ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 24, 1997 TAG: 9702250144
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE
There will be no "Cats" in Roanoke - at least for now.
The popular Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, once scheduled for the Roanoke Civic Center auditorium Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, has been canceled, officials confirmed.
"It was sort of a misunderstanding between the promoter [Mike Forst of Charlotte, N.C.] and 'Cats' as to the number of shows they were going to do," said Christine Powell, marketing coordinator for the civic center. "I think 'Cats' wanted him to do more shows than he thought he could sell. They just never worked that out."
Forst, of The Best of Broadway productions in Charlotte, said he never meant for the show to run three nights here. As promoter, Forst said, he must pay a fee to "Cats" for each night's performance - and then pray the show brings in more money than he has paid out, which becomes his profit. If he pays for more shows than the market will bear, Forst said, he loses money fast.
Forst said three shows in Roanoke were "a bridge too far." He wants two, at a later date.
In any event, "Cats" lovers can breathe easy: Forst promised he would bring the show to Roanoke sometime this year.
Powell said advertising for "Cats'' was not even under way when the shows were canceled, so most people probably did not know it was coming. Those who paid in advance for the season's package of touring Broadway plays at the civic center - which also includes "Grease" and "The Sound of Music" - can get refunds for "Cats," Powell said, by returning to wherever they bought their tickets.
Based on a book of poems by T.S. Eliot, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," "Cats" opened in 1982, winning a Tony for outstanding musical.
In addition to its touring version, "Cats" is still on Broadway.
LENGTH: Short : 41 linesby CNB