Orchestra

Every live production of Cats is accompanied by an orchestra, which may vary in size and instrumental makeup. One unique aspect of Cats is that the orchestra is hidden from the audience in a sound booth backstage. For more information, see The Sets/Junkyard.

The original orchestrations were arranged by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The 16-piece licensed version is considered the official "definitive" version. Touring productions typically travel with a small core orchestra, using local musicians at each tour stop to provide additional instrumentations.

5 Piece
Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2001 US Tour 5
 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Guitar
 * 4) Bass / Band Tech
 * 5) Drums

7 Piece
In midst of the German tent tour in March 2011, the orchestra was reduced from ten to seven. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2010 German Tent Tour (from March 2011)


 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Guitar
 * 5) Bass
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Reed

8 Piece
This is the usual orchestration since 2013. The instrumentation was set up by Graham Hurman who has been the Musical Supervisor since the 4th UK tour. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2013 UK Tour IV
 * 2014 London/Blackpool
 * 2015 Australia/New Zealand Tour
 * 2015 Paris
 * 2016 International Tour
 * 2017 Asia Tour
 * US Tour VI
 * 2020 Asia Tour


 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Guitar
 * 5) Bass Guitar
 * 6) Drums / Percussion
 * 7) Flute / Clarinet / Tenor Sax
 * 8) Clarinet / Soprano Sax / Baritone Sax

10 Piece
In 2003, when Cats had closed in London and started to tour the UK, a new abridged score was created by Andrew Lloyd Webber. This occasion was used to create a new orchestration which would become the standard for European productions until 2011. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2003 UK Tour
 * 2003 Madrid
 * 2004 Düsseldorf
 * 2005 Moscow
 * 2005 German Tour
 * 2006 Dutch Tour
 * 2010 German Tent Tour (until March 2011)
 * 2010 Brazil Tour


 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Guitar
 * 5) Bass Guitar
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Flute / Clarinet / Tenor Sax
 * 8) Clarinet / Soprano Sax / Baritone Sax
 * 9) French Horn
 * 10) Cello

US Tour Version
This version is a reduction of the original Broadway orchestration. It was set up by Stanley Lebowsky. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1987 US Tour IV
 * Australia Tour 1989


 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) 1st Trumpet
 * 5) 2nd Trumpet
 * 6) French Horn
 * 7) Trombone
 * 8) Reed 1
 * 9) Reed 2
 * 10) Guitar
 * 11) Bass
 * 12) Percussion
 * 13) Drums

2016 Broadway Revival Version
This version is an enhancement of the 8-piece orchestration that had been used for most productions since 2013. It was set up by Graham Hurman. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2016 Broadway
 * 1) Woodwind I
 * 2) Woodwind II
 * 3) Concertmaster (Lead Violin)
 * 4) Violin
 * 5) Violin/Viola
 * 6) Cello
 * 7) Keyboard I
 * 8) Keyboard II
 * 9) Keyboard III
 * 10) Percussion
 * 11) Guitar / Banjo
 * 12) Bass
 * 13) Drums

14 Piece
Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2001 Stuttgart
 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Electric / Acoustic Guitar
 * 5) Electric Bass
 * 6) Drums / Percussion
 * 7) Bangs / Percussion
 * 8) Flute / Piccolo / Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax
 * 9) Flute / Clarinet / Baritone Sax
 * 10) Oboe / English Horn
 * 11) 1st Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet / Flugelhorn
 * 12) 2nd Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet
 * 13) Trombone
 * 14) Horn

1998 London Version
In 1998, the London production got rid of the trombone. The rest of the orchestration remained the same as before. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1981 London (1998-2002)


 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Electric / Acoustic Guitar
 * 5) Bass Guitar / String Bass
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Percussion
 * 8) Flute / Baritone Clarinet / Soprano Clarinet (or: Flute / Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax)
 * 9) Tenor Flute / Soprano Flute (or Flute / Clarinet / Baritone Sax)
 * 10) Oboe / Cor Anglais
 * 11) 1st Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet
 * 12) 2nd Trumpet / Flugelhorn
 * 13) 1st Horn
 * 14) 2nd Horn
 * 15) Cello

2002 Berlin Version
Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2002 Berlin


 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Guitar
 * 5) Electric Bass
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Percussion
 * 8) Reed 1
 * 9) Reed 2
 * 10) Reed 3
 * 11) 1st Trumpet
 * 12) 2nd Trumpet
 * 13) Trombone
 * 14) 1st Horn
 * 15) 2nd Horn

1981 Original Version
This is the original orchestration of the show as first heard on the opening night in 1981. It was set up by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1981 London (1981-1998)
 * 1985 Sydney
 * 1989 UK Tour I
 * 1993 UK Tour II
 * 1994 Euro Tour
 * 1996 Antwerp
 * 1) Keyboard I
 * 2) Keyboard II
 * 3) Keyboard III
 * 4) Electric / Acoustic Guitar
 * 5) Bass Guitar / String Bass
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Percussion
 * 8) Flute / Baritone Clarinet / Soprano Clarinet (or: Flute / Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax)
 * 9) Tenor Flute / Soprano Flute (or Flute / Clarinet / Baritone Sax)
 * 10) Oboe / Cor Anglais
 * 11) 1st Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet
 * 12) 2nd Trumpet / Flugelhorn
 * 13) Trombone / Euphonium
 * 14) 1st Horn
 * 15) 2nd Horn
 * 16) Cello

2016 Licensed Version
This orchestration, called the "definitive version", is used for productions licensed by The Musical Company (Really Useful Group's joint licensing company with Concord Theatricals) since 2016. Although, it's listed as the definitive orchestration for the show, most replica productions use the 8-piece version or other reduced or enhanced instrumentations.


