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[0:15] Mike Abrams: Welcome to The Wrong Cat Died, the podcast breakdown of the CATS atrophy. I'm your host Mike Abrams and today we have another amazing guest. She is currently performing as Emma Tate in Schmigadoon! on Broadway. But I have been waiting to have her on this podcast for a long time because of an interview I saw she did where she discussed her love of CATS and running her own Jellicle balls in her basement, I believe. So welcome, Isabelle McCalla. Thank you for joining me.

[0:40] Isabelle McCalla: So happy to be here. I read this, I think it was when you were promoting The Prom. I think this is when this article came out and obviously I knew a lot of people associated with The Prom and I'm from Indiana. So I went and saw it multiple times and I was like, eventually you're gonna have to come on this show because this is the cat show and I'm so glad that Schmigadoon is what we're doing because I had a blast at Schmigadoon.

[1:00] Mike Abrams: Oh, I'm so glad. It's such a joy bomb to do too. So we will talk Schmigadoon, but let's start with CATS. I always ask your CATS introduction, but I know it's that you were introduced by your mom. So yeah, what was like tell that story and let's dig deeper than what I read in that article.

[1:18] Isabelle McCalla: Okay. Yeah, so the year was 1998. I was five years old and my mom, it was my first Broadway show. It was just a mom and me date and we must have had seats on the aisles because I think at that time at the Winter Garden they had like two sets. There was like an aisle down the middle of the theater and then like there were three aisles total. Okay, and I think we were either, I don't know which one we were on, some aisle. My memory is that it was to my right, but it could have been, you know, that's a memory of a five-year-old. Basically, I watched the show, I'm enamored and the actress playing Cassandra, the brown cat crawls up and sits directly like this right next to us and she looks up at me and I look down at her and as the legend goes, I went good kitty and I just started petting this actress and bless her heart, she started like nuzzling into me, which I think is just delightful. And then the show ended and I begged my mom to buy the VHS of the live capture they did in London. I think it had just come out too.

[2:41] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, it's exactly right. Yeah, right after. So it was my most treasured possession was that VHS. I played it every single day and then I started teaching myself every single track, like and I taught myself the choreography and I would dance CATS and like it was my obsession. Like I was training to be a swing before I've never been a swing actually, but it would have been very helpful. Yeah, I watched it every day. I pretended to be a different cat every day. Demeter was my spirit cat. She's what I wanted to be.

[3:14] Mike Abrams: Yeah, who'd you want to be besides Demeter?

[3:16] Isabelle McCalla: When I was that age, it was Demeter because I loved the, like Ava Mae was the actress in the VHS and she was so sexy to me without trying to be sexy. Like Bomb was obviously like the second Bomb, but she was also the like mature adult killer. She seems like having to, but she also was a bit of a tortured soul, I felt. And so I was like, that's me. As I've gotten older, I identify more with Rum Tum Tugger because I'm a chaos monster, but I feel like my moon is in Demeter. My rising is, no, my sun sign is Rum Tum Tugger because I'm a Gemini and I feel like Rum Tum Tugger is a Gemini and she's a twin. So that's that. And then I would say my rising is in, I don't know, maybe I'm a double double. I don't know. Anyway, that's all important. Those are the two that I identified with most.

[4:08] Mike Abrams: I love it. So you're in your basement just learning every single track.

[4:14] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, and you're doing the whole thing.

[4:17] Mike Abrams: You're correct.

[4:17] Isabelle McCalla: Well, it doesn't on in my basement. My parents were ballroom dancers and they have their own studio. And so I would watch it walk because I went to work with them. They couldn't afford childcare. So after school, I'd go to the studio with them and I'd put it on the VHS and watch it there. And because it was a dance studio, I could like practice the dances.

[4:35] Mike Abrams: Yeah, you're in the space if you're actually, I'm actually, I'm rehearsing.

[4:40] Isabelle McCalla: But my brother is five years younger than me. It was like, because this could went on for years, right? And so he was always so aggravated. I'm sure that CATS is still a big trauma spot for him. If someone were to bring it up, he'd probably know, I don't need to see that ever again.

