Andrew Lloyd Webber Credits Son for Leona Lewis CATS Casting

British pop star Leona Lewis makes her Broadway debut in the role of "Grizabella," the Glamour Cat, in the first-ever Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's record-breaking musical, Cats. One of the biggest hits in theatrical history, Cats returned to Broadway last month, officially opening on Sunday, July 31, 2016.

According to today's New York Post, Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that the idea to bring Lewis in for the latest production was the brainchild of his son Alastair, who works at Island Records and put together Lewis' most recent album.

At the CATS premiere Sunday evening, Lloyd Webber said of his son, "He's young, he's 23, he's never seen 'Cats.' But he had an idea: He said, 'I wonder whether Leona would be perfect'" Added the famed composer, "I'm happy to say my son was right!"

Leona Lewis has sold over 20 million records worldwide, reached #1 in over 35 countries, and is a 3-time GRAMMY nominee, a 7-time BRIT Award nominee also has also been nominated for MTV VMAs, EMAs, Billboard and most recently in 2016 a CMT award for her performance of 'Girl Crush' with Adam Lambert. Leona became the first British female solo artist to top the US Billboard 200 album chart in more than 20 years.

The current production of CATS marks the first New York revival of the beloved musical. Since its world premiere, Cats has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 15 languages, and has been seen by more than 73 million people worldwide. Originally directed by Trevor Nunn, a West End production premiered in 1981. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1982 where it won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Both the original London and Broadway cast recordings won Grammy Awards for Best Cast Album. Cats hit song "Memory" has been recorded by over 150 artists from Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis to Liberace and Barry Manilow. The Tony Award-winning Best Musical held the title of longest- running musical in Broadway history until it was surpassed in 2006 by Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. The original Broadway production closed on September 10, 2000 and is currently the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski