WesBanco Arena (originally Wheeling Civic Center ) is a multi-purpose arena located in Wheeling, West Virginia . It was built in 1977 at a cost of $ 7 million. It is home to the Wheeling Nailers ice hockey team, the Wheeling Miners indoor football team, the Mountain East Conference basketball tournament and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference wrestling tournament.
96-585: In February 1973, a civic center in Wheeling was proposed, and in May 1973, Mosser Construction Inc. was announced to be the architectural firm for the arena. Plans for construction of the venue, along with plans for a nearby parking garage, were approved by Wheeling City Council on April 16, 1974. The combined cost of both properties was estimated to be $ 9.6 million. On September 16, 1974, a petition by Wheeling residents James R. Kucera and Robert J. Haberfield, who opposed
192-421: A chamber piece for five actors and two pianos, which he felt would reflect "Eliot's charming, slightly offbeat, mildly satiric view of late-1930s London". However, he relented to Lloyd Webber's more ambitious vision for the musical. Nunn was also convinced that for the musical to have the wide commercial appeal that the producers desired, it could not remain as a series of isolated numbers but instead had to have
288-471: A lullaby -turned- anthem ("Old Deuteronomy"); and Gus' nostalgia for the past is reflected through an old-fashioned music hall number ("Gus: The Theatre Cat"). Many of the songs are pastiches of their respective genres, which Snelson attributes to the show's origins as a song cycle: The original concept of a set of contrasting numbers, without a dramatic narrative, meant that each song needed to establish some sort of musical characterization independent of
384-451: A British dance musical was described by one historian as "a vivid and marvellous gesture of transatlantic defiance". Making Lynne's job more challenging was the fact that the music in Cats is unceasing and the majority of the cast remains on-stage throughout nearly the entire show. Lynne choreographed the original London production with a dance crew consisting of her assistant Lindsay Dolan,
480-488: A concert by Emerson, Lake & Palmer was recorded for a future broadcast by the King Biscuit Flower Hour . Elton John also performed a concert there in 2012. 40°3′53″N 80°43′29″W / 40.06472°N 80.72472°W / 40.06472; -80.72472 Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is the state supreme court of
576-424: A dance solo and uses them to restore the lights and bring back Old Deuteronomy. Now, the "Jellicle choice" can be made. Before Old Deuteronomy can make his decision, Grizabella returns to the junkyard and he allows her to address the gathering. Her faded appearance and lonely disposition have little effect on her song (" Memory "). With acceptance and encouragement from Jemima and Victoria, her appeal succeeds and she
672-516: A false alarm and summons the cats back as the main celebration begins ("The Jellicle Ball"), in which the cats sing and display their " Terpsichorean powers". During the Ball, Grizabella reappears and tries to dance along, but her age and decrepit condition prevent her from doing so ("Grizabella: The Glamour Cat (Reprise)"). As a result, she is once again shunned by the other cats, but that does not stop her from vowing to return for another chance to be in
768-443: A full-blown musical. He explained: The musical and dramatic images that this created for me made me feel that there was very much more to the project than I had realised. I immediately decided that I needed the support of another to encourage me to re-work my settings and to see if a dramatic whole could be woven from the delightful verse that I was now to be allowed to develop. Lloyd Webber thus decided to turn Practical Cats into
864-597: A musical, co-produced by Mackintosh and the Really Useful Group 's Brian Brolly . Shortly after the Sydmonton Festival, Lloyd Webber began setting the unpublished poems he had been given to music, a few of which were later added into the show. He also composed the overture and "The Jellicle Ball", incorporating analog synthesizers into these orchestrations to try to create a unique electronic soundscape . Meanwhile, Mackintosh recruited Nunn,
960-579: A musicologist, wrote of the poems: [They] provided excellent material for musicalization, as Eliot's style in this collection is reminiscent of a popular lyricist. The poet uses repeated catch phrases, strong hooks, steady rhythm and outrageous, attention-grabbing, witty rhymes, which are the ingredients of every well-crafted popular lyric. Most of the lyrics in Cats were taken from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats with very minor alterations. Supplementary verses from unpublished poems by Eliot were adapted for "Grizabella: The Glamour Cat" and "The Journey to
1056-473: A narrative through line . He was therefore tasked with piecing the self-contained poems together into a story. Nunn wrote about the significance "Grizabella the Glamour Cat" had on the construction of the narrative: Here in eight lines Eliot was describing an intensely recognizable character with powerful human resonances, while introducing the themes of mortality, and the past, which occur repeatedly in
