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Cats 1981

Ages: 6+
Opened: May 11, 1981
Closing: May 11, 2002

Cats - 1981 West End History , Info & More

Based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot

The longest running, most popular, North American Touring Production in history!

There's no better way to introduce your family to the wonders of live theatre than with the magic, the mystery, the memory of CATS. What began as a musical about cats after Andrew Lloyd Webber picked up a book of poems in an airport bookshop has become one of the longest running shows in Broadway's history. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, CATS features 20 of Andrew Lloyd Webber's timeless melodies, including the hit song "Memory."

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BOOKS ABOUT Cats

Cats: Vocal Selections Cats: Vocal Selections Andrew Lloyd Webber
Photos: Louise Dearman and More in the CATS UK and Ireland Tour
by Stephi Wild - Oct 13, 2026


All new production photos have been released for the UK and Ireland tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS. Learn more about the production and check out the photos here!

DREAMGIRLS Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now?
by Michael Gioia - Oct 17, 2026


BroadwayWorld looks back on the 1981 Broadway musical 'Dreamgirls,' which ran for more than 1,500 performances, and what members of its cast are up to now.

CATS Returns to Singapore this October
by Oliver Oliveros - Oct 3, 2026


Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning musical 'Cats' is making a highly anticipated return to Singapore.

Cast Set For CATS at Milton Keynes Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Oct 2, 2026


The cast for CATS at Milton Keynes Theatre has been announced ahead of the production's engagement at the venue. Learn more about the upcoming show and the cast here.

Louise Dearman, Alice Fearn, and Rachael Wooding Join CATS UK and Ireland Tour as 'Grizabella'
by Stephi Wild - Oct 1, 2026


Louise Dearman, Alice Fearn and Rachael Wooding will share the role of Grizabella in the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of CATS touring the UK and Ireland.

When Broadway Musicals Are Reimagined- A Complete History
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Oct 4, 2026


The discourse surrounding reasons for reviving musicals on Broadway is a relatively recent phenomenon. These days, if a show is announced for a revival, a sentence that often follows is: “Why are they reviving it?” 

Looking for New Musicals This Season? You'll Find Them Off-Broadway 
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Aug 30, 2026


Much has been written and expressed about how few new Broadway musicals—six—hit the boards last season. The Broadway landscape is experiencing several challenges at the moment, largely tied to the American economy as a whole. In addition, the number of new musicals per season always fluctuates. In particular, the post-pandemic seasons stuffed with productions that were waiting in the docket were bound to cause a few course-correcting smaller slates in subsequent years.

Review Roundup: Did CATS in London Make The Critics Purr With Delight?
by Aliya Al-Hassan - Aug 7, 2026


There's no better way to introduce your family to the wonders of live theatre than with the magic, the mystery, the memory of Cats. What began as a musical about cats after Andrew Lloyd Webber picked up a book of poems in an airport bookshop has become one of the longest running shows in Broadway's history. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Cats features 20 of Andrew Lloyd Webber's timeless melodies, including the hit song 'Memory.' What did the critics think of Drew McOnie's new production?

Review: CATS, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
by Louise Penn - Aug 7, 2026


Cats makes a highly-anticipated return in a brand-new production for the Open Air Theatre stage. If you love dance, felines, or the score this should leave you purring.

First Cast Set For CATS UK and Ireland Tour
by Stephi Wild - Aug 4, 2026


Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals announced first casting for a new touring production of CATS, set to open at Theatre Royal Plymouth following its Regent's Park Open Air Theatre run.

Tony Danza, Linda Eder and More to Perform at 54 Below in July
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 26, 2026


Tony Danza returns to 54 Below with his Sinatra tribute show this July, joined by Linda Eder and a packed lineup of Broadway and cabaret stars.

Broadway 2026/27: Season Preview: Upcoming Premieres and Star-Studded Revivals
by Sidney Paterra - Jul 3, 2026


2026 is halfway over, which means that the 2026/27 Broadway season has just begun! All eyes are already on the lineup for the new Broadway season and many Broadway productions have already revealed full details of their upcoming engagements.

Who Will Win at the 2026 Tony Awards?
by Sidney Paterra - Jun 3, 2026


The 79th Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday, June 7, 2026. It's the biggest awards show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. Which Best Musical and Best Play nominees will take home the ultimate prize?

How to Watch 2026 Tony Award Nominees at Home: THE LOST BOYS, SCHMIGADOON! & More
by Josh Sharpe - May 16, 2026


The nominations are here for the 2026 Tony Awards. This year, a high number of titles have onscreen counterparts, and we have rounded up how to watch these versions at home, from The Lost Boys to Schmigadoon!

Review Roundup: CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL Opens On Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 7, 2026


CATS: The Jellicle Ball has officially brought its runway to Broadway! The musical revival opens tonight Broadhurst Theatre. Did the critics have a ball at this innovative new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical classic? Find out in our review roundup!

CATS UK Tour Extends With New 2027 Dates Following Regent’s Park Run
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 17, 2026


A new UK tour of CATS will launch in October 2026 at Theatre Royal Plymouth before continuing through June 2027. Directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, the production originates at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

Tour Dates Revealed For New UK Tour of CATS
by Stephi Wild - Mar 17, 2026


The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's global sensation, CATS, will embark on a major UK tour soon, and full dates for the forthcoming tour have now been revealed.

CATS Now Playing At Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 3, 2026


Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre will present CATS, the beloved musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, now through April 4, 2026, featuring classic songs and innovative staging.