[4:54] Mike Abrams: Did you make him perform with you?

[4:57] Isabelle McCalla: No, I just, okay. We were, there was one TV and I, my sibling, I was not, I was kind of a dictator. It was not fun.

[5:04] Mike Abrams: I was to say, as someone who has an older sibling, there was a stretch where it's like, you know, you're just doing whatever we're doing. And so I was ready for you to be like, nope, he's Mistoffelees today or he's Rum Tum Tugger tonight and you're gonna make him do part of the dance with you.

[5:19] Isabelle McCalla: No, couldn't take because I wanted all those parts too. So now, yeah, I guess, yeah, you still have to take that role.

[5:25] Mike Abrams: Yeah, so okay. So you as a five-year-old though, yeah, how much of the story did you figure out? Like what are you, what's your like, what were you piecing together if anything or is it just their cats, their cats? They're having a good time. They're dancing really pretty and I want to be like that big dude.

[5:42] Isabelle McCalla: Like I think I from a young age, I inherently understood sensuality and power of movement and I was like kind of a pseudo sexual awakening but like less sexual and more like empowering, like how your body can create status and power and like that's what I got from it at a very young age.

[6:07] Mike Abrams: Yeah, no, I mean, well, I think that makes sense. Like there's a lot to that. There's unique show in the sense that there is an immense plot and no plot, right? And I'm fascinated by like my mom also brought my sister as a young child. I was playing sports, so I was not even thought to be brought to see CATS, but it was the same thing where I'm like that is at that age. It makes a ton of sense. They're just cats, but then there's a very like raw sexual story that's in this that I'm like, this is an interesting choice to bring children to.

[6:40] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, when you start learning the plot. So it's kind of this in between of where it's like the best children show and the worst children show.

[6:47] Mike Abrams: Totally. Yeah, I completely understand that. Okay, and I am completely fascinated by you just in a dance studio like running the whole numbers. Which was the one that was the most challenging for you to do? Which track? Like who were you like, I can't really embody?

[6:59] Isabelle McCalla: That's such a funny question. Honestly, Rum Tum Tugger because I didn't have a partner.

[7:09] Mike Abrams: That's true. You're doing the cartwheels by yourself.

[7:11] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, I was doing the cartwheels by herself and I'm a great cartwheeler, but like I wanted to learn how to do the tandem ones. I never really wanted to be Grizabella because she didn't do anything. I was like, yeah, she sings. Like that was a part that was lost to me as a child was like the harrowing nature of the outcast. I didn't like that she was alone. I really liked when, well in the British version, it's Jemima and we call her Syllable in the U.S. reaches out and sings with her. But I see like I didn't like, I imprinted on Cassandra because she was my, the one who got me into the world, but she didn't sing enough and I wanted the feature. So I guess like who did I not, who was the hardest track? Physically Rum Tum Tugger because I didn't have a partner, mentally Griz because I didn't want to be there and then Old Deuteronomy too. I was just like, that's not any cat that just sat there. I didn't want, I was not interested in.

[8:08] Mike Abrams: So you were, I mean you were dancing like this was more like you were here to, I was here to dance to do those numbers.

[8:14] Isabelle McCalla: Okay, were you tapping Jenny any dance number?

[8:20] Mike Abrams: No, so she probably was the hardest for me to do. I thought she was funny, but I was probably just like flailing. Okay, I never had a tap lesson.

[8:28] Isabelle McCalla: Oh, the peaks and the follicles that was a number I skipped all the time too. Oh my god, oh my god, I'm just and just all these memories are flooding back. I love doing the opening number. I love doing the Jellicle Ball.

[8:45] Isabelle McCalla: Oh, Victoria was the hardest because I couldn't dance it but I thought I could and she's the most technical cat too. Well, there's also nobody lift. There's no lift for you still. You needed your brother really.

[8:51] Mike Abrams: Yeah, I needed my brother. Well, yeah, but he was too small at that point. He could lift me now, no problem, but at that point absolutely not. Did you do Growltiger's Last Stand?