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#17327809908011152-500: A pair of near-identical cats. They are mischievous petty burglars who enjoy causing trouble around their human neighbourhood ("Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer"). After they finish, they are caught off-guard and confronted by the rest of the cats. Finally, the Jellicle patriarch, Old Deuteronomy, arrives before the tribe ("Old Deuteronomy"). He is a wise old cat who "has lived many lives" and is tasked with choosing which Jellicle will go to
1248-494: A pair of yellow feline eyes (with dancing silhouettes for the pupils ) set against a black backdrop. The producers and the creative team loved the design but felt that the title — Practical Cats — looked out of place when paired with the image of the cat's eyes. The musical's title was thus shortened to just Cats . The musical was scheduled to open on 30 April 1981, with previews starting on 22 April. Shortly before tickets went on sale in mid-February, Nunn revealed to
1344-587: A performance by his dance troupe, one of the many dance showcases they saw in preparation for the musical. Casting for the other roles began in November 1980, with auditions held across the UK for dancers who could also sing and act. There was an initial disagreement over the casting of Paul Nicholas as Rum Tum Tugger ; Nunn had misgivings about the actor's easy-going attitude but eventually yielded to Lloyd Webber, Mackintosh and Lynne, all of whom were keen on Nicholas for
1440-457: A play on the idea that cats have nine lives. One of Nunn's stipulations for agreeing to direct Practical Cats was that actress Judi Dench would be cast in the musical. Lloyd Webber was happy to oblige given her credentials and so Dench joined the company in the dual roles of Grizabella and Jennyanydots . Former Royal Ballet principal dancer Wayne Sleep was offered the part of Mr. Mistoffelees after Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh attended
1536-464: A purpose-built theatre in Japan that has played over 10,000 performances since it opened in 1983. Cats started the megamusical phenomenon, establishing a global market for musical theatre and directing the industry's focus to big-budget blockbusters , as well as family- and tourist-friendly shows. The musical's profound but polarising influence also reshaped the aesthetic, technology, and marketing of
1632-482: A seat on the Supreme Court without forgoing a re-election attempt for their current judgeships. Justice Bunn had no one file to run for her seat, and was elected unopposed. Only one candidate, State Senator Charles Trump , filed for the open seat. He also was elected unopposed. In late 2017, WCHS-TV and other media outlets began reporting on spending by the court. Eventually, an ongoing investigation by
1728-476: A separate election for each seat (previously when two seats were being contested a single "vote for two" election was held). The winner of each election took office in January 2021. Justice Armstead was reelected, receiving 41% of the vote to 36% for former Justice Richard Neely and 23% for David Hummel. Justice Workman did not seek re-election. William Wooton, a trial lawyer and former Democratic state senator,
1824-633: A separate election is held for each seat. Before 2015, the justices of the court were elected in partisan elections; no justices remain from the partisan era. Pursuant to the West Virginia Code (chapter 51), the Court holds two regular sessions annually with the first session commencing on the second Tuesday in January and the second session commencing on the first Wednesday in September. The Court may also sit in special session as needed. Upon
1920-468: A specific performer or number. The audience responds to the musical differences, given an initial security provided by the familiarity of recognizable, underlying stylistic generalities. Lloyd Webber also employs various techniques to help connect the pieces. Namely, the score relies heavily on recurring motifs as well as the use of preludes and reprises . For instance, melodic fragments of "Memory" are sung by Grizabella and Jemima at several points in
2016-416: A successor to serve until the result of the election are certified. However, the legislature then passed HB 4785, changing the length of the appointed term before an election for the remainder would be held from 2 to 3 years, meaning the governor's appointment will serve until January 1, 2025, with the seat up for election in May 2024. The governor then on April 6, 2022, appointed C. Haley Bunn to serve
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#17327809908012112-521: Is Barbour and Taylor counties, in February of 2022 to serve in Jenkins spot until governor acted on the vacancy. This is a temporary assignment and does not constitute Moats becoming a justice.' The seat held by Brent Benjamin was contested. This was the first election held on a non-partisan basis, and the first decided during the May primary election rather than in November. Because the expiration of
2208-562: Is a sung-through musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber . It is based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot . The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make the "Jellicle choice" by deciding which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. As of 2024, Cats remains the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and
2304-504: Is blown by Demeter and he ends up getting beaten by Munkustrap and Alonzo. Macavity holds his own for a time, but as the rest of the tribe begin to gang up and surround him, he shorts out the stage lights and escapes in the resulting confusion. After the fight, Rum Tum Tugger calls upon the magician Mr. Mistoffelees for help ("Magical Mr. Mistoffelees"). Known as the "original conjuring cat", Mr. Mistoffelees can perform feats of magic that no other cat can do. He displays his magical powers in
