Theater News

Broadway's Cats Revival Finds Its Memorable Grizabella

A British ”X-Factor” winner will make her Broadway debut.

Leona Lewis will play Grizabella in the upcoming Broadway revival of Cats.
Leona Lewis will play Grizabella in the upcoming Broadway revival of Cats.
(photo provided by the production)

British pop singer and X-Factor winner Leona Lewis will make her Broadway debut this summer as Grizabella in the upcoming revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats.

"It is an incredible honor to be asked by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber to join the Cats family," Lewis said in a statement. "I will never forget seeing the show as a little girl and how blown away I was by the magical experience of it. I am beyond thrilled for my Broadway debut to be in such an iconic show."

As previously announced, the principal company will be made up of Quentin Earl Darrington (Ragtime) as Old Deuteronomy, Eloise Kropp (Dames at Sea) as Jennyanydots/Gumbie, Ricky Ubeda (On the Town) as Mr. Mistoffelees, and Tyler Hanes (A Bed and a Chair) as Rum Tum Tugger.

The company will also include Giuseppe Bausilio (Aladdin) as Carbucketty, Jeremy Davis (The Last Ship) as Skimbleshanks, Kim Faure (Bullets Over Broadway) as Demeter, Sara Jean Ford (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) as Jellylorum, Lili Froehlich as Electra, Daniel Gaymon as Macavity, Shonica Gooden as Rumpleteazer, Christopher Gurr (All the Way) as Gus/Bustopher Jones, and Andy Huntington Jones (Bullets Over Broadway) as Munkustrap.

Additionally, the cast is set to feature Kolton Krouse as Tumblebrutus, Jess LeProtto (On the Town) as Mungojerrie, Georgina Pazcoguin (On the Town) as Victoria, Emily Pynenburg (Gigi) as Cassandra, Arianna Rosario (On the Town) as Sillabub, Ahmad Simmons as Alonzo, Christine Cornish Smith as Bombalurina, Corey Snide (13) as Coricopat, Emily Tate as Tantomile, and Sharrod Williams as Pouncival. Richard Todd Adams, Aaron Albano, Callan Bergmann, Claire Camp, Francesca Granell, Jessica Hendy, Harris Milgrim, Madison Mitchell, Nathan Patrick Morgan, and Megan Ort will also be featured.

The musical's original West End and Broadway director Trevor Nunn will helm the production, with choreography by Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler, based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne, and with associate direction by Lynne. The creative team for the new Broadway production will also include sound design by Mick Potter, lighting design by Natasha Katz, and scenic and costume design by John Napier.

Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the original Broadway production of Cats opened in 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre, currently home to Webber's School of Rock. The production ran for a record-breaking 18 years and 7,485 performances and earned six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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Closed: December 30, 2017