Jarrod Draper on Tackling CATS and How His Wiradjuri Culture Grounds His Craft
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s feline spectacular, CATS, is as iconic as musical theatre can get.
Filled with timeless music and exhilarating choreography, it’s brought to life by an unstoppable cast of innate triple threats – all fitted out in cat-inspired jumpsuits and legwarmers (I told you, iconic). This record-breaking ’80s hit continues to captivate audiences across generations, earning critical acclaim and a devoted cult following. Luckily for Australian audiences, the hit has returned for a special 40-year anniversary tour, commemorating its debut performance at Sydney’s Theatre Royal on 27 July 1985. Following the Sydney season, the tour will travel to Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
Inspired by T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, Webber’s musical revue follows a tribe of Jellicle cats who gather under the moonlight to make a decree to their leader, Old Deuteronomy. Through a series of solo numbers, they decide who among them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new Jellicle life.
Alongside its critical acclaim, Cats bears a legacy of powerhouse performers who have stepped into its tracks. It takes a special kind of talent to be tasked with the mammoth that is this show – and earning this credit is considered a rite of passage in the theatre industry.
Jarrod Draper is one of the newest Australian performers to bring his talent to the production, stepping into the principal role of Munkustrap – one of the main storytellers in the show. As the first Indigenous Australian to graduate from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts’ (WAAPA) acclaimed Bachelor of Music Theatre program, Jarrod is making waves as one of the country’s most promising leading men. He joins Cats having just wrapped a national tour of Sunset Boulevard as Artie Green, with previous credits including Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge.
You’ve become such a leading force in the Australian industry. What sparked your passion for theatre, and how did you first get started on stage?
Jarrod: First of all, thank you. That is a very kind thing to say. My passion kind of came as a surprise to myself and those around me. Almost out of nowhere, if you will. I’m from a big sporting family – my Dad donned a Sydney Roosters jersey back in the day – so the entertainment industry was a completely foreign world. Also growing up in country NSW, there obviously wasn’t as much exposure and opportunity to gain a real understanding of a prospective career in the arts. With that being said, I have always been an ambitious and creative person, so at age 10 I threw my hat in the ring to play Young Peter Allen in Orange Theatre Company’s production of The Boy From Oz. To my family’s surprise, I landed the part and the rest is history. You could say I caught the bug. I do believe that my passion is what has gotten me to this stage though. There was no plan B, and I was relentless in my pursuit to make it happen for myself. I always say you have to do it for a reason that is bigger than you. It can’t be about you wanting to be a star. It’s about you wanting to inflict positive change and impact in people’s lives. And for me, showcasing an Aboriginal person succeeding in this industry is breaking down doors for the next person to come through. That’s my driving force. Apart from the fact that I love it.
Having just finished a massive tour with Sunset Boulevard, what was your biggest takeaway from that experience, and how has it influenced you as a performer?
Jarrod: Sunset Boulevard was an amazing experience. It was a real actor’s musical. And it’s so rare that a show like that graces the Australian stages these days, so to be a part of it was a real dream come true. It was my first introduction into professionally performing an Andrew Lloyd Webber show, so you might say it prepared me to walk into Cats. Although, with that being said, the styles of the shows are so vastly different. I guess my biggest takeaway from doing that particular show was that I solidified a real trust in myself that what I bring to the table is valuable and singular. We staged it completely from the ground up, so there was a freedom to create your own version of your character without any constraint. It was empowering to feel solid in your work, which I’ve definitely carried with me into Cats.
Adapting to the physical demands of Cats is no small feat. How have you approached embodying an animal through movement, and what has been the most challenging and rewarding part of that process?