2400-432: Is chosen to be the one to go to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new Jellicle life ("The Journey to the Heaviside Layer"). A tyre rises from the piles of junk, carrying Grizabella and Old Deuteronomy partway towards the sky; Grizabella then completes the journey on her own. Finally, Old Deuteronomy closes the show by giving his final speech to the audience ("The Ad-dressing of Cats"). Notes : Based on
2496-506: Is named "Health Plan Pavilion." The in-house catering department is capable of catering any size event for any needs. The meeting rooms host area Civitan, Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary and Serra's clubs lunches and meetings weekly. During Nailers hockey games and some other events the "Health Plan Pavilion" is open to all ticketed patrons featuring a full-service restaurant and bar. It features a 46-foot (14 m)-high ceiling. The Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center can accommodate cars for
2592-554: The New London Theatre was considered revolutionary and "one of the first truly immersive theatrical experiences". Instead of a conventional proscenium , the theatre was quasi- in-the-round with a central revolving stage . Nunn and Napier had sought to create "an environment rather than a set", and around $ 900,000 was spent remodelling the New London in preparation for the show. This included mounting sections of
2688-670: The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston to one count of wire fraud . Justice Loughry was convicted in the same court on October 12, 2018, of seven counts of wire fraud, two counts of lying to federal investigators and one count each of mail fraud and witness tampering. He was originally scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2019; however, those proceedings are currently on hold. On August 13, 2018,
2784-648: The West Virginia Legislature , the elections were changed to be non-partisan. Despite their officially nonpartisan status, the political party memberships of all justices are known, as all have held or run for other partisan offices. As a result of criminal investigations and Impeachment of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia , there was significant turnover in the makeup of the West Virginia Supreme Court in 2018. First, on July 11, 2018, Menis Ketchum resigned from
2880-541: The Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway in 1982. It won numerous awards including Best Musical at both the Laurence Olivier and Tony Awards . Despite its unusual premise that deterred investors initially, the musical turned out to be an unprecedented commercial success, with a worldwide gross of US$ 3.5 billion by 2012. The London production ran for 21 years and 8,949 performances, while
2976-411: The down payment of the theatre. He later recalled that if Cats had been a commercial failure, it would have left him in financial ruin. The remaining capital was eventually raised by small investments procured from 220 individuals through newspaper advertisements. After the musical became a massive hit, the rate of return for these investors was estimated to have exceeded 3,500 per cent. After
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3072-490: The eighth-longest-running West End show . Lloyd Webber began setting Eliot's poems to music in 1977, and the compositions were first presented as a song cycle in 1980. Producer Cameron Mackintosh then recruited director Trevor Nunn and choreographer Gillian Lynne to turn the songs into a complete musical. Cats opened to positive reviews at the New London Theatre in the West End in 1981 and then to mixed reviews at
3168-461: The prologue and nothing more, as seen in " Another Op'nin', Another Show " from Kiss Me, Kate and " Tradition " from Fiddler on the Roof . Cats on the other hand features four Jellicle-defining songs: "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats", "The Naming of Cats", "The Jellicle Ball" and "The Ad-Dressing of Cats". These numbers allow the cats to celebrate their tribe and species as a whole, in between
3264-404: The stalls onto the theatre's 60 ft (18 m) revolve such that the audience moved along with the stage. When the show was brought to Broadway, the Winter Garden Theatre was given a similar $ 2 million makeover; its proscenium stage was converted into a thrust , and a part of its roof was torn through to allow for the effects of Grizabella's ascension to the Heaviside Layer. Nunn
3360-400: The 12-year Supreme Court term and the 8-year Circuit Court term coincided, no current circuit judge could run for the seat without forgoing an attempt at re-election to his or her current position. Benjamin announced on April 16, 2015, that he would seek a second term, this one on a non-partisan basis. On June 5, 2015, Beth Walker, announced she would be a candidate, stating that she would run to
3456-403: The 13-minute "Jellicle Ball" dance to be the crux of the show, noting that in order to work as a dance-driven musical, Cats "had to succeed there or die". She recalled the difficulty she faced in persuading Lloyd Webber to add the extended dance break, culminating in her and her dance crew having to dance all the parts in the "Jellicle Ball" to convince him. The original staging of Cats at