Brisbane Welcomes 40th Anniversary Tour of CATS as Limited Tickets Released
by Gillian Blum - Feb 8, 2026


The 40th Anniversary Australian tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats opened to thunderous applause and a standing ovation at its final destination, the Lyric Theatre, QPAC for a short season until February 22.

CATS Returns to Sands Theatre This October; Waitlist Now Open
by Gilbert Kim Sancha - Jan 31, 2026


This October, one of musical theater’s most iconic spectacles makes its long-awaited return to the Red Dot. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking, genre-defining musical CATS will leap back onto the stage at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, for a strictly limited season.

Sir Trevor Nunn Directs EASY VIRTUE at Arts Theatre Cambridge
by Stephi Wild - Jan 20, 2026


Renowned director Sir Trevor Nunn returns to Arts Theatre Cambridge to direct EASY VIRTUE, featuring Alice Orr-Ewing, Michael Praed, and Greta Scacchi.

Final Tickets on Sale For The 40th Anniversary Tour of CATS in Brisbane
by Stephi Wild - Nov 17, 2025


Final tickets have been released for the Brisbane season of the 40th Anniversary Australian tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical CATS which will play at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC.

Which Pre-Broadway Tryout Theater Boasts the Most Best Musical Tony Award Winners?
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Nov 30, 2025


While different tryout theaters have different relationships to the development of new shows, it’s worth looking at both which commercial rental theaters and which non-profit theaters have had the most Best Musical Tony Award winners come from their stages.

Cast Set For CATS The Musical in South Africa
by Stephi Wild - Oct 22, 2025


The cast has been announced for the highly anticipated return of CATS - one of the most iconic and beloved musicals in theatre history. Learn more about the upcoming production here!

New Production of CATS is Coming to Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Ahead of UK Tour
by Stephi Wild - Oct 14, 2025


In Summer 2026 a brand-new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's global sensation, CATS, is headed to the outdoor setting of Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie.

Cats History

Other Productions of Cats

1982   Broadway Original Broadway Production
Broadway
2004   London Fringe London Revival
London Fringe
2011   US Tour National Tour
US Tour
2014   West End West End Revival
West End
2016   West End West End 2015 Revival Production
West End
2016   Broadway Broadway Revival Production
Broadway
2019   US Tour US Revival Tour
US Tour
2021   US Tour Non-Equity Tour
US Tour
2024   Off-Broadway Off-Broadway Production
Off-Broadway
2026   West End
West End

Cats - 1981 West End Awards and Nominations

Note: Award winners are highlighted with a background.
Cats awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Category Nominee
2002 Olivier Awards Audience Award for Most Popular Show
1981 Evening Standard Awards Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical
1981 Olivier Awards Actor of the Year in a Musical Wayne Sleep
1981 Olivier Awards Designer of the Year John Napier
1981 Olivier Awards Director of the Year Trevor Nunn
1981 Olivier Awards Musical of the Year Andrew Lloyd Webber
1981 Olivier Awards Musical of the Year Trevor Nunn
1981 Olivier Awards Musical of the Year Richard Stilgoe
1981 Olivier Awards Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical Gillian Lynne

Podcasts

Broadway Podcast Network

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.

Ep262 - Leigh Archer, Jennyanydots on 2025 Australian Tour

“If you’d asked me if I’d be in CATS again, I would have absolutely laughed and said don’t be ridiculous.” This episode features Leigh Archer who played Demeter in Australia in 1994 and recently returned as Jennyanydots on the Australian tour.

Ep261 - Petra Ilse Dam, Bombalurina on Asia Tour

“That’s the fun part about the show because the connections are not set and you can change them all the time.” This episode features Petra Ilse Dam who performed as Tantomile in the 2019 Vienna Revival of CATS and then as Bombalurina on the International Tour in 2022.

Ep260 - Nathan Taylor, Bustopher Jones & Gus on the International Tour

“It’s a show unlike any other that has ever existed. I truly believe that. I think it broke all the rules of what made a successful hit Broadway or West End musical at the time.” This episode features international tour performer Nathan Taylor, who played Bustopher Jones and Gus on the International Tour.

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).

Ep258 - Tannah Levick, Rumpleteazer in 2025 South Africa Tour

“ I believe that Jellylorum is our mother and she spends so much bloody time with Gus, trying to help Gus and fix Gus. We just wanna get her attention.” This episode features Tannah Levick who performed as Rumpleteazer in the South Africa production of CATS and will be on the continuation of the international tour.

Ep256 - Kendall Grayson Stroud, Swing in CATS: The Jellicle Ball

“Ballroom has been one of the most important pieces of my life so far.” This episode features Kendall Grayson Stroud who is a swing in Broadway’s Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Kendall joined the earliest 2022 workshop, performed as Electra at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, and is now a swing covering 10 characters.

Ep255 - Emma Sofia, Cassandra & Skimbleshanks in CATS: The Jellicle Ball

"I have a dream that Skimbleshanks, as a representative of the MTA, is able to have a sit down with Zohran Mamdani to talk about the MTA fares.” This episode welcomes back the wonderful Emma Sofia for her third appearance on the show to discuss transferring Cats: The Jellicle Ball from the Perelman Arts Center to the Broadhurst Theatre, including how they adapted the PAC’s long runway into a proscenium space with tiers, onstage seating, boxes, and continued audience immersion.

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