The 2016 revival of Cats plays its final performances December 30 at 2 PM and 8 PM at the Neil Simon Theatre. At the time of its closing, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical will have played 16 previews and 593 regular performances.
Directed by Trevor Nunn and with choreography by Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler (based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne), the first-ever Broadway revival of the classic 1982 show opened at the Neil Simon Theatre July 31, 2016.
A national tour is scheduled to launch in January 2019, officially opening at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Rhode Island. Additional stops on the tour include Chicago, Durham, North Carolina, and Los Angeles. A full itinerary and cast will be announced later.
The current cast of Cats includes Mamie Parris as Grizabella, Ahmad Simmons as Alonzo, Tyler Hanes as Rum Tum Tugger, Mackenzie Warren as Bombalurina, Jakob Karr as Carbuckety, Emily Pynenburg as Cassandra, Ron Todorowski as Coricopat, Samantha Sturm as Demeter, Lili Froehlich as Electra, Sarah Jane Shanks as Jellylorum, Sarah Marie Jenkins as Jennyanydots, Zachary Downer as Mistoffelees, Zachary Daniel Jones as Mungojerrie, Andy Huntington Jones as Munkustrap, Christopher Gurr as Gus / Bustopher Jones, Daniel Gaymon as Macavity, Sharrod Williams as Pouncival, Haley Fish as Rumpelteazer, Jessica Cohen as Sillabub, Aaron J. Albano as Skimbleshanks, Emily Tate as Tantomile, Andrew Wilson as Tumblebrutus, Quentin Earl Darrington as Old Deuteronomy, and Claire Rathbun as Victoria, along with Richard Todd Adams, Jessica Hendy, Madison Mitchell, Nathan Patrick Morgan, Megan Ort, Corey John Snide, Callan Bergmann, Maria Briggs, Francesca Granell, Harris Milgrim, Jonalyn Saxer, and Tanner Ray Wilson.
Composed by Lloyd Webber and based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the original Broadway production opened in 1982 at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre (currently home to Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock), where it ran for 7,485 performances and 18 years. The musical was originally produced on Broadway by Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Company Limited, David Geffen and The Shubert Organization.
The creative team for the new Broadway production also includes John Napier (scenic and costume design), Natasha Katz (lighting design), and Mick Potter (sound design). This new production of Cats is licensed by The Really Useful Group. Nina Lannan serves as executive producer.
