Drat! The Cat!
“It's the late 1890's in New York. A clever, stealth cat burglar is lifting diamonds from society's wealthiest patrons. The most-respected sleuth is engaged, but suddenly dies. The police turn to his good-hearted yet inept-but-earnest son, Bob. His bumbling attempts to follow in his Dad's foot-steps do lead him to the “Cat” but he falls head over heels with … her. So he tries to reform her while she thwarts him at every turn. Will goodness and love triumph? Can they return the diamonds and be forgiven?” – By A.A. Cristi, Mar 07, 2025
Reviews
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"The ensemble was a well-oiled machine of timing and singing. Director Bruce Kimmel gets kudos for his playful touches of the era. The Keystone-esque Kops who, when knocked on their police helmets, would elicit a crack from the drummer's wood block. These Kops also would march across the stage like an early silent film, with shutter flash and stutter-step. And Shon Le Blanc's costumes were perfect. It seemed the cast members were always appearing in something new. And the cat with her black tights, ears and tail was playfully evil."
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“It’s a fun story heavily populated with hilarious characters and roof-raising musical numbers. The valiant folks at the Group Rep give it their all and sing their collective hearts out, and the result is a brilliantly authentic and fun-filled production.”
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“A note on the ensemble: Their portrayal of the cops was very much in Keystone Kops style of policemen. Kids these probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Look it up on your favorite search engine. But this is a particularly Mack Sennett style of comedy from the 1920s of the bumbling cop, with the twirling baton. It served the comedy of the story well, and provided support for the dance in the Ballet sequence. The style takes a lot of skill to pull off, and the company did reasonably well with it.”
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“A five-piece band plays all of the show’s music, and the cast rides the energy of these live instruments beautifully. Any number involving the entire ensemble is excellent. The cast demonstrates a uniformity and coordination that blows the theater wide open. I saw this with a rather withholding audience, but that did not deter this cast from attacking their scenes and music with peppy commitment.”
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“Now in its 52nd season, The Group Rep has delivered a delightful West Coast premiere of Drat! The Cat!, a 1965 musical that flopped on Broadway after only 8 official performances but shines anew at the intimate Lonny Chapman Theatre. Director Bruce Kimmel, fulfilling a longtime promise to his friend Ira Levin, the show’s writer and lyricist (with music by Milton Schafer), infuses this revival with cheekily spirited energy, transforming a forgotten gem into a snappy, family-friendly crowd-pleaser. With a talented cast and sharp creative choices, this production offers two hours of masked intrigue, laughter, romance, and nostalgic appeal.”
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“Skillfully directed by Bruce Kimmel, who actually knew and respected Ira Levin in the “good old days” of Broadway super hits, DRAT! THE CAT! gives a run for the money while earning the respect of contemporary audiences. He is aided in no small part by a talented cast who are clearly having a lot of fun bringing this show to life.”
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"Featured players Ben Anderson, April Audia, Riley Cromer, Lareen Faye, Amy Goldring, Lee Grober, Doug Haverty, Angie Lin, Hisato Masuyama, Savannah Mortenson, Maxwell Oliver, Rob Schaumann, Nicole Slatin, Melissa Strauss, and Steve Young add plenty of verve as assorted high society members and crime fighters, and not since Mack Sennett has there been a more ragtag bunch of comedic police officers as the ones spotlighted in a couple of slapstick sequences to do the Keystone Cops proud."
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"And what an assemblage of Keystone Cops they are, portrayed by ensemble members (Ben Anderson, Riley Croman, Lareen Faye, Amy Goldring, Angie Lin, Savannah Mortenson, Maxwell Oliver, Nicole Slatin, Melissa Strauss, and Steven Young) who, in various combinations dart about but accomplish nothing other than hilarity as they crash into each other while wildly attempting to locate and arrest the evasive burglar who has turned one of their own into her accomplice."
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"This is a rare opportunity to see the talent of Ira Levin as a musical writer. Combined with the fine musical taste of Milton Schafer, [this] is a fantastic display of dance, comedy, and music ... an excellent band directed by Gerald Sternbach, and a dynamic choreography by Cheryl Baxter, Director Bruce Kimmel stages a vibrant performance that infuses new life to this hidden gem."