Jonathan Burke Once Did the Cats Tour, Now He's Starring in Cats: 'The Jellicle Ball'

Jonathan Burke, whose Broadway credits include Choir Boy, Tuck Everlasting, and the Tony-winning Best Play The Inheritance, can currently be seen Off-Broadway in the thrillingly imaginative, revitalized staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats.

Entitled Cats: "The Jellicle Ball" and co-directed by Bill Rauch and Zhailon Levingston, the drag ball-inspired revival of of the international megahit is currently playing the Perelman Performing Arts Center through August 11. In addition to the fabulous, humorous, and often moving performances from the multitalented company—a harmonious blending of ballroom and musical theatre favorites—there is a palpable joy that reverberates from the cast to the audience and back to these spirited, lively, and thoroughly wonderful Jellicle cats.

One of those dramatical cats responsible for spreading this queer joy throughout the theatre is Burke, who lights up the runway stage as a mischievously playful Mungojerrie opposite the Rumpleteaser of Dava Huesca. The nimbly athletic Burke—who also shares the stage with André De Shields, Sydney James Harcourt, Antwayn Hopper, Junior LaBeija, Robert "Silk" Mason, "Tempress" Chasity Moore, Shereen Pimentel, and more—has a long history with the Tony-winning musical, having played Mungojerrie in a non-equity Cats tour following his college graduation.

Burke has also been seen Off-Broadway in Love + Science, Patience, Toni Stone, Joan of Arc: Into the Fire, and Langston in Harlem, while his touring credits include Mary Poppins, A Christmas Story: The Musical, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. On screen, the actor has a recurring role in Harlem on Amazon Prime Video. He's also appeared in New Amsterdam, Only Murders in the Building, Bridge and Tunnel, Noah's Arc: The 'Rona Chronicles, and The Distinguished.

In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Burke shares why Choir Boy and Harlem are both pivotal moments in his career.

Company of *Cats: "The Jellicle Ball"* at Perelman Performing Arts Center Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Where did you train/study?
Jonathan Burke: I began my training as an actor major at the Baltimore School for the Arts for high school and trained at the Arena Players [Youtheater] while matriculating through high school. I then went on to receive my BFA in musical theatre from Ithaca College.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
I had many impactful teachers; however, the most impactful would have to be my very first drama teacher in middle school, Kenyatta Hardison, at the Cardinal Sheehan School in Baltimore, Maryland. She opened my eyes to the world of musical theatre and that there was a special talent inside of me that could result in a viable career in the industry if I worked hard and believed in myself as she believed in me.

This production of Cats is such a seamless blend of performers from the worlds of musical theatre and ballroom. How was that achieved during the rehearsal process?
Our directors, Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, and our choreographers, Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles, compiled a group of amazing artists from both the musical theatre and ballroom worlds, who were all willing and able to learn from each other, share with each other, and grow with each other. It was imperative that everyone in the room felt that their voice and experience was being heard and seen on stage. There were many conversations and physical explorations surrounding how to meld the two worlds to create a new language of theatre.

Dava Huesca and Jonathan Burke Jalen Gregory

What's it like performing on the runway stage and throughout the theatre/audience?
The set design has allowed for us and the audience to feel like we are truly immersed in a ball, giving us the space to interact with the audience in real ways that make the entire experience feel immediate and alive. It allows for new moments to be found daily as we interact with different audience members in each performance.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show for Mungojerrie?
My favorite moment is absolutely my number, “Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser!” I think that number is one of the most perfect meldings of the two worlds of musical theatre and ballroom, and I get to sing and dance at the same time, in ways that I haven’t done in a long time! In fact, I played Mungojerrie in the non-equity tour of Cats, immediately after graduating college, so getting to revisit this role in a different, yet equally as valid and fun way, is thrilling every night!

