Posted: 3/21/26 at 10:52pm
tonight started at 740 pm and curtain call at 10:10 pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "Official website and Telecharge both list an approximate 2:45 running time, including an intermission."
Posted: 3/22/26 at 1:32am
I suppose I am the perfect test case for the atypical person to see Cats: The Jellice Ball in early previews. I have never seen Cats in person, saw it once on BroadwayHD, don’t really know the score, am a cisgender guy now past 60, and have a rudimentary understanding of ballroom culture (fine, I did a few online searches). I didn’t approach JudyDenmark’s effort beforehand and I should have done so.
I had a great time anyway. The types of things that would normally bother me (difficulty understanding many of the lyrics, a rather strong sense that I was missing many of the jokes, and the giddy enthusiasm of the audience in general and my section in particular) were not an issue on Friday night. Plus, unlike my companions, I didn’t need to use the restroom at intermission, which apparently was a bit of an adventure. (The Broadhurst is a really tight squeeze, pretty much everywhere, but especially the restrooms.)
There were so many moments in the show, especially during the raucous first act, that were spectacular. Here’s just one: the early sequence when, after a fair amount of terrific dancing, the cast finally makes their way down the runway. My seat was in center mezzanine, fifth row, and that was the perfect place to be - surrounded by people who could not have been more thrilled to be there.
It was hard not to get caught up in the whole thing, especially because the creators have done a nice job of making things pretty obvious even for clueless people like me. Cats isn’t really too difficult to follow, especially if you’re just tracking the broad strokes, and the adaptation usually made sense - and when I was a bit lost, the show moved on. It helps that I like dance and have daughters with competitive dance backgrounds. The energy and talent all over the building was just really impressive. I have never experienced a show like it.
Posted: 3/22/26 at 8:30am
The show as written is full of grand, esoteric names, impenetrable lingo and mythology, and outdated references to London establishments and culture, all the while being centered on a quasi-mystical ritual-pageant being performed by cats. If you’re not familiar with the ballroom scene, transplanting the action to an actual, recognizable human culture makes it legible. People may not know the ins and outs of ballroom, but everybody has some experience with some ritualistic in-group thing like it- beauty pageants, sports, religion, clubs/secret societies/fraternities and sororities, etc.
Updated On: 3/22/26 at 08:30 AM
Posted: 3/22/26 at 9:16am
I see on Instagram that Ayo Edibiri and Kara Young were th guest judges last night, with Don Cheadle and Jin Ha in the audience with them
Posted: 3/22/26 at 8:03pm
sorry to repeat an earlier ask, but can anyone share how the view is from first row orchestra, row C, on the center left aisle?
I absolutely loved everything about this production downtown, and am excited to see it again, but am wondering if i should look into re-locating my tickets for next week...........
Updated On: 3/22/26 at 08:03 PM
Posted: 3/22/26 at 9:09pm
I sat in the front orchestra partial view seats last night and I think your seats would be great!
Posted: 3/23/26 at 7:17pm
Whomever suggested watching Paris is Burning before seeing the Jellicle Ball was entirely correct. I know ballroom culture from a lot of sources, but not this one. It makes the show more visceral. I saw this off- Broadway, but I’m even more excited to see this again next week!
Posted: 3/23/26 at 11:46pm
Saw this tonight. Definitely will grab a Tony or three-- the costumes, set, and lighting are insanely impressive. The choreography definitely stands out, but I have no base of knowledge for ballroom or drag culture and loved it. I'm queer but this subculture isn't my domain and I had a blast!
Intermission was an all out nightmare for restrooms, so I'm glad I didn't go. I was seated right in front and people were pouring out after the intermission had ended and had to be held in the back.
There were so many mid-show standing ovations, and I loved the use of the signs to signal when to pipe it down for the next scene. I'm curious to see how the older sector of the audience views this, because etiquette is notably tossed out of the window at the beginning minus the "no recording" clause. Fans clacking, people whooping, a drunk person singing along (Luckily their friends were reigning them in!) and people whispering all were permitted to match the environment.
Also sightlines in the back of the orchestra aren't the greatest. You miss some of the shadow dancing during the overture, and a duo behind me kept complaining between themselves that myself and the gentleman to my right were "too tall" and they couldn't see any of the show. They never confronted me so your milage may vary.
Definitely add this to your list for this season if you can!
Posted: 3/24/26 at 9:12am
Question if anybody has seen the show in the back of the mezzanine, will you get a good view
Posted: 3/24/26 at 9:27pm
Second week in and we have an understudy on already. Bryce Farris is making their debut tonight as Etcetera.
Posted: 3/24/26 at 11:43pm
ACL2006 said: "Second week in and we have an understudy on already. Bryce Farris is making their debut tonight as Etcetera."
Given what they all have to do with their bodies 8x a week, u/s will be on often. Those knees will hurt. This isn’t Death of a Salesman.
Posted: 3/25/26 at 12:00am
ACL2006 said: "Second week in and we have an understudy on already. Bryce Farris is making their debut tonight as Etcetera."
A good chunk of the swings are from the off-Broadway run as well as Saturday Church, so they are already quite familiar with the dance language that is needed to swing into any role. Bryce is also the dance captain, so it’s natural he was the best choice to go on as the first cover. (I saw him as Tumblebrutus on the last night off Broadway and he was fantastic).
Even though there are only 8 listed understudies/swings, I presume that many of the cast members are also getting rehearsed as emergency covers for certain roles
Example: Garnet Williams covered Bustopher off-Broadway, so presumably she would be covering that track as needed. Primo also covered Macavity, Baby covered Skimbleshanks & Jennyanydots, and Tara L. Clinkscales covered Rumpleteazer many of the minor female cats.
Personally, I will be sat when B. Noel Thomas goes on for Griz because she can SING!!!!!!
