - Monica Solem

Jemima - Martina Dorak

Jenny Fleckenreich/Griddlebone - Valda Aviks

Mr. Mistoffelees - Valentin Baraian

Mungo Jerrie - Gregory Jones

Munkustrap - Steve Barton

Plato/Macavity - Paul Welterlen

Pouncival - Robert Montano

Quaxo - Stefan Nagel

Rumpel Teazer - Buenaventura Braunstein

Rum-Tum-Tugger - Michael Howe

Skimble - F. Dion Davis

Tantomile - Lynnda Curry

Tumblebrutus - John Yost

Viktoria - Alexandra Young

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