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[]
- Director: Trevor Nunn
- Choreographer: Andy Blankenbuehler
- Associate Director & Choreographer: Chrissie Cartwright (recreating Gillian Lynne's original choreography)
- Costume & Set Designer: John Napier
- Associate Costume Designer: Lisa Zinni
- Costume Supervisor: Tracy Stiles
- Wigs made by Jenny Dean and Charles Wright
- Make-up developed by Karen Dawson and Nancy Powell
- Associate Scenic Designer: Alan Walker
- Musical Supervisor/Director: Kristen Blodgette
- Lighting Designer: Natasha Katz
- Sound Designer: Mick Potter
- Projection Designer: Brad Peterson
Cast[]
See the Casting Call for this production.
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 / | 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[]
Media Coverage[]
- May 2016 Interview - Andy Blankenbuehler with Broadway Direct
- June 2016 Interview - Gillian Lynne about the Broadway Revival, The Stage
Reviews[]
- Telegraph.co.uk - ***, not impressed with Leona Lewis but liked the rest.
- 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.
- NYTimes.com - Positive but critical of Leona Lewis.
- NBCNewyork.com - Complimentary to Leona Lewis.
- TheWrap.com - Dated, not updated enough.
- Hollywood Reporter.com - "Fans will lick it up", not very different to original.
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.
v • e Broadway's Cats | |
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Productions | Original (1982 - 2000): Cast • Gallery • Cast Recording • Score • Winter Garden Theatre
Revival (2016 - 2017): Cast • Gallery • Score • Neil Simon Theatre |
National Tours | US Tour #1 (1983 - 1987): Cast US Tour #2/L.A. (1985 - 1986): Cast |
Characters | Alonzo • Bombalurina • Bustopher Jones • Carbucketty • Cassandra • Coricopat • Demeter • Electra • Etcetera • Griddlebone • Grizabella • Growltiger • Gus • Jellylorum • Jennyanydots • Macavity • Mr. Mistoffelees • Mungojerrie • Munkustrap • Old Deuteronomy • Plato • Pouncival • Rum Tum Tugger • Rumpleteazer • Rumpus Cat • Skimbleshanks • Sillabub • Tantomile • Tumblebrutus • Victoria |