Over the past several years I have seen a number of community theater productions in Ely and elsewhere. Some have been just wonderful and others, well, maybe not so much. It depends largely on the show.
A few days ago I saw the Children's Theater production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Cats" at the Duluth Playhouse. With a little embarrassment I admit this was the sixth time I have seen the show. One might assume I am rather fond of it. One might also question my sanity. But recall that for a very long time "Cats" held the record for Broadway longevity -- and deservedly so; it's a wonderful theater experience.
I wondered before actually seeing the Children's Theater offering how well it would be able to pull it off with an amateur cast, especially with a cast of all young people. My concerns were allayed totally. The performance was magnificent. The kids were perfectly and flawlessly rehearsed; both their singing and dancing were fully up to the challenge of the enchanting story.
A hundred hats off to the director, Kate Horvath, and to the choreographer, Paige Kohler. They worked a small miracle with a bunch of talented and dedicated kids and created an absolute delight.
And a thousand hats off to the kids. They were all between 12 and 18 years old and were beyond superb.
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It would not be fair to compare the local effort to Broadway. The stage set, of course, was nowhere near as lavish as the staging in New York or Chicago. It could not be expected to be, cost-wise. But the set was imaginative and very well done and fully up to the challenge. It was all that one could ask.
What more to say than thanks. Bravo. Brava. Bravisimo!
Joe Just
Ely
