“We have 16 different Grizabellas for this production.” In this episode of The Wrong Cat Died podcast, Mike Abrams welcomes Naomi Naughton, a former swing in the original Broadway production of CATS (1992) who is now directing a summer production at the Shawnee Playhouse. Naomi shares her journey from first seeing CATS as a teenager, through auditioning and performing on Broadway, to her current role as a director. She discusses the challenges and joys of directing, including working with 16 different performers as Grizabella and staying true to the show's choreography and storytelling. Naomi also reflects on deeper themes of the musical, such as acceptance, forgiveness, and the meaning of the Heaviside Layer. Check out Shawnee Playhouse on Instagram: @theshawneeplayhouse Check out Shawnee Playhouse's website: www.shawneeplayhouse.orgProduced by:⁠⁠⁠⁠Alan Seales⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠Broadway Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠⁠Social Media: @⁠⁠⁠⁠TheWrongCatDiedLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices