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The first Cats Broadway revival opened in summer 2016, produced by the Shubert Organization and the Nederlander Organization. Previews began on 14 July 2016 at the Neil Simon Theatre, and the show opened on 31 July.

The production closed on 30 December 2017, after a total of 593 performances and 16 previews. At the same time, a US Tour was announced to open in January 2019.

The show was developed from the 2014 London revival. Trevor Nunn, the original director, directed the revival, and the original designs of John Napier were used. Andy Blankenbuehler was brought in to re-choreograph the show. His new choreography is firmly rooted in Gillian Lynne's original work, though Gillian Lynne herself was not directly involved with the development of this production.

Production Specifics[]

Many changes were made to Cats for the production, mainly modified/new choreography and slight lyric changes to songs. 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. "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. This sequence is performed to suggest an acted out performance involving the tribe rather than a dream sequence like Growltiger. 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. See HERE for more details on the changes.

The production's set is primarily made of elements of the London Palladium production, with the car registration plate NAP 70 (the same number as the Palladium set). The props and costumes were produced by the London-based makers of the Palladium/UK Tour costumes, rather than Parsons-Meares who made the original Broadway and US Tour costumes. The costume designs were similar to those used on the Palladium production, with certain costumes being further developed; for instance Jennyanydots' basic costume now echoes the spots on her featured Gumbie Cat costume. Tugger now has a new separate ensemble costume for Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats rather than wearing his Tugger unitard without the large mane. Bustopher Jones no longer carries an oversized spoon with him. Mistoffelees' light-up jacket was created by Enlighted Designs, creating an technologically advanced version of the classic costume.

The Broadway Revival used a combination of character names from the previous London and Broadway productions. Sillabub is used rather than Jemima, Plato rather than Admetus, and Tumblebrutus rather than Bill Bailey, as is tradition established by previous US productions. However, Carbucketty (spelled "Carbuckety") now existed alongside Pouncival, with the two being separate characters (the former using the London Carbucketty design, the latter using the George design). The ensemble identities during "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" for Old Deuteronomy, Gus and Tugger were also named Victor, Peter, and Bill Bailey, respectively.

Creative Team[]

Neil Simon Theatre

Neil Simon Theatre, pre-opening.

Cast[]

See the Casting Call for this production.

Broadway Revival Cast
Character Opening Cast
(July 2016)
Later Cast Final Cast
(December 2017)
Alonzo Ahmad Simmons
until 15/01/2017;
21/02/2017 - 01/10/2017
Spencer Clark
17/01/2017 - 19/02/2017
Sam Lips
from 03/10/2017
Asparagus /

