We were honored to be invited to the reunion brunch for the Jellicle Tribe, a group of members from the US National Tour 4 of Cats. They got together before opening night of CATS: The Jellicle Ball to catch up and discuss all things CATS.
Qween Jean Makes History With Tony Awards Win: ‘We Are Taking Up Space in Ways We Have To’
The trailblazing artist took home the Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical.
By: Michael Gioia
Qween Jean, who won the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical for her work on CATS: The Jellicle Ball, has become the first openly trans person to win in her category.
The Costume Designer and LGBTQ+ rights activist was nominated for two Tony Awards at the 79th annual ceremony.
Jean won the Tony for Best Costume Design of a Musical, beating out Linda Cho for Ragtime and Schmigadoon!, Ryan park for The Lost Boys and David I. Reynoso for Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show.
The designer was also nominated for Best Costume Design of a Play for her work on Liberation alongside Brenda Abbandandolo for Dog Day Afternoon, Emilio Sosa for The Balusters and Paul Tazewell for August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. The award went to Jeff Mahshie for Fallen Angels.
“Happy Pride, y’all. Happy Pride!” Jean said at the top of her speech, as the audience at Radio City Music Hall applauded.
“This is such an amazing experience,” she continued. “I just want to say thank you, thank you so much to the entire Tony Award nominating committee. I want to say thank you to the Almighty for breathing creativity and imagination. We are architects of imagination as costume designers that create so much love and compassion in this world.”
Thanking the cast, crew and creative team at CATS: The Jellicle Ball, Jean called the experience “monumental.”
“We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people,” she said. “We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm. So I just want to say thank you all so much for this incredible honor.”
“The world right now is deeply, deeply combating so many ailments, and we know, as a society, that when we come together, we can make real permanent change,” she concluded. “Thank you so much for this honor.”
Jean is also the founder of Black Trans Liberation, an organization that provides weekly fellowship, food, groceries and housing resources for the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming community.
She is also the author of Revolution Is Love.
The 79th annual Tony Awards are being hosted by Pink at Radio City Music Hall.
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Podcasts
Ep265 - Bebe Nicole Simpson, Demeter in CATS: The Jellicle Ball
“In ballroom, femininity in particular is embraced. It really shifted my perspective on things.” This episode features Bebe Nicole Simpson who is performing as Demeter in Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Ep264 - Jordan Stefanski, The Jellicle Patron
“All of them took concepts here and turned it into just this massive expression of queer joy in the time we are living in right now. It doesn’t deserve to be seen. It demands to be seen.” This episode features Jordan Stefanski, a devoted Cats: The Jellicle Ball fan who has seen the show over 50 times.
Ep263 - Ryan Jackson, Mistoffelees on US National Tour 5
“You know when you walk into a conversation and two friends are laughing so hard you start to laugh? You have no idea what they are laughing about but the energy is infectious.
Ep262 - Leigh Archer, Jennyanydots on 2025 Australian Tour
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Ep261 - Petra Ilse Dam, Bombalurina on Asia Tour
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Ep260 - Nathan Taylor, Bustopher Jones & Gus on the International Tour
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Ep259 - Tommie Luyben, Mungojerrie in German Tent Tour
“I always think of CATS as a picture book. Like a children's picture book come to life.” This episode features CATS veteran Tommie Luyben who has performed in the show since 2006 and recently assisted Chrissie Cartwright on the 2025 Australian tour (and the 2022 Asia tour).
About. This week on Odd Woman Out, Tutz sits down with the incredible Qween Jean — costume designer, activist, community leader, and now Tony Award winner.
Ep258 - Tannah Levick, Rumpleteazer in 2025 South Africa Tour
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Ep257 - Isabelle McCalla, Swing in McCalla's 1998 CATS & Emma Tate in Schmigadoon!
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#14 - Emma Sofia: The Unstoppable Jellicle Cat
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