[9:04] Isabelle McCalla: I did not because it wasn't part of the VHS.

[9:07] Mike Abrams: Okay, and it's true. I was truly like all my memories are about, it's just, it's just that VHS and now Jellicle Ball I saw recently which, oh my god.

[9:18] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, I was gonna ask you about Jellicle Ball.

[9:20] Mike Abrams: 2016 and 2019.

[9:22] Isabelle McCalla: I missed 2016. Wait, 2016? 2016 was a revival with Indy Blake and viewers. No, I missed all of them. Missed all of it. Okay, I missed all the revivals. This is the Jellicle Ball 2026 is the first revival I have seen of that production and it gave me my life. I have, I don't think I've ever experienced that much joy in a theater because I was like, oh my god, it makes sense for the first time ever. I thought it was so stunning putting these poems, like just the simplicity of the naming of cats when you put that on a culture that embodies non-binary people and transgender people and who have to find families outside of their home. Like it just, the profundity was not lost on me and the fact that they did it with like the most incredible dancing is, is, and then sisterhood and community. I, I'm such a fan. I'm such a fan.

[10:23] Mike Abrams: But okay, wait now I'm, I'm going on a tangent. Here's what I will say. I never saw any of the revivals, but have you seen there is an incredible YouTube video called Mr. Messed Off? Have you seen this?

[10:32] Isabelle McCalla: I have not. Only have I seen it, I have.

[10:39] Mike Abrams: You, you are him, right?

[10:41] Isabelle McCalla: Trying to get him to come on. So I do know who he is. I do know who also uploaded that video. It's up there in my, of the random obscure episodes I've been trying to get for the CATS fandom. I recently knocked off an episode with someone from the BYU, Idaho CATS, which if I don't know if you saw that, I didn't. I can send you some follow-ups on this. That was a decision with how a very religious school decided to do CATS not in unitards and not in a very different costume.

[11:20] Mike Abrams: Oh no.

[11:20] Isabelle McCalla: That had to honor their school's honor code. Sure. So that was one of my goals and Mr. Mistoffelees is definitely one. I know who's uploaded it. I talked to the person who uploaded it. I know the story behind it, which is actually what is it?

[11:34] Mike Abrams: So he was part of the choreography team, right?

[11:38] Isabelle McCalla: Very, very last, I think it was either at intermission or a last second injury call out and it was like he's the only one in the building that even can remotely do the dance numbers and so he jumped in to do it and, but obviously it went viral for the wrong reason. So I have been in touch. I really want him to come on to share a story because I think the story is actually really interesting of like that day and how that happened and the like aftermath of that because it's, I know a lot of people like hate on it, but does he have trauma surrounding it?

[12:11] Mike Abrams: Oh, I think so. And I think that's probably why he doesn't want to bring it back up.

[12:15] Isabelle McCalla: Of course. Well, I hope.

[12:17] Mike Abrams: Yeah, and I hope people know like he knows that it brings people so much joy. But I mean to be fair, like I have comedy brain. So seeing that, I am just like you gave the world such a gift because and what I love about that video.

[12:32] Isabelle McCalla: My most treasured possession was that VHS. I played it every single day. And then I started teaching myself every single track.

[13:02] Isabelle McCalla: I remember being five years old and seeing CATS for the first time in 1998. It was such a magical experience, and I was completely captivated by the performance.

[13:24] Isabelle McCalla: I was obsessed with the London VHS. I would watch it over and over again, and I learned all the songs and choreography in my parents' ballroom dance studio.

[13:44] Isabelle McCalla: My favorite tracks were definitely the ones that had a lot of energy and excitement. But I also found some of the slower, more emotional songs to be quite challenging.

[14:04] Isabelle McCalla: As a child, I didn't fully understand the sensuality of the show, but I was drawn to the characters and their stories. It was all so fascinating to me.