Bustopher Jones

Christopher Gurr
Bombalurina Christine Cornish Smith
until 06/08/2017
Mackenzie Warren
from 08/08/2017
Carbuckety Giuseppe Bausilio
until 16/10/2016;
27/12/2016 - 29/01/2017
Robbie Nicholson
05/09/2017 - 12/11/2017
Jakob Karr
31/01/2017 - 06/08/2017;
from 14/11/2017
Tanner Ray Wilson
17/10/2016 - 25/12/2016
Kolton Krouse
08/08/2017 - 03/09/2017
Cassandra Emily Pynenburg
until 20/08/2017
Emily Grace Kersey
from 22/08/2017
Coricopat Corey John Snide (Dance Captain)
until 11/06/2017
Ron Todorowski
13/06/2017 - 12/11/2017;
from 21/11/2017
Kolton Krouse
14/11/2017 - 19/11/2017
Demeter Kim Faure
until 13/11/2016;
20/12/2016 - 30/07/2017
Robin Masella
15/11/2016 - 18/12/2016
Samantha Sturm
from 01/08/2017
Electra Lili Froehlich (Dance Captain)
until 29/10/2017
Mallory Michaellann
from 31/10/2017
Grizabella Leona Lewis
until 09/10/2016
Jessica Hendy
11/10/2016 - 16/10/2016
Mamie Parris
from 17/10/2016
Jellylorum Sara Jean Ford
until 20/11/2016
Sarah Jane Shanks
22/11/2016 - 10/09/2017
Sara Jean Ford
from 12/09/2017
Jennyanydots Eloise Kropp
until 06/08/2017
Sarah Marie Jenkins
from 08/08/2017
Mistoffelees Ricky Ubeda
until 16/07/2017
Zachary Downer
from 18/07/2017
Mungojerrie Jess LeProtto
until 29/01/2017
Zachary Daniel Jones
from 31/01/2017
Munkustrap Andy Huntington Jones
Old Deuteronomy Quentin Earl Darrington
until 29/10/2017
Nathaniel Stampley
from 31/10/2017
Plato / Macavity Daniel Gaymon
until 01/10/2017
Marc A. Heitzman
from 03/10/2017
Pouncival Sharrod Williams
until 01/10/2017
Evan Kasprzak
from 03/10/2017
Rumpleteazer Shonica Gooden
until 11/06/2017;
04/12/2017 - 16/12/2017
Haley Fish
13/06/2017 - 03/12/2017;
from 18/12/2017
Rum Tum Tugger Tyler Hanes
Sillabub Arianna Rosario
until 11/06/2017
Jessica Cohen
from 13/06/2017
Skimbleshanks Jeremy Davis
until 11/06/2017
Colin Cunliffe
25/07/2017 - 01/10/2017
Aaron Albano
13/06/2017 - 23/07/2017;
from 03/10/2017
Tantomile Emily Tate
Tumblebrutus Kolton Krouse
until 29/01/2017
Andrew Wilson
from 31/01/2017
Victoria Georgina Pazcoguin
until 19/03/2017
Maria Briggs
21/03/2017 - 16/04/2017;
16/05/2017 - 28/05/2017
Claire Rathbun
18/04/2017 - 14/05/2017;
from 30/05/2017
Swing (Booth) Richard Todd Adams
Swing (Booth) Aaron Albano
until 11/06/2017
Corey John Snide
13/06/2017 - 01/10/2017
Colin Cunliffe
from 03/10/2017
Swing (Booth) Jessica Hendy
Swing (Booth) Madison Mitchell
until 18/12/2016;
07/03/2017 - 09/07/2017;
from 19/09/2017
Robin Masella
20/12/2016 - 05/03/2017
Maria Failla
11/07/2017 - 17/09/2017
Swing (Booth) Nathan Patrick Morgan
Swing (Booth) Megan Ort
Swing (Booth) Tug Watson
30/12/2016 - 10/01/2017;
03/10/2017 - 29/10/2017;
27/11/2017 - 16/12/2017
Swing Callan Bergmann
until 12/03/2017;
from 28/3/2017
Swing Maria Briggs
17/10/2016 - 19/03/2017;
18/04/2017 - 14/05/2017;
from 30/05/2017
Swing Joshua Burrage
from 03/10/2017
Swing Claire Camp (Dance Captain)
until 25/06/2017
Swing Spencer Clark
14/03/2017 - 26/03/2017
Swing Francesca Granell
Swing Kolton Krouse
from 31/01/2017;
18/07/2017 - 06/08/2017
Swing Harris Milgrim
until 17/09/2017;
from 31/10/2017
Swing Jonalyn Saxer
31/01/2017 - 01/10/2017
Swing Dani Spieler
from 11/07/2017
Swing Tanner Ray Wilson (Dance Captain)
17/10/2016 - 06/08/2017;
from 22/08/2017

Videos[]

Broadway.com Vlogs[]

Vlog series chronicling the Cats revival starring Tyler Hanes, for Broadway.com

Gallery[]

Button

Media Coverage[]

  • June 2016 Interview - Gillian Lynne about the Broadway Revival, The Stage

Reviews[]

  • Variety.com - Very positive apart from Leona Lewis not being in the same league as Betty Buckley et al.
  • Guardian.com - ***, Kitsch, dated... yet strangely adorable.

Awards and Nominations[]

Main article: Awards

Trivia[]

  • A special matinee performance was held on November 20, 2016, for alumni of the original Broadway production.
  • The 2016 cast recorded a song "A Jellicle Christmas" for the 2016 Carols for a Cure album in benefit of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

  • Similarly, the 2017 cast recorded a song "Joy to the World" for the 2017 Carols for a Cure album.


ve Broadway's Cats
Productions Original (1982 - 2000): CastGalleryCast RecordingScoreWinter Garden Theatre

Revival (2016 - 2017): CastGalleryScoreNeil Simon Theatre

National Tours US Tour #1 (1983 - 1987): Cast

US Tour #2/L.A. (1985 - 1986): Cast
US Tour #3 (1986 - 1988): Cast
US Tour #4 (1987 - 1999): Cast
US Tour #5 (2001 - 2012): CastGallery
US Tour #6 (2019 - present): CastGallery

Characters AlonzoBombalurinaBustopher JonesCarbuckettyCassandraCoricopatDemeterElectraEtceteraGriddleboneGrizabellaGrowltigerGusJellylorumJennyanydotsMacavityMr. MistoffeleesMungojerrieMunkustrapOld DeuteronomyPlatoPouncivalRum Tum TuggerRumpleteazerRumpus CatSkimbleshanksSillabubTantomileTumblebrutusVictoria
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