Mention “CATS” to theater snobs and you’ll likely get rolling eyes and involuntary grumblings about Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. From the rest of us, however, it’s still oohs and aahs as the game-changing spectacle unfolds with all the majesty that’s made it an international phenomenon.
It’s been more than 27 years since the feline explosion rocked the theater world, yet the current production at the Colonial Theatre still delights like catnip. Big, colorful costumes, smoke, strobes, flawlessly executed choreography and one of the most memorable scores in musical theater history make “CATS” family-friendly fare and the perfect choice for fledgling theatergoers.
And of course there’s catfights, mystery, a pirate show, a big finish complete with the ultimate 11 o’clock number and an ascension into the afterlife via hydraulics that still work their magic after all these years.
Anastasia Lange shines as Grizabella, gliding across the stage looking like Elaine Stricht in a catsuit, sending shivers throughout the audience as her “Memory” soars to the rafters. Nathan Morgan delivers a heartwarming turn as Asparagus and John Jacob Lee has both the personality and the right moves to make Skimbleshanks an audience favorite.
Naysayers be damned, “CATS” is an experience not to be missed.
‘CATS’
Through Sunday
Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St., Boston
MBTA:?Green to Boylston
$38-$83, 617-426-9366