[14:24] Isabelle McCalla: The new Jellicle Ball revival has brought a fresh perspective with its ball-culture framing and storyline. It's interesting to see how they are reinterpreting the material for a modern audience.

[14:44] Isabelle McCalla: The 2019 CATS movie was definitely a unique take on the original. It sparked a lot of conversations and reactions, especially with the viral "Mr. MESStoffelees" video.

[15:04] Isabelle McCalla: Now, shifting gears to Schmigadoon!, it's been incredibly fun to be a part of that show. The energy and creativity in the cast and crew are just amazing.

[15:24] Isabelle McCalla: I love how Schmigadoon! blends humor with musical elements. It's a joy to perform in such a vibrant and entertaining production.

[15:44] Isabelle McCalla: When we think about casting the Cats into Schmigadoon!, it's a fun exercise to imagine how those characters would fit into that world.

[16:04] Isabelle McCalla: Each character from CATS has such a distinct personality, and I think they would bring a lot of flavor to the Schmigadoon! setting.

[16:24] Isabelle McCalla: It's exciting to think about how the stories could intertwine and how the Cats would interact with the characters in Schmigadoon!.

[16:44] Isabelle McCalla: I can just picture it now—Grizabella singing her heart out in the middle of a Schmigadoon! scene. It would be quite the spectacle!

[17:04] Isabelle McCalla: The possibilities are endless when you start to blend these two iconic shows together. It's a fun thought experiment for any fan.

[17:24] Isabelle McCalla: I think the audience would really enjoy seeing those interactions and how the Cats would adapt to the whimsical world of Schmigadoon!.

[17:44] Isabelle McCalla: Overall, both shows have their own unique charm, and it's fascinating to explore how they could coexist in a creative way.

[18:04] Isabelle McCalla: I love discussing these ideas and hearing what other fans think about the crossover potential between CATS and Schmigadoon!.

[18:24] Isabelle McCalla: It's always great to connect with fellow fans and share our thoughts on these beloved productions.

[18:44] Isabelle McCalla: Whether it's through social media or in person, the conversations about CATS and Schmigadoon! are always lively and engaging.

[19:04] Isabelle McCalla: I think that's what makes being part of this community so special—our shared passion for musical theatre and the stories we love.

[19:24] Isabelle McCalla: I'm excited to see where both CATS and Schmigadoon! go in the future and how they continue to evolve.

[19:44] Isabelle McCalla: Thank you for having me on the show today. It's been a pleasure to share my experiences and thoughts with you!

[20:04] Isabelle McCalla: I hope everyone enjoys both productions as much as I do, and I look forward to more discussions about them!

[20:24] Isabelle McCalla: Don't forget to check out Schmigadoon! on Broadway and follow me on Instagram for more updates!

[20:44] Isabelle McCalla: It's been a joy to chat about all things CATS and Schmigadoon! Thank you again for having me!

[21:04] Isabelle McCalla: I can't wait to see what the future holds for both shows and how they continue to inspire audiences everywhere.

[21:24] Isabelle McCalla: Let's keep the conversation going and celebrate the magic of musical theatre together!

[21:44] Isabelle McCalla: Thank you so much for this opportunity to share my journey and love for these incredible productions.

[22:04] Isabelle McCalla: I'm grateful to be part of such a vibrant community of theatre lovers and performers.

[22:24] Isabelle McCalla: Here's to more amazing performances and unforgettable moments in the world of musical theatre!

[22:44] Isabelle McCalla: Until next time, keep dreaming and believing in the magic of the stage!

[23:04] Isabelle McCalla: Thank you for listening, and I hope to see you at the theatre soon!

[23:24] Isabelle McCalla: It's been a pleasure to share my thoughts and experiences with you all today.

[23:44] Isabelle McCalla: Let's continue to support and uplift each other in this beautiful world of musical theatre.

[24:04] Isabelle McCalla: Thank you again for having me, and I look forward to connecting with everyone soon!

[24:24] Isabelle McCalla: Take care, and keep enjoying the magic of CATS and Schmigadoon!

[24:44] Isabelle McCalla: Bye for now!