3552-402: The 1980 summer Sydmonton Festival . The concert was performed by Gemma Craven , Gary Bond and Paul Nicholas . Eliot's widow and literary executor , Valerie , was in attendance and brought along various unpublished cat-themed poems by Eliot. One of these was "Grizabella the Glamour Cat" which, although rejected from Eliot's book for being "too sad for children", gave Lloyd Webber the idea for
3648-481: The 2017-2018 expenses scandal (see below), Justice Davis retired. This triggered the second special election held on November 6, 2018. The Governor filled the vacancy until the election by appointing Evan Jenkins , who resigned from Congress to fill the seat. A total of 10 candidates filed for this seat as well. Evan Jenkins, the appointee was elected with 36% of the vote, with Dennise Renee Smith receiving 14%, former State Senate president Jeff Kessler receiving 12%, and
3744-414: The 7 remaining candidates splitting the remainder. Jenkins was to continue to serve the remaining time of Davis' term, which would expire on January 2, 2025, but he resigned on February 4, 2022. Three separate elections were held in May 2020. The full-term (12 years) seats held by Justices Workman and Justice Armstead were contested. These elections were again held on a non-partisan basis and consisted of
3840-709: The Broadway production ran for 18 years and 7,485 performances, making Cats the longest-running musical in both theatre districts for a number of years. Cats has since been revived in the West End twice and on Broadway once. It has also been translated into multiple languages and performed around the world many times. Long-running foreign productions include a 15-year run at the Operettenhaus in Hamburg that played over 6,100 performances, as well as an ongoing run in
3936-530: The Fall 2018 Term, the Court appointed Cabell County Circuit Court Judge Paul T. Farrell to sit in the place of Loughry. This was a temporary assignment and did not constitute Ferrell becoming a Justice. In light of Loughry's resignation and Hutchison's appointment, Ferrell returned to duty in Cabell County at the end of the fall 2018 court term. Likewise, the Court appointed Judge Alan Moats, whose circuit
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4032-625: The Heaviside Layer every year. The cats put on a play for Old Deuteronomy (" The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles "), telling a story about two dog tribes clashing in the street and subsequently being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat . A moral from Old Deuteronomy is interrupted by a second loud crash, presumably from Macavity , which sends the alarmed cats scurrying. After a quick patrol for Macavity, Old Deuteronomy deems it
4128-528: The Heaviside Layer", while the song "The Moments of Happiness" was taken from a passage in Eliot's The Dry Salvages . Cats director Trevor Nunn and lyricist Richard Stilgoe provided the remaining lyrics, namely for the opening number "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" and the most famous song from the musical: " Memory ". The former was written by Nunn and Stilgoe and was modelled after an unpublished poem by Eliot titled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats", while
4224-522: The Jellicles", while a cat version of heaven known as the Heaviside Layer was mentioned in one of his unpublished poems. Nunn expanded on these concepts by conceiving the Jellicle Ball as an annual ritual in which the cats vie to be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer, thus giving the characters a reason to gather and sing about themselves in the musical. He also added the element of rebirth as
4320-577: The Legislature declined to do so from 1974 until 2021. Thus, the Supreme Court provided the only review of the decisions of the state's trial courts of general jurisdiction , the West Virginia Circuit Courts , during that period. In December 2010, the Supreme Court promulgated a major revision of West Virginia's rules of appellate procedure, by which it provided that it would hear all properly perfected appeals of right from
4416-564: The November general election, and both were later elected. On December 12, 2018, Justice appointed Hutchison, a lifelong friend and circuit judge in Raleigh County , to the seat vacated by Loughry. Justice made the appointment despite Hutchison being in a different political party from himself, describing Hutchison as "a conservative" and "a respected jurist". The Chief Justiceship is a rotating office, which by tradition changed from one Justice to another each year. In December 2021, it
4512-486: The alarmed producers that he was struggling to write the script for the musical. Despite still having no established book or score, rehearsals began on 9 March 1981 in a church hall in Chiswick , London. The situation improved later that day when Lloyd Webber, Mackintosh and Nunn met with Richard Stilgoe , a musician known for his ability to improvise lyrics on the spot, in hopes that Stilgoe could write an opening song for
4608-701: The architects. The center's opening date was announced as April 19, 1977, and on that day, the arena opened to the public with a Doobie Brothers concert, which was attended by 6,922. On October 18, 2003, Wheeling-based bank holding company WesBanco signed a 10-year naming rights deal for $ 2.3 million. The company renewed the deal for 10 more years for $ 2.5 million on August 23, 2013. It can also be used for conventions, trade shows, concerts, banquets and other events. It features 23,684 square feet (2,200 m) of space plus 7,500 square feet (700 m) of meeting room space. These meeting rooms can accommodate parties from ten to several hundred people. The largest meeting room
