Drat! The Cat!
Encyclopedia
Drat! The Cat! is a musical
with a book and lyrics by Ira Levin
and music by Milton Schafer.
Originally called Cat and Mouse, this spoof
of late-Victorian
melodrama
has at its core Alice Van Guilder, who wants to be a career girl at a time when nice young ladies marry well instead of having careers. Frustrated by the obstacles standing in her way, she becomes a cat burglar and plunders the homes of Manhattan
's high society
in the 1890s.
After 11 previews, the Broadway
production, directed and choreographed by Joe Layton
, opened on October 10, 1965 at the Martin Beck Theatre, where it ran for eight performances. The cast included Lesley Ann Warren
, Elliott Gould
, Charles Durning
, Jane Connell, and Beth Howland
. Conductor Herbert Grossman
served as Music Director. Warren won the Theatre World Award
for her performance, and the show was nominated for a Tony Award
for Best Scenic Design.
Shortly after the show closed, Blue Pear issued an original cast album from a recording surreptitiously made during a live performance. Gould's wife at the time, Barbra Streisand
, had a hit with her recording of "He Touched Me," a gender-reversal version of one of the show's tunes. Streisand also recorded, but did not release, "I Like Him." In 1997, Varèse Sarabande
released a studio recording featuring Susan Egan
, Judy Kaye
, Bryan Batt
, Jonathan Freeman, and Elaine Stritch
.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book and lyrics by Ira Levin
Ira Levin
Ira Levin was an American author, dramatist and songwriter.-Professional life:Levin attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa...
and music by Milton Schafer.
Originally called Cat and Mouse, this spoof
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of late-Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
has at its core Alice Van Guilder, who wants to be a career girl at a time when nice young ladies marry well instead of having careers. Frustrated by the obstacles standing in her way, she becomes a cat burglar and plunders the homes of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's high society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
in the 1890s.
After 11 previews, the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production, directed and choreographed by Joe Layton
Joe Layton
Joe Layton was an American director and choreographer known primarily for his work on Broadway.-Biography:Born Joseph Lichtman in Brooklyn, New York, Layton began his career as a dancer in Wonderful Town , and he appeared uncredited in the ensemble of the original live TV production of Rodgers and...
, opened on October 10, 1965 at the Martin Beck Theatre, where it ran for eight performances. The cast included Lesley Ann Warren
Lesley Ann Warren
Lesley Ann Warren is an American actress and singer. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Emmy Awards and five times for Golden Globe, winning one....
, Elliott Gould
Elliott Gould
Elliott Gould is an American actor. He began acting in Hollywood films during the 1960s, and has remained prolific ever since. Some of his most notable films include M*A*S*H and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, for which he received an Oscar nomination...
, Charles Durning
Charles Durning
Charles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
, Jane Connell, and Beth Howland
Beth Howland
Elizabeth "Beth" Howland , is an American actress who has worked extensively on stage and television. Howland is best known for playing Vera on the sitcom Alice, inspired by the popular Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore...
. Conductor Herbert Grossman
Herbert Grossman
Herbert Grossman was an American conductor who was chiefly known for his work within opera and musical theatre.-Early life and education:...
served as Music Director. Warren won the Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
for her performance, and the show was nominated for a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Scenic Design.
Shortly after the show closed, Blue Pear issued an original cast album from a recording surreptitiously made during a live performance. Gould's wife at the time, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, had a hit with her recording of "He Touched Me," a gender-reversal version of one of the show's tunes. Streisand also recorded, but did not release, "I Like Him." In 1997, Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
released a studio recording featuring Susan Egan
Susan Egan
Susan Egan is an American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage.-Early life and career:Egan was born in Seal Beach, California. She attended Orange County High School of the Arts and UCLA. In the meantime she started her career touring with the performance group The Young...
, Judy Kaye
Judy Kaye
Judy Kaye is an American singer and actress. She has appeared in stage musicals, plays, and operas. Kaye has been in long runs on Broadway in the musicals The Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime and Mamma Mia!-Biography:...
, Bryan Batt
Bryan Batt
Bryan Batt is an American actor best known for his role in the AMC series Mad Men as Salvatore Romano, an art director for the Sterling Cooper agency. Primarily a theater actor, he has had a number of starring roles in movies and television as well...
, Jonathan Freeman, and Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch is an American actress and vocalist. She has appeared in numerous stage plays and musicals, feature films, and many television programs...
.
Song list
Act I- Drat! The Cat!
- My Son, Uphold the Law
- Holmes and Watson
- She Touched Me
- Wild and Reckless
- She's Roses
- Ignoble Theft of the Idol's Eyes
- Dancing With Alice
- Drat! The Cat! (reprise)
- Purefoy's Lament
Act II
- A Pox Upon the Traitor's Brow
- Deep in Your Heart
- Let's Go
- It's Your Fault
- Wild and Reckless (reprise)
- The Upside-Down Thief
- Today is a Day for a Band to Play
- She Touched Me (reprise)
- I Like Him
- Justice Triumphant
- Today is a Day for a Band to Play (reprise)