“Some people might say CATS is a ripoff of A Chorus Line. I don’t want to go that far but it’s remarkably similar. I think it’s sort of a doppelganger of A Chorus Line.” In this episode, host Mike Abrams welcomes David Armstrong, a fellow Broadway Podcast Network host and author of the newly published book Broadway Nation. They delve into the rich history of Broadway musicals, highlighting the significant influences and connections, including how the iconic musical CATS ties into this history. Armstrong shares fascinating insights about the evolution of Broadway from his podcast and University of Washington course, the criteria behind the Jellicle choice, and how reality shows like 'Queen for a Day' may have influenced Broadway storytelling.

00:53 David’s Broadway Journey

01:22 The Evolution from Podcast to Book

07:26 The Impact of A Chorus Line on CATS

08:17 The British Theater Transformation

12:16 The Reality Show Parallel

27:54 Assigning CATS to Students

28:39 Discussing the 2019 Movie

35:17 The Jellicle Choice Debate

Produced by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alan Seales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Broadway Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Social Media: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheWrongCatDied

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