4704-639: The arena on a regular basis. The Harlem Globetrotters have become a favorite of residents making yearly appearances at the arena. Comedians such as Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Dunham have appeared at the arena. Stage shows such as Cats , Chicago , Lord of the Dance and Blue Man Group , have also packed the arena. This arena has also played host to high action entertainment events such as Monster Jam , WWE , Thunder Nationals , Freestyle Motocross , PBR and others every year. On November 12, 1977,
4800-434: The arena's maximum capacity. The back parking lot offers parking to guests at some events and parking for trucks, trailers and buses of acts and offers direct stage access load-in through the large elephant door. It offers access for handicap patrons, including direct access from handicap parking, an elevator, direct access to multiple concessions and restroom areas and handicap seating available from different spots throughout
4896-480: The arena. The Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL have played home games at the arena since 1993. The arena hosted games three, four and five of the 2016 Kelly Cup Finals , featuring the hometown Nailers taking on the visiting Allen Americans . Wheeling won game three after splitting with Allen in games one and two. The Nailers lost games four and five, giving Allen a 3–2 series lead going back to Allen. Allen went on to win
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#17327809908014992-598: The beginning of the Jellicle Ball ("The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball"). At this moment, Munkustrap , the show's main narrator, explains that tonight the Jellicle patriarch Old Deuteronomy will make an appearance and choose one of the cats to be reborn into a new life on the Heaviside Layer. Munkustrap introduces the first contender Jennyanydots ("The Old Gumbie Cat"), a large tabby cat who lazes around all day, but come nighttime, she becomes active, teaching mice and cockroaches various activities to curb their naturally destructive habits. Just as Jennyanydots finishes her song,
5088-501: The circuit courts. Beginning July 1, 2022 a new intermediate appellate court, the Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia , is in operation, overseeing administrative, family, and civil appellate jurisdiction while criminal cases will continue to only be reviewed by the Supreme Court. Justices are elected to 12-year terms in staggered, statewide, nonpartisan elections. In years that two seats are up for election,
5184-557: The conference's annual Banquet of Champions, the largest high school athletic banquet in the United States. It also played host to the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team for one season in the 1999–2000 season due to construction at the team's normal venue. Other sporting events such as high school basketball , College basketball , college hockey , indoor football and others have hosted games at
5280-580: The construction of the civic center, was turned down by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia . The action paved the way for the City Council to sell bonds for the project. The arena's original construction date, April 1, 1975, was announced in February 1975, but by September 6, 1975, construction had begun on the civic center. Around this time, the architectural firm Dalton, Dalton, Little & Newport replaced Mosser Construction Inc. as
5376-681: The court. Ketchum's resignation was part of a July 31, 2018, plea bargain , where he pled guilty to a single felony count of wire fraud . Although never implicated in any criminal conduct, on August 13, 2018, Robin Davis retired from the court after being impeached. Finally, on November 12, 2018, Allen Loughry resigned after being impeached and convicted of multiple federal felonies. Governor Jim Justice appointed Jenkins (a sitting congressman), and Armstead (the former House of Delegates Speaker) to Ketchum's and Davis's former seats on August 25, 2018. Both Jenkins and Armstead filed their candidacies for
5472-504: The dance captain Jo-Anne Robinson, and cast members Finola Hughes and John Thornton. The resulting choreography blends ballet , modern dance , jazz and tap , interspersed with acrobatic displays. Lynne also trained the cast to evoke the movement, physicality and behaviour of actual cats. These feline traits were incorporated into the movement and choreography so as to create an " anthropomorphic illusion". Lynne considered
5568-585: The death, resignation, or removal of a sitting justice, Article 8, Section 2 of the West Virginia Constitution permits the Governor to appoint a replacement. An election to fulfill the unexpired term must be held by the next regular general election. Because of the long length of the court's term (12 years), mid-term vacancies are frequent. Until 2015, elections to the Supreme Court of Appeals were partisan. After Republicans took control of
5664-412: The definitive 16-piece licensed version. Cats is an ensemble show with a large supporting cast and no leads . Characters who are featured singers and/or dancers: Other characters who have appeared in multiple notable productions include: Notes : Notable replacements from the musical's West End and Broadway runs: Cats is completely told through music with no dialogue in between
