It’s no secret that “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” at the Perelman Center for the Performing Arts has made ’80s music cool again, and the costumes are a big part of that.
Rather than being literal, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” takes the story to the ballroom with people, and instead of wearing realistic costumes, the characters look runway ready, courtesy of costume designer Qween Jean. When she started brainstorming the design, Jean knew that fashion and movement were a priority.
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“Cats are moving. They are dancing, so there is a lot of movement. There is a language of movement in fashion,” she says. “As a designer, I wanted to fuse those worlds in a very powerful way, but also to infuse joy.… We’re not making cat costumes, but I wanted to make some fashion.”
Of course there are villain-inspired moments throughout the show – think fur coats, fur accessories and cat ears, but for Jean and the rest of the creative team, the production needed to be taken in a brand new direction with the original score. respect .
To tap into ballroom culture, Jean delved deep into the archives, particularly from the New York Public Library’s picture collection and photographer Chantal Regnault’s book “Voguing and the Ballroom Scene of New York 1989-1992.”
“[Regnault is] an iconic photographer of that era, who invested in capturing portraits of mothers of that era,” says Jean, noting that the show pays homage to these icons and portraits at the top of Act Two. “We were able to bring Chantal to our rehearsals, and that connection was extremely helpful and essential for me as a designer.”
During the workshops of the production, Jean was constantly meeting with the actors, discussing their characters and what “armour” they would wear as a ballroom cat – there was a period of a year full of research and conversation before a sketch was even made. Eventually, a series of vibrant, bright and textured costumes inspired by the period came to life.
While each of the costumes is unique and specific to each cat’s personality, some stand out. First of all, Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat looks like an MTA worker with some added flair, Jean’s “thanks” to essential workers in New York City.
“The essential workers of this city never get their flowers,” she says. “The ladies and gents who work so hard on the MTA, they’re always amazing, the way they personalize a work uniform.…When I was thinking about Skimbleshanks, I was like, ‘What a way do we bring back flowers?’”
As central to the score to “Cats,” so is the character of Old Deuteronomy, played by Broadway veteran André De Shields. His character lives as the oldest cat, overseeing all that goes on in the ballroom.
“His presence is vital. They are your favorite cat,” says Jean, noting that an additional costume for the character was designed and created in three days during the production’s tech rehearsals.
To capture the power of the Old Deuteronomy, she played around with several shades of purple, a color that reflected reality, and structured silhouettes, some asymmetrical.
“To [Old Deuteronomy’s] wardrobe, I worked very hard,” says Jean. “I wanted to give a nod to an elder statesman.…Old Deuteronomy has a regularity and a sense of authority that cannot be questioned.”
Then there’s Grizabella the Glamor Cat, who is transformed during the show, first appearing in a ragged fur coat and closing Act Two in a glittering dress.
“We were able to design something that would be a true celebration of her journey,” says Jean. “We see a complete transformation of characters during the night of the ball.”
While “Cats” was a controversial show — fans had a love-hate relationship with the 2019 film — “The Jellicle Ball” is bringing new viewers into the fold. But for Jean there was always pure magic.
“First of all, ‘Cats’ has always been essential. That is the genius of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber,” says Jean. “A lot of us, we managed to introduce ourselves.… That’s why this show is able to help people unlock and be able to connect. We’ve seen people, and it’s not that we couldn’t see them before, but we can see parts of ourselves.”
Although some theatergoers are new to “Cats” through the production of “The Jellicle Ball,” which runs through August 11, it seems that Jean was always destined to attend the ball.
“It’s my love letter to the eight-year-old Queen who bought her first ‘Cats’ CD,” she says, recalling this circle moment. “It’s an expression.”
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