[25:05] Isabelle McCalla: What is your favorite part of Schmigadoon? What's your favorite moment in the show? I have a few. I mean, to dance with all your heart, doing that, my number, when it goes well, is very rewarding and fun. But my favorite beat that I have in the show is, uh, I know it's not even a line. It's when Carson or Josh gives Carson a kazoo. And then I come on stage and I look at Josh, like I fall in love and I do this like giant ridiculous gasp and clutch my pearls. And it always gets like kills. It always kills. It gets a great big laugh. Watch it not get a laugh tonight, but it usually is like, no matter what a sleigh. And like, I'm really proud of that moment because that was one that's not in the script.

I just did it in a rehearsal one day and the room laughed and I brought him to previews and the, and the theater laughed and it was like, okay. And it's really, I think I love that moment so much because as Emma Tate, I don't, I'm not the, I'm not the laugh assassin, right? Like, cause I'm more of the leading lady in a supporting role. So I don't, I'm more understated. I don't, and I'm very privileged to, you know, like be carrying the mantle of the heart, but like, I don't have the knockdown drag out laughs inherently because of who I play. So to have that one moment feels really good.

[30:11] Mike Abrams: Yeah, totally. Yeah. It's, it is a, you're more of the heartfelt moments. Like you are the heart of the show. Do you have a, like your ensemble's working their tail off? I've ever been in, they have 120 Broadway credits amongst them.

[30:29] Isabelle McCalla: Wow. Yeah. Do you have a favorite ensemble dance number? Like what's your favorite one of the ones they did?

[30:33] Mike Abrams: I thought you were going to ask me if I had a favorite ensemble member and I'm not going to make you do that.

[30:37] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah. Lover's spot. Not lover's spot. Sorry. No. Cross that bridge. The reason I love cross that bridge so much is because it is just the ensemble and Josh. And I feel like you see each of them individually carve out such specific characters and reactions to crossing the bridge and leaving. And they're all each so different from one another and they're dancing and singing their faces off. It's at the end of the act where they have been going nonstop. Like the first act really is the ensemble show. It's, I mean, we don't have a show without this ensemble and like they are the most three-dimensional, funniest, warmest group of, and group of professionals. They're so good at what they do. And I feel like that is most on display during cross that bridge at the end of act one.

And I, I get down early cause I come on right afterwards and I watch, I love watching the monitor both of the stage and watching the conductor cam where I can see behind them and see who the response is. There's one specific moment that I like the last person that Josh chooses to cross the bridge always gets this like crazy response. And I always watch to see when the audience members are going to get it, if they're going to laugh, when they're going to lose it. And they always do. And it's, oh, it gives me so much joy.

[32:01] Mike Abrams: It is again, such a fun show. I can't, I am so glad that you all got all the nominations you did and this will come out before the Tony's. So hopefully that is leading into a bunch of wins for you all and, and a long run. And then I think I saw a tour. So really cool to see just such a fun show. And I just, I had a blast. I had so much fun theater and that's, that to me is like, I really appreciate that. And this day and age to go in and have your night be fun and heartfelt and funny and just a good time. And also seeing that level of incredible talent, like you, like they're just, everybody is doing, I liked how you said it, like everyone is doing their thing and just at the like highest level.

[32:48] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah. 100%.

[32:50] Mike Abrams: We're going to take a quick break and then we'll be back for more of The Wrong Cat Died.

[32:54] Mike Abrams: Okay. Let's go back to some cat rapid fire. So I'm going to ask these questions for you. These questions are coming for you as Izzy. I want you to answer them as Izzy. So who would you want to play if you could go on for a one night in cats? Does not matter if you male, female, age, whatever, just if you could go on and do any of them, who do you want to perform as?

[33:12] Isabelle McCalla: Bomb. Bombalurina.

[33:13] Mike Abrams: Okay. Favorite and least favorite cat from a personality. So like, who would you want to hang out with and who would bug you to hang out with?