5760-452: The election, Beth Walker received 39% of the vote to McGraw's 23%, Wooton's 21% and Benjamin's 12%. Walker took office on January 1, 2017. On July 11, 2018, due to the 2017-2018 expenses scandal (see below), Justice Ketchum resigned. This triggered the first special election held on November 6, 2018. The Governor filled the vacancy until the election by appointing Tim Armstead , the former state House Speaker. A total of 10 candidates filed for
5856-422: The expense of a traditional narrative structure. Musicologists William Everett and Paul Laird described Cats as "combining elements of the revue and concept musical ". The plot centres on a tribe of cats called the Jellicles , as they come together at the annual Jellicle Ball to decide which one of them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer (their version of heaven) and be reborn into a new life. The bulk of
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#17327809908015952-430: The first preview. Shortly after this, the original music director, Chris Walker, also had to leave the production for medical reasons and was replaced by the film conductor Harry Rabinowitz . Dench's understudy Myra Sands replaced her as Jennyanydots, while Elaine Paige agreed to take over the role of Grizabella. Opening night was pushed back to 11 May, but Mackintosh refused to postpone the previews as he wanted to dispel
6048-627: The full House of Delegates impeached the four remaining members of the court. On August 14, 2018, Justice Davis retired, effective August 13, 2018. The West Virginia Senate , however, refused to dismiss the articles of impeachment against Davis and scheduled her for trial along with the other justices. In the first of the four impeachment trials, the Senate, in a 32-1-1 vote on October 2, 2018, decided not to remove Justice Walker from office. The Senate followed by agreeing, by voice vote, to publicly "reprimand and censure" Justice Walker for her actions in
6144-427: The industry rumours that the production was an impending debacle. The development of Cats was also plagued by financial troubles. Mackintosh struggled to raise the £450,000 (US$ 1.16 million ) needed to stage the musical in the West End as major investors were sceptical of the show's premise and refused to back it. Lloyd Webber personally underwrote the musical and took out a second mortgage on his house for
6240-484: The junkyard. With a third crash and an evil laugh, the "most wanted" cat Macavity appears. He is the so-called "Napoleon of Crime" who always manages to evade the authorities. Macavity's henchmen capture Old Deuteronomy and take off with the patriarch in tow. As Munkustrap and his troop give chase, Demeter and Bombalurina explain what they know about Macavity ("Macavity: The Mystery Cat"). When they are finished, Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy, but his cover
6336-411: The latter was written by Nunn based on another Eliot poem titled "Rhapsody on a Windy Night". Lloyd Webber began composing the songs in late 1977 as a songwriting exercise, partly because Eliot's book had been a childhood favourite and partly to see if he could write music to predetermined lyrics. The compositions were performed privately for friends but Lloyd Webber had no further intentions for them at
6432-416: The major poems. We decided that if Eliot had thought of being serious, touching, almost tragic in his presentation of a feline character, then we had to be doing a show which could contain that material, and the implications of it. Furthermore, we would have to achieve the sense of progression through themes more than incidents. An event called the Jellicle Ball was referenced by Eliot in the poem "The Song of
6528-407: The medium. Cats was adapted into a direct-to-video film in 1998 and a feature film in 2019. Cats is based on T. S. Eliot 's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats , and the songs in the musical consist of Eliot's verse set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber . The musical is unusual in its construction; along with Eliot's poems, music and dance are the main focus of the show at
6624-492: The music changes suddenly and Rum Tum Tugger makes his extravagant entrance in front of the tribe ("The Rum Tum Tugger"). He is very fickle and unappeasable, "for he will do as he do do, and there's no doing anything about it". Then, as Rum Tum Tugger's song fades, a shabby old grey cat stumbles out wanting to be reconciled; it is Grizabella . All the cats back away from her in fear and disgust and explain her unfortunate state ("Grizabella: The Glamour Cat"). Grizabella leaves and
6720-424: The music changes to a cheerful upbeat number as Bustopher Jones , a fat cat in "a coat of fastidious black", is brought to the stage ("Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town"). Bustopher Jones is among the elite of the cats, and visits prestigious gentlemen's clubs . Suddenly, a loud crash startles the tribe and the cats run offstage in fright. Hushed giggling sounds signal the entrance of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer ,
6816-481: The musical consists of the different contenders being introduced, either by themselves or by other cats. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is a collection of light poetry about cats that Eliot had originally written for his godchildren in the 1930s. Due to the rhythmic nature of Eliot's work, there had been previous attempts before Cats at setting his poems to music, though none of these attempts had been met with much critical or commercial success. John Snelson,
