'CATS: The Jellicle Ball' at PAC reviews- Page 23

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 7/14/25 at 11:22pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "Ensemble1698878795 said: "ShowBro said: "According to an usher at the BOOP! closing yesterday, this is set to transfer to the BroadhurstSpring 2026."

Confirmed. They have the Broadhurst starting performancesin April!"

Almost 18 months later. Not exactly riding on the momentum they’d established. This is about as well-organized as their understudy situation the first time around."

I wouldn’t blame them for this. Theater availability wasn’t their friend with so many Spring shows promised houses. Momentum can’t happen when the majority of Broadway houses have tenure tenants. Do we still need Chicago at this point? No. Think of how many shows could’ve played that space. It’s all political. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 1:55pm

Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Really Useful Group" rebranded aa "LW Entertainment"; CATS Broadway transfer confirmed for 2026

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 2:06pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "Ensemble1698878795 said: "ShowBro said: "According to an usher at the BOOP! closing yesterday, this is set to transfer to the BroadhurstSpring 2026."

Confirmed. They have the Broadhurst starting performancesin April!"

Almost 18 months later. Not exactly riding on the momentum they’d established. This is about as well-organized as their understudy situation the first time around."

Can confirm its opening at the Broadhurst in April with rehearsals beginning in February. A good chunk of the principal cast is returning, but a few are not. 

They just completed the layout for the theatre plans to convert the space, but that’s under wraps for now. The biggest problem in terms of a transfer was finding a space where they could execute it as close to PAC as possible with what they were offered. Honestly, if it means we get some new seats in the Broadhurst (even temporary), I’m for it.

[Claudia Draper]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 2:09pm

 

".... And next year “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” which trades dancing kitties for the club kids and drag artists who defined ’80s ballroom culture, will transfer to Broadway after an extended run downtown at Perelman Performing Arts Center."

 

https://variety.com/2025/legit/news/iandrew-lloyd-webbers-comeback-evita-sunset-boulevard-company-name-change-1236487721/

 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 2:12pm

Man, ALW is really gunning for that best revival of a musical four-peat from '25 to '28.

SUNSET, this, EVITA, and ideally Jamie's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR?

Updated On: 8/13/25 at 02:12 PM

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 2:31pm

I think EVITA comes this season and its ALW vs ALW for Musical Revival 2026

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 3:06pm

MadsonMelo said: "I think EVITA comes this season and its ALW vs ALW for Musical Revival 2026"

Both cancel each other out and RAGTIME ends up winning. It's a stacked season for revivals. New musicals are currently boring and lackluster.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 3:18pm

Producers hear me out… Uzo Aduba as Griz

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 3:25pm

WldKingdomHM said: "Producers hear me out… Uzo Aduba as Griz"

…How about NO.

If you start star/stunt casting, you are literally defeating the whole purpose of Grizabella being a woman of trans experience who was pushed out of the ballroom scene.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 3:30pm

quizking101 said: "WldKingdomHM said: "Producers hear me out… Uzo Aduba as Griz"

…How about NO.

If you start star/stunt casting, you are literally defeating the whole purpose of Grizabella being a woman of trans experience who was pushed out of the ballroom scene."

We all can’t clack a fan like you do 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 4:02pm

ACL2006 said: "MadsonMelo said: "I think EVITA comes this season and its ALW vs ALW for Musical Revival 2026"

Both cancel each other out and RAGTIME ends up winning. It's a stacked season for revivals. iNew musicals are currently boring and lackluster."

I don't think he cares about winning awards at this point. Having this many shows on Broadway/Lee's Art Shop is what he's interested in, and I don't think he will have any issue bringing two shows in a season to compete. And yeah, Ragtime will win anyway so.....

[Kad]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 4:18pm

Gotta love that BWW’s chronological publishing means this is already pushed out of its top stories in favor of an interview with Gavin Lee and news about regional productions. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 4:54pm

Anyone know what theater this is taking?

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 4:55pm

ACL2006 said: "Anyone know what theater this is taking?"

The Broadhurst apparently. Go figure! 🤷‍♂️ 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 5:25pm

I cannot fathom how they would make their setup work for the Broadhurst. But then again, no Broadway house fits this one perfectly, even with a reconfiguration.

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 6:07pm

Yes I think this will be a season of shows taking houses they’re not quite right for. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 6:52pm

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "I cannot fathom how they would make their setup work for the Broadhurst. But then again, no Broadway house fits this one perfectly, even with a reconfiguration."

I assume that means creating a runway on the stage with some onstage seating.

They want to tour it, so the show needs to be able to work in a proscenium setting.

Updated On: 8/13/25 at 06:52 PM

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 7:00pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "I cannot fathom how they would make their setup work for the Broadhurst. But then again, no Broadway house fits this one perfectly, even with a reconfiguration."

I assume that means creating a runway on the stagewith some onstage seating.

They want to tour it, so the show needs to be able to work in a proscenium setting."

Outside of a few major markets, I don't see how this tours. They've completely divorced the iconic marketing for the transfer to Broadway which is what it needs here, but trying to sell Cats without Cats to middle America who don't know what Ballroom is will never work. 

[schubox]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 7:44pm

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "I cannot fathom how they would make their setup work for the Broadhurst. But then again, no Broadway house fits this one perfectly, even with a reconfiguration."

Would it work in Circle in the Square? I don't really know much about how it was staged

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 7:44pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "I cannot fathom how they would make their setup work for the Broadhurst. But then again, no Broadway house fits this one perfectly, even with a reconfiguration."

I assume that means creating a runway on the stagewith some onstage seating.

They want to tour it, so the show needs to be able to work in a proscenium setting."

I don't think the Broadhurst has a center aisle in the orchestra so they're going to just remove seats in the center and run the runway right through the orchestra and replace what seats they lose up on the stage.

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 7:50pm

schubox said: "MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "I cannot fathom how they would make their setup work for the Broadhurst. But then again, no Broadway house fits this one perfectly, even with a reconfiguration."

Would it work in Circle in the Square? I don't really know much about how it was staged"

Circle would have been the closest to the PAC layout. Really, nowhere except for PAC or another black box with flexible unit seating could replicate it closely. 

[Idiot]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 7:57pm

Color me queasy about the prospects of a successful transfer of this show.  The audience isn't the CATS audience - it's the PARIS IS BURNING audience - and I think they've already seen it.  For this reason I don't think it can really tour - though it could have a successful (if limited) sit down in any number of urban centers. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 8:05pm

It ain’t official until it’s announced on Playbill. This is very possibly just ALW trying to drum up financial support.
 

But yeah, I agree that it is a risky proposition at best for this production to transfer to Broadway. It would be one of those shows that the critics love but nobody sees. Why does Broadway always have to be the goal?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 8:23pm

Owen22 said: "I don't think the Broadhurst has a center aisle in the orchestra so they're going to just remove seats in the center and run the runway right through the orchestra and replace what seats they lose up on the stage."

They can't go too far into the orchestra (if at all) because of the mezz overhang.

Don't make our friend Jordan write another letter! ;) 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/13/25 at 10:58pm

Just In Time will close in time for this to takeover the Circle In The Square*. Tickets are currently on sale through January, and I doubt Groff is going into the spring/summer nor will they have a name to step in. 

*Corrected from my mistakenly calling it the Winter Garden. 

Updated On: 8/14/25 at 10:58 PM