Broadway 2016/Score

Many changes were made to Cats for the Broadway Revival, mainly modified/new choreography and slight lyric changes to songs. Most of these changes were kept in the subsequent US Tour 6, while some were also incorporated into the international tour. Most notably, this was the score that introduced the new Pekes and Pollicles played by Gus to replace Growltiger's Last Stand.

General features

 * New choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler throughout the show, featuring more hip hop dance styles.
 * Some changes made previously for the London Palladium production, such as "Street Cat Tugger" and extended moments for Grizabella, were not carried over into this production.

Jellicle Songs

 * The tempo for "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" was slowed down
 * Grizabella does not take part in the opening, hence there is no Babygriz (reverted in US Tour 6)
 * Alonzo is the cat who swings on the trapeze

Gumbie Cat

 * The Beetles' Tattoo section in "The Old Gumbie Cat" has been removed, replaced by the cats tap dancing wearing costumes of hubcaps and "cleaning" the stage under her direction, while a giant clock counts down the time before the family wakes up.

Jenny:
 * Original lyric in "The Old Gumbie Cat":

"Just need employment

To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment"

Trio:

"So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,

A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy scouts,

Jenny:

"With a purpose in life and a good deed to do -

Trio:

"And she's even created a beetles' tattoo!"


 * Was shortened and changed to:

Jenny:

"Just need employment

To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment"

Trio:

"Provided they each know the job they must do -

she also allows them their fun and games too!"

The Rum Tum Tugger

 * Munkustrap and Alonzo sing the "terrible bore" line in "The Rum Tum Tugger".
 * Tugger no longer goes into the audience during his number but rather after. In the Broadway revival, he would get his picture taken with an audience member by Demeter using a comically large polaroid camera. In the 6th US tour, Bombalurina would chase after him in the audience, both stopping to interact with audience members.

Old Deuteronomy

 * In "Old Deuteronomy", the chorus is sung "Yes, no..." instead of "No, yes...", thus reverting the lyric change made in the original Broadway Production.

Jellicle Ball

 * Right before the Jellicle Ball, there is a Macavity scare sung by all the queens that features lyrics from "Macavity the Mystery Cat", but is sung to a different tune.


 * "Macavity Scare" lyrics:

Queens:

"He's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity"

"He hypnotizes with his eyes, his head sways like a snake, like a snake, Like a snake"

Grizabella reprise

 * Jellylorum and Sillabub's lines are cut in the Grizabella reprise.

Growltiger/Pekes and Pollicles

 * "Growltiger's Last Stand" is completely removed, with Gus performing "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" (moved to Act 2) as a re-imagined Rumpus Cat. After Gus reminisces about playing the Great Rumpus Cat, Old Deuteronomy tells him that he could do it again, and so the cats help Gus relive his glory days. This sequence is an acted out performance involving the tribe rather than a dream sequence like Growltiger.

Gus:

"And I once played the Rumpus Cat..."

Old Deuteronomy:

"...so do it again. So do it again!"

Gus:

"... I could do it again!"


 * The "heathen Chinese" line in the Pekes and the Pollicles was retained. It was played off with Munkustrap being alarmed and quickly interrupting Gus when he hears Gus say the line. This was reverted in the 6th US Tour, replaced with "winsome Chinese".


 * The "Tom Pollicle" section of "Pekes and the Pollicles" was cut


 * The following section of "Pekes and the Pollicles":

Ensemble:

"And what with the glare of his eyes and his yawning,

The Pekes and the Pollicles quickly took warning.

He looked at the sky and he gave a great leap -

And they every last one of them scattered like sheep."


 * Was sung by the ensemble to the tune of the following section from "Growltiger's Last Stand":

Ensemble:

"Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news flew through the land

At Maidenhead and Henley there was dancing on the Strand

Rats were roasted whole in Brentford and Victoria Dock

And a day of celebration was commanded in Bangkok!"

Macavity

 * The usual Macavity decoys are not used. Instead, a Macavity double appears briefly onstage right after the "Macavity" song, kicking and jumping and scaring the Jellicles, while at the same time the main Macavity performer enters disguised as Old Deuteronomy.

Mistoffelees

 * The second verse of "Magical Mister Mistoffelees" is a back-and-forth between Rum Tum Tugger and Mistoffelees:

Mistoffelees:

My manner is vague and aloof

You would think there was nobody shyer

But my voice has been heard on the roof

When I was curled up by the fire

Rum Tum Tugger:

And he's sometimes been heard by the fire

Mistoffelees:

When I was about on the roof

Rum Tum Tugger:

At least, they all heard that somebody purred

Mistoffelees:

Which is incontestable proof

Rum Tum Tugger:

Of his singular magical powers

And I've known the family to call

Him in from the garden for hours

Mistoffelees:

While I was asleep in the hall

Heaviside Layer

 * Grizabella ascends to the Heaviside Layer via a flying harness