6912-483: The musical. By the next evening, Stilgoe had produced a draft for "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats". However, "Memory", an 11 o'clock number for Grizabella that Nunn insisted the show needed as its "emotional centre", still had no lyrics at this point. Lloyd Webber's former writing partner Tim Rice was brought in to write a lyric for the song, but his version was rejected by Nunn for being too depressing. The lyrics for "Memory" were not completed by Nunn until well into
7008-405: The next cat to be introduced ("Gus: The Theatre Cat"). He was once a famous actor but is now old and "suffers from palsy which makes his paws shake". He is accompanied by Jellylorum , his caretaker, who tells of his exploits. Gus then remembers how he once played the infamous pirate captain, Growltiger ("Growltiger's Last Stand"). He tells of Growltiger's romance with Lady Griddlebone, leading to
7104-548: The office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia was launched, and the court was audited by the state's legislative auditor. The charges of rampant corruption led to calls for the impeachment of Loughry and any other member of the court found to be involved. On July 11, 2018, Justice Ketchum resigned from the court. On July 31, 2018, he entered a guilty plea in
7200-433: The ones that celebrate individual members. Regarded as "one of the most challenging shows to dance in musical theatre history", dance plays a major role in Cats as the original creative team had specifically set out to create "England's first dance musical". Before Cats , the industry-wide belief was that British dancers were inferior to their Broadway counterparts. The risky hiring of a British choreographer, Lynne, for
7296-500: The others and develop a quick rapport with the audience. Such a rapid familiarity and identification of purpose can be achieved through pastiche. But it was only a musical starting point, for the songs in Cats move beyond the straightforward " Elvis " pastiche of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ; they are less pointed, more the free workings within a range of chosen styles than direct copies of
7392-435: The overture, a tribe of cats known as the Jellicles gather on stage and describe themselves and their purpose ("Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats"). The cats (who break the fourth wall throughout the show) then notice that they are being watched by a human audience, and proceed to explain how the different cats of the tribe are named (" The Naming of Cats "). This is followed by a ballet solo performed by Victoria to signal
7488-425: The pirate's capture by a horde of Siamese cats and his execution by walking the plank . Back in the present, after Gus exits, Skimbleshanks is seen sleeping in the corner ("Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat"). He is the cat who is unofficially in charge of the nightly train from London to Gallowgate , and it will not depart unless he is aboard. Within his song, a whole steam train engine is assembled out of objects in
7584-407: The political right of Benjamin. On December 12, 2015, trial lawyer and former Democratic legislator, William Wooton, announced he would be a candidate, supported by donations from trial lawyers and run to the left of those candidates. On the last day to file, former justice Darrell McGraw , who was voted out of office after one term in 1988 announced he would run to the left of all candidates. In
7680-511: The previews. Many of the ensemble characters were created by the original cast through extensive improvisation sessions held during the rehearsal process. Said Nunn: "[O]n day one of rehearsals what we had was 15 poems set to music and five weeks later we had a show with characters, relationships and stories running from beginning to end." The production faced a last minute mishap when Dench snapped her Achilles tendon during rehearsals for "The Old Gumbie Cat" and had to pull out one week before
7776-475: The remainder of the term. The seats held by Justice Hutchison and Justice Bunn were up for 12-year teams in 2024. These elections were held on a non-partisan basis and during the May primary election. Each seat was elected separately. Justice Hutchison was eligible for his full judicial pension and will be well into his 80s by the time a new term expired and did not seek re-election. Because all circuit judges were also be up for re-election in 2024, none could seek
7872-432: The role. Sarah Brightman , who had already made a name for herself with the chart hit " I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper ", arranged a private audition and was cast in an as-then undecided role. By December, the full cast had been assembled. Meanwhile, Mackintosh engaged the advertising agency Dewynters to design a poster for the musical. After much back-and-forth, the agency presented a minimalist poster consisting of
7968-458: The scandal. The remaining justices were scheduled to tried separately in October and November 2018. Rather than face trial, Justice Workman sued the Legislature before a reconstituted Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor on technical grounds. 38°20′11″N 81°36′43″W / 38.336401°N 81.612062°W / 38.336401; -81.612062 Cats (musical) Cats
8064-446: The seat. Tim Armstead, the appointee was elected with 26% of the vote, with Kanawha County Circuit Court judge Joanna I. Tabit receiving 22%, Eastern Panhandle Circuit Court Chief Judge Chris Wilkes receiving 13%, former State Senator Mark Hunt receiving 12%, and 6 remaining candidates splitting the remainder. Armstead continued to serve the remaining time of Ketchum's term, which expired on January 1, 2021. On August 14, 2018, due to
