{"id":98249,"date":"2026-11-08T11:10:59","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T03:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=98249"},"modified":"2026-11-08T11:10:59","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T03:10:59","slug":"cats-musical-cast-meets-local-rescue-cats-in-singapore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=98249","title":{"rendered":"Cats musical cast meets local rescue cats in Singapore"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE \u2013 It probably comes as no surprise that the cast of iconic musical Cats are cat lovers and have them as pets.<\/p>\n

But being part of an international touring production means having to leave their beloved felines at home.<\/p>\n

With assistance from the Cat Welfare Society, four of the musical\u2019s performers paired up with local rescue cats for an interview and photo shoot on Nov 5.<\/p>\n

Featuring the music of theatre legend Andrew Lloyd Webber, the long-running West End and Broadway musical premiered in 1981. In Singapore for its fifth outing, Cats is playing at Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands until Nov 22. It was previously staged here in 1993, 2009, 2015 and 2019.<\/p>\n

With seven Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy for its cast album, Cats pioneered the concept of the megamusical, with intricate and spectacular sets, costumes and choreography.<\/p>\n

Set in a junkyard playground with feline characters who come out to play on the night of the Jellicle Ball, the story is based on English poet T.S. Eliot\u2019s poetry collection Old Possum\u2019s Book Of Practical Cats (1939).<\/p>\n

South African actor-singers Che-Jean Jupp, Hannah Marshall, Zoe McLaughlin and Brittane van Loggerenberg talk to The Straits Times about getting into character and whether the local cats they were paired with during the interview are similar in temperament to the cats they portray on stage.<\/p>\n

Che-Jean Jupp (Munkustrap) and Noir<\/h2>\n
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\"Cats<\/picture><\/div>
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Cats actor Che-Jean Jupp with local cat Noir.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Che-Jean Jupp plays grey tabby tomcat Munkustrap, the main narrator and brave protector of the Jellicle tribe in Cats.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old, who joined the current tour in 2025, says playing the character demands a balance of athleticism and calm authority on stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning how to walk on the ground, firstly from your feet, and then also on all fours, is a big challenge because you have to embody how a cat walks through their feet,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

He spent hours watching and learning from his one-year-old black rescue cat with bright orange eyes that inspired his name, Pumpkin. \u201cI can sit and watch him for hours. It\u2019s fascinating watching how a cat walks and they don\u2019t make a sound. Just watching Pumpkin walk was really interesting in building Munkustrap.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Cats cast member Che-Jean Jupp as Munkustrap.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: HANAN ASSOR<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jupp says Noir, the 11-year-old black cat he was paired with, is a kindred spirit to Munkustrap.<\/p>\n

\u201cNoir seems very laid-back, timid and calm. Munkustrap is very calm in his energy, but when he needs to be, he\u2019ll take charge and take action. In Noir, I saw a lot of that calm energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Noir, a male domestic short hair, was rescued from a condominium ledge, rehabilitated in foster care and trained as a therapy cat.<\/p>\n

Hannah Marshall (Cassandra) and Deopi<\/h2>\n
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Cats actress Hannah Marshall with local cat Deopi.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Playing Cassandra, a cat with a character that is princess-like, regal and stand-offish, was challenging, says Hannah Marshall.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s quite a fancy cat. She thinks she\u2019s quite a lot better than all the other cats. Because she\u2019s so aloof, she really does fancy herself quite a princess,\u201d the 29-year-old says with a laugh. \u201cI\u2019m a very bubbly person, so finding the quiet, confident, sophisticated aloofness of her was quite a challenge. But she\u2019s definitely rubbed off on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making the physical transformation to Cassandra, a hairless Sphynx with a sleek collar, takes approximately an hour \u2013 30 to 45 minutes for make-up and five to 10 minutes for the wigs.<\/p>\n

