Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Production Summary:

CATS: The Jellicle Ball is a groundbreaking reinterpretation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved 1981 musical, inspired by New York’s vibrant ballroom and vogue scene. Conceived and co-directed by Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, with choreography by Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles, the production transforms the Jellicle Ball into a dazzling celebration of queer culture, self-expression, and community.

Retaining Webber’s original score and T.S. Eliot’s poetic framework, this version reimagines the familiar feline world through movement, costume, and attitude, blending Broadway classicism with ballroom authenticity.

Production History:

After premiering to critical acclaim at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in downtown Manhattan in 2024, the show quickly developed a cult following and was hailed as a fresh, vital reawakening of a classic.

Its Broadway transfer to the Broadhurst Theatre in 2026 marks the musical’s first return to Broadway since the 2016 revival, which ran at the Neil Simon Theatre but received lukewarm reviews for its dated approach.

Context within Broadway History:

The original Cats opened on Broadway in 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre and ran for 18 years, becoming one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals. 

The 2016 revival attempted to recapture that success but failed to resonate with modern audiences. This new Jellicle Ball reinvention seeks to reclaim the show’s relevance for a new generation.

Cultural Note:

The last major Cats project before this revival—the 2019 film adaptation—was widely panned by critics and audiences alike for its unsettling visual effects and incoherent tone. The Jellicle Ball aims to restore the show’s legacy by embracing its inherent strangeness and transforming it into a celebration of individuality, artistry, and belonging.