Posted: 3/25/26 at 6:49am
Playbill.com doesn't list all of the covers. EX: Bryce is only listed as a swing, so I'm assuming they cover most roles.
Posted: 3/25/26 at 4:27pm
Took a chance on F 1-3 box seats house right for next week. Only other option for three together was pretty far back in the orchestra, and the overhang seems to be an issue. We'll see. 🤞
Posted: 3/25/26 at 5:20pm
ACL2006 said: "Playbill.com doesn't list all of the covers. EX: Bryce is only listed as a swing, so I'm assuming they cover most roles."
Pretty much. Only the principal roles have listed understudies. If they listed covers for every role, the cast list would be two pages. As I mentioned before, swings aside, there are likely already many of the actors who regularly play the minor cat roles available to shuffle as needed
Posted: 3/25/26 at 8:17pm
Are the box seats loose chairs or regular theatre seats?
Posted: 3/25/26 at 9:12pm
Alexander Lamar said: "Are the box seats loose chairs or regular theatre seats?"
Think like cabaret table seats
Posted: 3/26/26 at 12:31am
Saw it tonight. Saw it off-Broadway, so was thrilled to be making a return to the ball! Farris was on again for Etcetera. The guest judges were Shaun Ross (model) and Aoki Lee Terrell (founding mother of the House of Donyale Luna). I was seated E4 in the mezz. I wish I could have seen a bit more of the crowd work in the audience in the orchestra and at the front of the stage, but cast members did come up to the mezz, too. I didn't really envy the audience members in the on-stage bleachers. While everyone is going to miss something with the set-up, it looks like they would have mostly been looking at the backs of cast members playing primarily to the front of the stage (e.g., Bryson and Junior in "Gus: The Theatre Cat"). I was also unsure whether those in the on-stage seating could see the video montage at the top of act 2 or the DJ booth.
Posted: 3/26/26 at 2:24am
Alexander Lamar said: "Are the box seats loose chairs or regular theatre seats?"
Description says they’re low back stools around a cafe table. Pix look like they’re mid-back leather barstools which I’m fine with. Back support makes me happy. :-)
Posted: 3/26/26 at 7:47am
bluetuna said: " The guest judges were Shaun Ross (model) and Aoki Lee Terrell (founding mother of the House of Donyale Luna).
Sydney Harcourt puts a story everyday on his insta showing him with the previous nights judges. But I couldn't Google who that was as he misspelled the name as Aloki or Aioki. So thanks for the explanation.
Posted: 3/26/26 at 9:37am
I saw Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the Broadhurst yesterday (I didn’t see it downtown). “Memory” was clearly transposed, and I wasn’t a fan of the key choice. It ended up feeling like one of the weaker moments in the score when it’s usually the emotional peak. Curious how others felt.
Posted: 3/26/26 at 9:46am
TennisFan said: "I saw Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the Broadhurst yesterday (I didn’t see it downtown). “Memory” was clearly transposed, and I wasn’t a fan of the key choice. It ended up feeling like one of the weaker moments in the score when it’s usually the emotional peak. Curious how others felt."
It’s important to know that “Tempress” Chasity Moore is a trans woman. Although she has transitioned, her voice isn’t necessarily going to reach the high quasi-operatic belt that everyone is used to.
The whole point in this context is a trans woman reclaiming her space and her interpretation has a certain raw energy to it that asserts her right to occupy space in the community and deserves forgiveness and a second chance, and I find that beautiful moreso than the traditional way.
Posted: 3/26/26 at 9:46am
considering the onstage actresses' connection to ball culture in real life - it's pretty dynamic.
Posted: 3/26/26 at 10:16am
bluetuna said: "Saw it tonight. Saw it off-Broadway, so was thrilled to be making a return to the ball! Farris was on again for Etcetera. The guest judges were Shaun Ross (model) and Aoki Lee Terrell (founding mother of the House of Donyale Luna). I was seated E4 in the mezz. I wish I could have seen a bit more of the crowd work in the audience in the orchestra and at the front of the stage, but cast members did come up to the mezz, too. I didn't really envy the audience members in the on-stage bleachers. While everyone is going to miss something with the set-up, it looks like they would have mostly been looking at the backs of cast members playing primarily to the front of the stage (e.g., Bryson and Junior in "Gus: The Theatre Cat"). I was also unsure whether those in the on-stage seating could see the video montage at the top of act 2 or the DJ booth."
I was onstage last night and absolutely loved the experience. They show the opening projections and the Act 2 video montage on monitors that are mounted on the front of the mezzanine (next to the video screen with the conductor). I am assuming the people sitting stage right couldn't see the DJ booth but I'm not sure, as I was stage left. I will say I don't think it's the end of the world to miss the DJ booth....based on the previous chatter here, I expected more to be happening up there. Either way, there's plenty to look at and admire no matter where you sit!
Posted: 3/26/26 at 11:45am
quizking101 said: "TennisFan said: "I saw Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the Broadhurst yesterday (I didn’t see it downtown). “Memory” was clearly transposed, and I wasn’t a fan of the key choice. It ended up feeling like one of the weaker moments in the score when it’s usually the emotional peak. Curious how others felt."
It’s important to know that “Tempress” Chasity Moore is a trans woman. Although she has transitioned, her voice isn’t necessarily going to reach the high quasi-operatic belt that everyone is used to.
The whole point in this context is a trans woman reclaiming her space and her interpretation has a certain raw energy to it that asserts her right to occupy space in the community and deserves forgiveness and a second chance, and I find that beautiful moreso than the traditional way."
I found this production's "Memory"- and Moore's performance of it- to be one of the most moving I've ever seen. Sure, it doesn't have the vocal fireworks we've come to associate with the song, but it carries so much deeply felt emotional weight.
