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Andrew Lloyd Webber is celebrating just another reinvention of one of his classic works. As CATS: The Jellicle Ball begins previews on Broadway tonight, look back on the Tony-winner attending the musical’s sitzprobe. Watch video from inside the cast’s first rehearsal with the band below with their special guest.
“I just had the most joyous experience that anyone could have as a composer. Just listening to the wonderful cast of the Jellicle Ball in such a different way but so much full of the joy that I know that T.S. Eliot, who wrote the wonderful words, the original poet. He just would have loved that. But it’s just extraordinary for me to hear it like this, which is just a joy,” the iconic composer stated.
CATS: The Jellicle Ball is now in previews at the Broadhurst Theatre ahead of a Wednesday, April 7 opening night.
CATS: The Jellicle Ball, is directed by OBIE Award winners Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch and choreographed by Chita Rivera Award winners and New York City Ballroom icons Omari Wiles (House of NiNa Oricci) and Arturo Lyons (House of Miyake-Mugler). CATS: The Jellicle Ball has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.
The Broadway cast includes Tony Award® and Grammy Award® winner André De Shields as ‘Old Deuteronomy,’ Ken Ard as ‘DJ Griddlebone,’ Kya Azeen as ‘Etcetera,’ Bryson Battle as ‘Jellylorum,’ Sherrod T. Brown, Jonathan Burke as ‘Mungojerrie,’ Baby Byrne as ‘Victoria,’ Tara Lashan Clinkscales, Bryce Farris, Sydney James Harcourt as ‘Rum Tum Tugger,’ Dava Huesca as ‘Rumpleteazer,’ Dudney Joseph Jr. as ‘Munkustrap,’ Junior LaBeija as ‘Gus,’ Leiomy as ‘Macavity,’ Robert “Silk” Mason as ‘Magical Mister Mistoffelees,’ “Tempress” Chasity Moore as ‘Grizabella,’ Primo Thee Ballerino as ‘Tumblebrutus,’ Xavier Reyes as ‘Jennyanydots,’ Nora Schell as ‘Bustopher Jones,’ Bebe Nicole Simpson as ‘Demeter,’ Emma Sofia as Cassandra’/’Skimbleshanks,’ Phumzile Sojola, Kendall Grayson Stroud, B. Noel Thomas, Kalyn West, Donté Nadir Wilder, Garnet Williams as ‘Bombalurina, and Teddy Wilson Jr. as ‘Sillabub.’
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s worldwide phenomenon CATS is reimagined in a production that smashed records, won awards, and left New York City purring. And now CATS: The Jellicle Ball ascends to Broadway in a kaleidoscope of glittering spectacle, iconic music, and electrifying ballroom choreography.