 * 1) Woodwind I (Flute / Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax)
 * 2) Woodwind II (Bb Clarinet / Baritone Sax / Flute)
 * 3) Woodwind III (Oboe / Cor Anglais)
 * 4) Horn I
 * 5) Horn II
 * 6) Trumpet I (Bb Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet)
 * 7) Trumpet II (Bb Trumpet / Flugel Horn)
 * 8) Trombone
 * 9) Keyboard I (any acoustic or electric piano)
 * 10) Keyboard II (programming is essential*)
 * 11) Keyboard III (programming is essential*)
 * 12) Percussion
 * 13) Cello
 * 14) Guitar (Electric / Acoustic)
 * 15) Bass
 * 16) Drums

* II & III require keyboard programming for either Korg Tritons or Kurzweil 2500/2600. Alternatively, RMS Keyboards can be used.

17 Piece
This orchestration was set up by Stanley Lebowsky who was the Musical Supervisor for Broadway-based productions in the 1980s. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1985 Toronto
 * 1986 Hamburg
 * 1) Keyboards 1
 * 2) Keyboards 2
 * 3) Keyboards 3
 * 4) Guitar
 * 5) Bass Guitar
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Percussion 1
 * 8) Percussion 2
 * 9) Cello
 * 10) Trumpet 1 (Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet)
 * 11) Trumpet 2
 * 12) Trombone
 * 13) French Horn 1
 * 14) French Horn 2
 * 15) Woodwind 1 (Flute / Clarinet / Sax)
 * 16) Woodwind 2 (Clarinet / Flute / Sax)
 * 17) Woodwind 3 (Oboe / Cor Anglais)

18 Piece
Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1987 Amsterdam
 * 1) Piano / Synthesizer
 * 2) Synthesizers
 * 3) Synthesizers
 * 4) Synthesizers
 * 5) Electric/Acoustic Guitar
 * 6) Bass Guitar
 * 7) Drums
 * 8) Percussion 1
 * 9) Percussion 2
 * 10) Trumpet 1
 * 11) Trumpet 2
 * 12) Trombone
 * 13) French Horn 1
 * 14) French Horn 2
 * 15) Flute / Saxophone
 * 16) Flute / Saxophone / Clarinet
 * 17) Oboe / English Horn
 * 18) Cello

22 Piece
Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1983 US Tour I

23 Piece
This orchestration was created for the original Broadway production as the size of the orchestra had to follow the musicans' union rules to fill the whole orchestra pit of the theatre. As the original version, this instrumentation was set up by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Cullen. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1982 Broadway
 * 1) Piano / Prophet 5 Synthesizer
 * 2) Prophet 5 Synthesizer
 * 3) Electric Piano / Prophet 5 Synthesizer
 * 4) Electric Bass
 * 5) Electric / Acoustic Guitar
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Percussion 1
 * 8) Percussion 2
 * 9) Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet / Flugelhorn
 * 10) Trumpet / Flugelhorn
 * 11) Trumpet / Flugelhorn
 * 12) Trombone
 * 13) Bass Trombone
 * 14) French Horn 1
 * 15) French Horn 2
 * 16) Oboe / Oboe d'amore / English Horn
 * 17) Flute / Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax
 * 18) Clarinet / Alto Sax / Flute
 * 19) Piccolo / Flute / Tenor Sax
 * 20) Bassoon / Baritone Sax / Clarinet
 * 21) Cello 1
 * 22) Cello 2
 * 23) Cello 3

24 Piece
This version is an enhancement of the 1982 Broadway 23-piece version. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1983 Vienna
 * 1) Keyboard 1
 * 2) Keyboard 2
 * 3) Keyboard 3
 * 4) Electric Bass
 * 5) Electric Guitar
 * 6) Drums
 * 7) Percussion 1
 * 8) Percussion 2
 * 9) Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet / Cornet
 * 10) Trumpet
 * 11) Trumpet
 * 12) Trombone
 * 13) Bass Trombone
 * 14) French Horn 1
 * 15) French Horn 2
 * 16) Oboe / English Horn
 * 17) Bassoon
 * 18) Flute / Baritone Sax / Piccolo
 * 19) Clarinet / Alto Sax / Flute
 * 20) Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax
 * 21) Clarinet / Tenor Sax
 * 22) Cello 1
 * 23) Cello 2
 * 24) Cello 3

1991 Mexican Version
This version is an enhancement of the 1982 Broadway 23-piece version. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 1991 Mexico Tour
 * 1993 Buenos Aires
 * 1) Electric Piano / Piano / Synthesizer
 * 2) Guitar
 * 3) Bass Guitar
 * 4) Drums
 * 5) Percussion
 * 6) Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet
 * 7) Trumpet / Piccolo Trumpet
 * 8) Trumpet
 * 9) Trombone
 * 10) Trombone
 * 11) Bass Trombone
 * 12) French Horn 1
 * 13) French Horn 2
 * 14) Clarinet 1
 * 15) Clarinet 2
 * 16) Flute
 * 17) Flute / Piccolo
 * 18) Oboe / English Horn
 * 19) Bassoon
 * 20) Alto Sax
 * 21) Tenor Sax 1
 * 22) Tenor Sax 2
 * 23) Baritone Sax
 * 24) Cello 1
 * 25) Cello 2
 * 26) Cello 3
 * 27) Cello 4

2019 Vienna Revival Version
Due to the large in-house orchestra of the Ronacher Theater, the musical was reorchestrated for the Austrian revival production. Based on the 2013 8-piece and the 2016 licensed versions, it sounds noticeably different when compared the the Mexican 27-piece version. Productions using this orchestration:


 * 2019 Vienna