Jarrod: You’re right, it certainly is no small feat. The process was quite daunting to begin with. It required a lot of focus and courage. You had to leave your inhibitions at the door, and give it your all in order to portray the truth of the animal and their experience in the piece. At the beginning of the process, we were given three words that gave us a gateway into our character. Mine were integrity, discipline and dignity. They laid the foundation for any movement, even as a cat. It informed the way I interacted with those around me and gave me a sense of status. Cats are quite ethereal and cerebral creatures, so becoming in tune with heightening your senses was also paramount. In rehearsals, we’d actually lay in the space and put that concept into exercise. It immediately takes you outside of yourself and gives you the essence of the animal. Of course beyond that, there was the research we did ourselves – for me I actually just watched my own cat move through the world every chance I got. The intricate ways in which he navigated the atmosphere around him was so informing. The elongated neck, the soft feet, the darting eyes etc. As for what the most challenging and most rewarding part for me, the answer is the same for both. It’s simply just doing the show itself. It’s a beast, and isn’t for the faint of heart, so to get through it, no matter how hard, feels like a major accomplishment.
With a show as intense as Cats, what are your non-negotiables when it comes to preparation – both before and after a performance?
Jarrod: This show is all about what I do in my recovery that allows me to be able to maintain an 8 show week. It’svery early days into our run but a non-negotiable is my Monday remedial massage. It is absolutely essential and resets my body for the week ahead. Then on top of that, regular physio during the week seems to keep the body working. I also love to work out at the gym so that I’m keeping strong. As for my voice, I’m very particular in the way I warm up for the show. My full body warm up is essential in ensuring my voice is feeling ready. It usually consists of some type of cardio exercise prior to getting to work. This show is an amalgamation of many different styles and genres so it’s essential to me that I maintain my vocal agility. Then a full body and vocal warm down is needed more than ever on this show. The foam roller and spikey ball have become my best friends as of late.
Munkustrap is such a pivotal character in the show. What is your favourite moment in the production?
Jarrod: My personal favourite moment is The 12 Lines of poetry at the beginning of the piece. I feel as though it’s me at my best, incorporating all disciplines of this art form. And I’m supported by the most wonderful company of triple threats in that moment, so it feels extremely empowering. It also sets up Munkustrap as the narrator of the piece, which as you said, is quite a pivotal piece of information. I mean, I also love the Jellicle Ball. But how could you not when it’s a bunch of elite athletes at the very paramount of their game, producing an incredible body of work.
As a proud Wiradjuri man, how does your culture inspire and guide your work on stage,and in what ways do you bring that connection into your performances?
Jarrod: Being is at the very centre of me as a performer. Aboriginal people have an innate storytelling ability that lives inside of them, and it only enhances everything they do. Our sense of rhythm, musicality and movement is second to none, and it is grounded in the roots of the earth. I feel immediately steadfast in truth because of my culture. And being Aboriginal, also allows me to do it for something that is bigger than myself. I do it for the Aboriginal kids, and any minority really, so that they know that there is a place for them to succeed in this industry. I feel privileged to be able to represent my people every time I perform. I am able to call upon my ancestors, in particular my grandparents, to guide me in breaking down barriers in a healthy and conducive way that propels this industry forward. You can probably tell, I’m very, VERY proud to be Aboriginal.
Cats is such an iconic and unique show. What would you say to young people who’ve never seen it to encourage them to experience it live in the theatre?
Jarrod: Cats is the ultimate theatrical experience. It embodies what musical theatre is: bold, creative and a feast for the senses. There’s just something about it that draws people in. It has been 40 years, and people are still passionate about the show. It really is the perfect entry into the arts world for young people, as it is a timeless piece that is being told by some of the most talented triple threats I’ve ever had the privilege to be around. As I said before, there is such anamalgamation of genres, so there is something in it for everyone. When do you get to go to the theatre and see people crawling around like cats, but doing it with such poise and truth? I guarantee you’ll walk away with the theatre bug after seeing the show. It’s just got THAT thing. You’ve got to experience it in order to understand it.
CATS is playing now at Sydney’s Theatre Royal.
For tickets and more information, visit catsthemusical.com.au
