Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats Revival Likely to Arrive on Broadway in Fall 2016 | Playbill

News Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats Revival Likely to Arrive on Broadway in Fall 2016 Citing strong box office for his London revival of Cats, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber says he is now "leaning toward" fall 2016 for the previously-announced Broadway production.

In February composer-lyricist Lloyd Webber appeared on BBC's "The Chris Evans Breakfast Show" to share a first-listen of Nicole Scherzinger's single for "Memory." At that time the creator of Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Sunset Boulevard and more said, "We are going to be taking Cats to Broadway. I just hope and pray that [Scherzinger's] gonna agree to do it there. Because I think she'd take America by storm."

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/861ef78a254c43d495b2deb61f223acc-05.20.11-SCW-ARTS-cats-1.jpg

In a new interview with UK's Telegraph this week, Lloyd Webber spoke a bit more about a possible Broadway production of the feline-themed musical, explaining, "[The London revival] did three times better than we thought it would. Thirteen weeks at the London Palladium. I know that building and that’s almost impossible. It has kicked it off again all round the world. Everyone now wants to take the production. It has a new face and is seating a completely new audience. That’s very exciting to see."

When asked whether Cats would arrive on Broadway in spring or fall 2016, the composer said, "It’s a big ask for my small company to go straight in [after mounting School of Rock]. I think we will lean towards the Fall. But it’s a lovely problem to have."

An official announcement for the show's NYC return has not been made.

The West End revival of Cats, which features musical updates, began at the London Palladium in early December 2014. The production recently extended through April 25. Based on T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats," the musical became an international phenomenon and has continuously toured the U.S. for 30 years in various union and non-union productions. In 1991 Cats became the longest-running continuous tour in U.S. history. The show produced the standout single "Memory."

Cats opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre Oct. 7, 1982, where it ran for 7,485 performances before closing Sept. 10, 2000. It held the title of Broadway's longest-running musical, but was surpassed by Lloyd Webber's other hit, The Phantom of the Opera, which currently holds the title. Cats won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes. Betty Buckley won a Tony for her performance as Grizabella on Broadway.

 
Today’s Most Popular News:
 X

Blocking belongs
on the stage,
not on websites.

Our website is made possible by
displaying online advertisements to our visitors.

Please consider supporting us by
whitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.
Thank you!