In her song The Old Gumbie Cat, we are told that a Gumbie Cat is the type of cat who sleeps all day long anywhere there is a sunbeam, or a nice smooth place to lie down. But as soon as the family is asleep for the night, she will creep down to the basement and start her nightly work. She teaches the mice music, crocheting, and tatting and keeps them quiet with a fry of bacon and peas. Jennyanydots loves order, and can't stand to see the house bugs idle and organizes a beetles' tatoo (or a military-style marching group) to keep them busy. Her "tatoo," made up of kittens and young adults in the show, come together for one of the most technically amazing dances in the show. It's a wonderful display of tap dancing by everyone, especially Jennyanydots, who leads the troupe after taking off her Gumbie coat for a more stylish flapper-like fringed catsuit. She even manages to fend off an "assasination attempt" by the very naughty Pouncival/Carbucketty.
Jennyanydots has been thought to have had a relationship with one of two toms. One is Skimbleshanks, and I can see this just because they are both very orderly cats. Also, as adults, they do spend time together when the younger cats are really dancing about. But what I see as more probable is a relationship with Bustopher Jones. She is the first queen to sing his praises, and goes into a dead faint when he gives her his flower.
The actress playing Jennyanydots sometimes will understudy the roll of Grizabella. Jennyanydots' actress is understudied by swing actresses, and sometimes by Tantomile! Jennyanydots' roll is a somewhat challenging one because she is one of the few characters who have a heavy emphasis both on dance and on voice.
Some of Jennyanydots' memorable moments in the show are:
Singing "Familiar with candle" with Victoria in Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.
The Old Gumbie Cat, where she gets to take center stage.
Being one of the adults who keeps the kittens away from Grizabella
Being the primary singer in the Bustopher Jones Chorus in Bustopher Jones.
Is the Peke Leader (bet'cha didn't know she was actually designated as that, did ya?) in The Awful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles.
Has the line "Jellicles wash behind their ears," in The Jellicle Ball.
In some shows (Paris and Norway), Jennyanydots will play the roll of Griddlebone in Growltiger's Last Stand.
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