8160-690: The series 4–2. The 1993 ECHL All Star Classic was also held at the arena. The outer hallways are lined with display cases as the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. These cases display memorabilia from all schools past and present in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, as well as memorabilia from Ohio Valley natives, who have gone on to professional sports careers, including Bill Mazeroski , Bobby Douglas, Chuck Howley , Phil Niekro and Joe Niekro , among others. The arena also hosts
8256-481: The show before the song is sung in full, serving to characterise Grizabella and foreshadow her final number. Similarly, Lloyd Webber introduces a fugue in the overture, and variations of this theme are then repeated throughout the musical until it is finally resolved as Grizabella ascends to the Heaviside Layer. The musical also features an unusual amount of "group-description" numbers. According to musicologist Jessica Sternfeld, such numbers are usually relegated to
8352-457: The songs, although there are occasions when the music accompanies spoken verse. Lloyd Webber's compositions employ an eclectic range of musical styles so as to magnify the characters' contrasting personalities. For example, the rebellious Rum Tum Tugger is introduced with a rock song ("The Rum Tum Tugger"); the fallen Grizabella is accompanied by a dramatic operatic aria ("Grizabella: The Glamour Cat"); Old Deuteronomy makes his grand entrance to
8448-437: The spotlight while a guilty Old Deuteronomy looks on ("Memory (Prelude)"). After the Jellicle Ball, Old Deuteronomy gathers his tribe to contemplate the nature of happiness. Jemima (also known as Sillabub), the youngest of all Jellicles, understands the patriarch is referring to Grizabella, and passes the message on to the rest of the tribe ("The Moments of Happiness"). Gus – short for Asparagus – shuffles forward as
8544-410: The stage to the boxes and balcony so as to give the cast access to the entire auditorium during the show. Napier began designing the set in November 1980, wanting "a place where cats might congregate together, which also included maximum room for dancing". The set of Cats consists of a junkyard filled with oversized props to give the illusion that the cast are the size of actual cats; it remains
8640-668: The state of West Virginia , the highest of West Virginia's state courts . The court sits primarily at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston , although from 1873 to 1915, it was also required by state law to hold sessions in Charles Town in the state's Eastern Panhandle . The court also holds special sittings at various locations across the state. Although the West Virginia Constitution allowed for an intermediate court of appeals to be created,
8736-572: The then artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), to direct Practical Cats . Nunn was an unusual choice as he was considered "too high-brow" for musical theatre, but Mackintosh felt that a "pedigree" director was needed to ensure Valerie Eliot's approval of the project. After much persuasion, Nunn came on board and was joined by his RSC colleagues, choreographer Gillian Lynne and set and costume designer John Napier . Nunn initially envisioned Practical Cats as
8832-448: The time. After his song cycle Tell Me on a Sunday was televised by the BBC in early 1980, Lloyd Webber began to consider using his musicalization of Eliot's poems in the same vein for a televised concert anthology. He approached producer Cameron Mackintosh to explore possible avenues for the songs. Practical Cats , as the show was then called, was first presented as a song cycle at
8928-434: Was also adamant that the orchestra for Cats be hidden backstage — out of the audience's view — so as not to break the immersion. Adding to the experience, the show usually includes a lot of audience interaction, such as during the overture when the cast don flashing "green eyes" as they make their way through the audience in the darkened theatre. In the original Broadway production, catwalks were built to connect
9024-400: Was announced that John A. Hutchison would be chief justice in 2022 and Beth Walker would be chief justice in 2023. The Court sometimes designates "senior-status" (retired) judges or justices to temporarily fill vacancies when required. Other times it will promote a current Circuit Court Judge. By tradition most Circuit Judges are promoted to at least one such case during their careers. For
9120-452: Was elected with 31% of the vote, to 30% for Kanawha County Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit, and 20% each for Kris Raines and Jim Douglas. A third, special, election, was held to fill the remainder of what was originally Loughry's term, then filled by appointment by Hutchison. This "Unexpired Term" runs from the certification of the final count in the May election, until January 2025, with the seat again up for election in May 2024. Justice Hutchison
9216-454: Was elected with 39% of the vote to 35% for Lora Dyer and 25% for Bill Swartz. Justice Jenkins resigned on February 4, 2022. He gave no public explanation for his decision. Because the filing period for the primary election has expired, the special election for the remainder of Jenkins' term, which will expire on January 2, 2025, would have been held in the November 2022 general election, on a non-partisan basis. The governor would have appointed
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