[33:20] Isabelle McCalla: Ooh, that's good. I want to hang out with, I want to hang out. I want to hang out with Cassandra. You want to know something? Why? Because she doesn't try too hard. She's like, she's like, you can come to me. I'm going to have a great time over here. And I feel like she's got thoughts and opinions. She's a tourist, right? She's like, I am the receiver of the Zodiac sign. Y'all let me know when you got your shit together and I'll join. So I feel like we'd have good conversations. Who would rub me the wrong way or least? I feel like, honestly, Rum Tum Tugger. Dude. Okay, we get it. You've got a big cat dick. I'm bored. I get your hot. I get your sexy. Let's move it along. I've had plenty of those men in my past and I'm not looking for any more in the future. No more.

[34:15] Mike Abrams: Yeah. No more Rum Tum Tuggers. No, no, no. What is your favorite song in the show?

[34:20] Isabelle McCalla: Macavity. It's so sexy. If we could put one cat in Schmigadoon, which cat are you putting in Schmigadoon and where are they going?

[34:28] Isabelle McCalla: Oh my God. That's so funny. I'm going to put Skimbleshanks in Schmigadoon because I feel like there should be a train station in Schmigadoon and how funny would it be if Skimbleshanks just like, Josh and Melissa just got on a train that went nowhere? They thought it would, but it's just Skimbleshanks, the railway cat.

[34:45] Mike Abrams: That's right. I like it. I feel like it could pull up to the carnival. For sure. Yes. Danny Bailey's. Yes. He takes you right from like church to carnival.

[34:50] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah. Yeah. I love that.

[34:56] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Okay. The most important question is I've argued at length. I don't think Grizabella's the right Jellicle choice. So I want to hear who is your Jellicle choice and why?

[35:07] Isabelle McCalla: You want to know who it is? It's Jelly Lorem and you want to know why? Because she's old herself and she is working her ass off taking care of all these other cats and she is so selfless. She needs to get poured back into. So she needs to, she needs to take a break. She does. She is the unsung hero of cats. That's my take.

[35:25] Mike Abrams: Yeah. I'm, I'm for it. Yeah. Grizabella. So that's, that's the only thing I care about.

[35:32] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah. No, I, I do like Jelly Lorem is, is the idea to actually give up your opportunity to potentially go to allow the person you're caring for to go is like. So sweet. A story that like, there's always like, what's the meaning behind Old Deuteronomy's decision? It's this redemption arc and there's meaning behind picking Jelly Lorem.

[35:55] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Yeah. I agree. Okay. This has been so fun. How can people stay in touch with you? And we'll obviously, um, put all the Schmigadoon links and social media stuff as well.

[36:01] Isabelle McCalla: Yes. You can find me on Instagram at Izzy McCalla. I posted one TikTok, but I, I, I'm, I'm not that girl. Maybe I'll do some more if the social media manager gets on. But yeah, you can see me on Instagram. So you can go watch the one TikTok or on Instagram.

[36:30] Mike Abrams: Which is probably also on Instagram.

[36:30] Isabelle McCalla: Correct. It is. It is. It is. And if I, I'm sure at some point there'll be a second, but it'll probably be a year from now.

[36:41] Mike Abrams: Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. And, and run to see Schmigadoon. Please do. Come see it as soon as possible. And then if, you know, after the awards, it's hopefully have a bunch more things to get to, to add to that banner that you walk by every day.

[36:52] Isabelle McCalla: Yes. Well, this was so fun. I'm so glad I got to hear the, not basement, the, the full on studio performance for many years. I would like you to, to tell your brother that I'm disappointed he did not debut at the studio. I think there was an opportunity.

[37:11] Isabelle McCalla: I will. I will let him know. And, and yeah, this was so fun. Thank you so much for coming.

[37:15] Isabelle McCalla: Thanks for having me. Appreciate it. And thanks everyone else for listening to this episode of The Wrong Cat Died, the podcast breaking down the cat's atrophy. To follow along, you can subscribe to the Apple podcast, Spotify, podcast, follow us on social media, or check us out at www.thewrongcatdied.com.