Broadway Production/Score

When Cats opened on Broadway in 1982, the score was significantly altered from the original, cutting verses from longer songs and replacing two numbers with new pieces of music. Many of the revised Broadway numbers have since superseded their original London counterparts as the "definitive" versions that are used all around the world.

Characters

• Jemima was renamed Sillabub
• Admetus was renamed Plato
• Bill Bailey was renamed Tumblebrutus
• Gilbert, the lead Siamese, was renamed to Genghis
• Pouncival was introduced
• George, Electra and Victor were cut

Jellicle Songs

• Baby Griz was in the first two numbers
• Tumblebrutus is the cat who swings on the trapeze
• Part of the final chorus of "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" was cut

• Chorus that was cut:

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats
Jellicle bells that Jellicles ring
Jellicle sharps and Jellicle flats
Jellicle songs that Jellicles sing

Invitation

• Mistoffelees sang the first chorus of the "Invitation". The ensemble repeated his chorus instead of singing an excerpt of "The Song of the Jellicles".

Gumbie Cat

• Munkustrap sings the "I have a Gumbie cat in mind" verses (originally sung by Mistoffelees in London)
• The original beginning of the "Gumbie" tap is retained, although the tap-off was cut.
• A large chunk of the song was cut; this shortened version has since supplanted the original London one as the "definitive" version

The Rum Tum Tugger

• Munkustrap, Mistoffelees and Alonzo all sang the "terrible bore" line in "Tugger".

Bustopher Jones

• The second and third stanzas in Bustopher's solo in his song were cut.

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer

• The upbeat version of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" was introduced
• There originally was no Macavity scare after Bustopher. Instead, Tugger announced Mistoffelees ("The greatest magicians have something to learn from Mr Mistoffelees conjuring turn!"), who proceeded to sing "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" himself, conjuring puppets made of trash, with the Macavity scare occuring after this song was over.
• Because Misto sang the song, the lyrics were altered from first person POV to third person POV
• The following verse was cut:

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer:
We are very well known in Cornwall Gardens, in Launceston Place and in Kensington Square
We have really a little more reputation than a couple of cats can very well bear.

• This third person POV was reverted in 1987 to the original staging from London (i.e. Mungo and Rumple as actual Jellicles who sing their own song), but retaining the new upbeat melody, thus resembling the Vienna version.

Old Deuteronomy

• Sung by Munkustrap and Tugger (originally sung by Skimbleshanks, George and Mistoffelees in London)
• In "Old Deuteronomy", the chorus is sung "No, yes..." instead of "Yes, no..."
• A verse was cut from the song while the ensemble repeated the chorus three times; this has since become the "definitive" version of the song
• Verse that was cut:

Old Deuteronomy sits in the street
He sits in the high street on market day
The Bullocks may bellow, the sheep they may bleat
But the dogs and the herdsmen will turn them away
The cars and the lorries run over the curb
And the villagers put up a notice "Road closed"
So that nothing untoward may chance to disturb
Deuteronomy's rest when he feels so disposed
The digestive repose of that felines gastronomy
Must never be broken whatever may befall
The oldest inhabitant croaks

Grizabella / Memory Act 1

• Demeter's verse in "Memory Act 1" was moved up to "Grizabella the Glamour Cat"
• A short reprise of Grizabella the Glamour Cat was added, sung by Jellylorum and Sillabub

Jellicle Ball

• The Jellicle Ball had no music cuts.
• Victoria and Tumblebrutus danced the pas de deux

Intermission

• As with London, Old Deut remained on stage during the interval and audience members were allowed to take pictures with him and get an up close look at the set

Growltiger

• This was the introduction of the Aria to "Growltiger's Last Stand", instead of the Ballad.
• The full sword fight music is retained.

Macavity

• Original lyric in "Macavity":

Demeter:
I might mention Mungojerrie

Bombalurina:
Rumpleteazer, Griddlebone

• Was changed to:

Demeter:
I might mention Mungojerrie

Bombalurina:
I might mention Griddlebone

• The longer beginning of the Macavity fight is retained.
• Alonzo takes the majority of the fight against Macavity and is paired with Demeter afterwards

Mistoffelees

• Mistoffelees sang the second verse of his song himself, and the dance break was moved from between the first and second verses to after the second verse. His singing in this song was later removed, but the dance break remained after the second verse.
• The verse that Mistoffelees sang was changed from third person to first person POV:

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
And I've sometimes been heard by the fire
When I was about on the roof
At least, they all heard that somebody purred
Which is incontestable proof
Of my singular magical powers
And I've known the family to call
Me in from the garden for hours
While I was asleep in the hall

Ad-Dressing of Cats

• A verse and chorus was cut from "Ad-Dressing of Cats" and this has since become the "definitive" version of the song

Old Deuteronomy:
Now Dogs pretend they like to fight;
They often bark, more seldom bite;
But yet a Dog is, on the whole,
What you would call a simple soul.
The usual Dog about the Town
Is much inclined to play the clown,
And far from showing too much pride
Is frequently undignified.
He's such an easy-going lout,
He'll answer any hail or shout.

Ensemble:
The usual Dog about the Town
Is inclined to play the clown,
Again I must remind you that
A Dog's a Dog—A CAT'S A CAT.