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Cats cast member Hannah Marshall as Cassandra.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: HANAN ASSOR<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marshall takes inspiration from her female rescue cat Mischief, adopted when the actress was 11 after watching a production of Cats back home in South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cMischief does this thing where she\u2019ll sit on the counter, and if she wants attention, she\u2019ll paw at you,\u201d she says of the fluffy tabby with a white tummy and brown shoulders and legs. \u201cIt\u2019s filtered down into my Cassandra, where I do a little paw with her every now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Local male domestic short hair Deopi was initially cautious around Marshall, but quickly displayed a calm, regal poise, just like her Cats character. \u201cHe was a very, very sweet cat. I think he\u2019s a little bit skittish, but once he settled, he was very comfortable and just sat in my lap happily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zoe McLaughlin (Jellylorum) and Larry<\/h2>\n
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Cats actress Zoe McLaughlin with local cat Larry.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mirroring the natural agility of a cat, Zoe McLaughlin has also demonstrated versatility by switching roles on this Cats tour, which she has been on since 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cSingapore is actually my first season playing Jellylorum. I was previously playing Jennyanydots, so it\u2019s been lovely to explore a different character,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Back home in South Africa, she owns two eight-year-old cats: Felix, a tuxedo, and Puppy, a calico. \u201cI\u2019m very aware of how they move, how they react to things, their skittishness, their curiosity. I did draw from my own cats.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lot of her focus was on her cats\u2019 posture, she adds. \u201cJust the way they hyperfixate on things, and their stillness.\u201d Away from the stage, she sometimes catches herself doing feline poses. \u201cI find myself holding my hands as paws often when I\u2019m not in the show,\u201d she admits with a smile.<\/p>\n

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Cats cast member Zoe McLaughlin as Jellylorum.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: EUGENE LOO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the musical, Jellylorum is an empathetic matriarch described as \u201cbusy and cheery\u201d. McLaughlin, who declines to reveal her age, says she enjoys bringing out the character\u2019s compassionate nature. \u201cShe\u2019s a more open-minded cat, one of the few that don\u2019t seem to judge others as harshly, and she seems more inclined to empathise.\u201d<\/p>\n

McLaughlin was paired with Larry, a one-year-old brown male domestic short hair rescued from an industrial shipyard.<\/p>\n

There was an immediate match between Larry and Jellylorum, says the actress.<\/p>\n

\u201cLarry is a very sweet cat, very relaxed and poised,\u201d she notes. \u201cJellylorum is also quite a demure, laid-back cat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brittane van Loggerenberg (Demeter) and Jack<\/h2>\n
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Cats actress Brittane van Loggerenberg with local cat Jack.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brittane van Loggerenberg describes her character Demeter as a complex mix of vulnerability and allure. \u201cShe is quite a nervous, skittish cat… but she\u2019s also quite sultry and secretive.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the musical, Demeter warns the Jellicle tribe about a criminal and shares a duet with another cat, Bombalurina.<\/p>\n

Playing Demeter requires balancing opposing temperaments, the 32-year-old adds. \u201cIt\u2019s finding that balance of being so nervous and alert all the time, but then also trying to find that confidence and sensuality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her stage transformation takes about 45 minutes of make-up that includes gold eye shimmer, dramatic lashes and bold, red lips.<\/p>\n

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Cats cast member Brittane van Loggerenberg as Demeter.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: HANAN ASSOR<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Van Loggerenberg immediately noticed a parallel between 13-year-old grey-and-white rescue cat Jack and Demeter. \u201cJack was kind of hiding a bit at first… looking at everyone, being very cautious, which is exactly what Demeter would do,\u201d she notes. \u201cJack likes going into little holes to explore. In the show, you\u2019ll often find Demeter hiding in her pipe, being cautious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back home in South Africa, the actress owns Ariel, an eight-year-old female ginger-and-white rescue cat adopted when it was six weeks old. Ariel lives with feline leukaemia and is cautious around strangers.<\/p>\n

Observing Ariel\u2019s behaviour provided direct inspiration in playing Demeter. \u201cShe\u2019s a rescue cat, and she\u2019s very nervous and skittish around people and noises. I\u2019ve been able to watch my cat at home and play Demeter, getting so many tips because she\u2019s so exactly like her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Book It: Cats The Musical<\/h2>\n

Where<\/b>: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue
When:<\/b> Until Nov 22, 8pm (Tuesdays to Fridays); 2pm and 8pm (Saturdays), 1pm and 6.30pm (Sundays)
Admission:<\/b> From $68 via Sistic (go to www.sistic.com.sg<\/span><\/a> or call 6348-5555)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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