The cast of Broadway's *The Inheritance* on opening night Joseph Marzullo/WENN

The Inheritance was one of the most moving plays I've attended in recent years, and I'll never forget the ending of the first half. Can you share a favorite memory from working on that production?
The entire experience of that production was extremely special. One of my favorite memories was probably meeting Hillary Clinton, having her in the audience, and feeling the response to the scenes surrounding the election in the play, when the characters are living through the presidential election in which she lost to Donald Trump. The support that the audience showed to Hillary Clinton during that performance was visceral, and it solidified the fact that we were doing important work with this piece that truly reflected humanity.

Do you have a dream stage role that you've yet to play?
I often say that my dream roles are original roles that are tailor made to me. For instance, I have a dream of playing Prince in a biomusical, or even better, a biopic! As an actor-singer-dancer, I have always thought that I would be a wonderful Leading Player in Pippin or Joe Wellington in the musical Golden Boy, continuing the legacy of the great actor-singer-dancers, Ben Vereen and Sammy Davis, Jr., respectively.

What made you decide to become an actor? Was there a particular production or performance that influenced your decision?
I remember very distinctly the moment I decided to become an actor. It was in the sixth grade on the opening night of my middle school’s original production of a musical entitled Motown Spectacular. I will never forget the audience’s standing ovation after I finished singing Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour,” and the feeling that I never wanted to stop bringing this type of joy to people! At that moment, I said to myself, “I am going to be an actor!"

Tell me about a time you almost gave up but didn’t.
I almost gave up when I got accepted to every college’s theatre program that I applied to except for my number one choice. I was so heart set on attending that program, thinking there was only one way to skin a cat (pun intended, LOL), but I later realized that there are, in fact, many ways to skin a cat. I am so happy that I received such excellent training from my alma mater, Ithaca College.

Nicholas L. Ashe, Jonathan Burke, J. Quinton Johnson, Jeremy Pope, Caleb Eberhardt, John Clay III, and Gerald Caesar in *Choir Boy*

What do you consider your big break?
I consider my big break when I permanently took over the leading role, Pharus Jonathan Young, in Choir Boy at Manhattan Theatre Club on Broadway. I finally had the opportunity to tap into all of my skills in a way that was meaningful, not only to me as a gay man, playing a gay role, but for so many people like me who watched the show and finally saw themselves reflected on stage. It changed my life and the trajectory of my career in the best way possible.

How did you get your first job in the theatre?
The summer after my freshman year in college, without having to audition, I was directly offered an ensemble role in The Wiz at the Hangar Theatre, the local summer stock theatre in my college town, Ithaca, New York!

What is the most memorable day job you ever had?
I only ever had a day job for two days, when I worked for a start up company called Zocdoc. What was memorable was how short lived it was! LOL

Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
I respect so many of the Black and Brown trailblazers in my industry for their perseverance and dedication. There are too many to name, but at the moment I am particularly in awe of my Cats: "The Jellicle Ball" castmate and fellow Baltimorean, André De Shields. Watching firsthand his approach to the work with grace and excellence is an honor to witness.

Jonathan Burke and Justiin Davis in *Patience* Jeremy Daniel

Tell me about a job/opportunity you really wanted but didn’t get. How did you get over that disappointment?
There are countless jobs/opportunities that I really wanted but didn’t get. That is the nature of this business. Every time that happens, I remind myself that not every job/opportunity is for me; however, the jobs/opportunities that are for me will not pass me by. Perhaps not getting that particular job/opportunity is opening my schedule for the job/opportunity that is, in fact, meant for me!

What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
I would tell myself or anyone starting out to bring your authentic self to every room that you enter. It is your individuality that makes you the artist that you are meant to be. The sooner you are able to tap into the deepest truth of self, the sooner doors will open for you.

What do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
I wish I knew that you can apply for unemployment between acting jobs to keep you afloat.

What is your proudest achievement as an actor?
My proudest achievement as an actor is booking the recurring role of Eric on the hit Prime Video series, Harlem. I had been wanting to work consistently in TV for so long, and that moment finally arrived in a way that was so perfect for me by getting to play a character that is a queer, musical theatre performer, on a series that featured a nearly all-Black cast, created by a wonderful Black woman, Tracy Oliver! Season 3 is coming soon…!