Leona Lewis OFFICIALLY cast as Grizabella

[RW3]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:15am

Congrats to her making her Broadway debut!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Official-CATS-Finds-Its-Grizabella--Leona-Lewis-Will-Play-the-Glamour-Cat-on-Broadway-20160526

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:19am

They should've chosen a bigger broadway star.  I've never heard of her.

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:21am

Who's that???

[lucillefrank]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:22am

I was worried that someone I liked would be cast as Grizabella. Now I don't have to go see it. Phew.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:22am

Wow, I have no idea who she is. Did they really need a British import for this role?

[RW3]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:24am

For those saying you don't know who she is, Leona is most known for winning the X-Factor in England and for her song, "Bleeding Love".

Bleeding Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzo-EL_62fQ

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:25am

She has a big voice at least ...

 

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:26am

She sang that song "Bleeding Love". She has a great voice and whatnot, but she hasn't been really relevant in the states since 2007.

[AnnieBlack]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:27am

Fine choice for the UK but very odd choice for Broadway 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:28am

I wasn't going to see this show regardless...but what a waste. So many Broadway leading ladies who could've done this and ALW goes with a has-been British Pop Star?

[Jshan05]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:29am

I admit she has a great voice, but I feel like she's not that relevant and they could have got someone with more name recognition. Maybe we'll all be pleasantly surprised!

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:30am

Will her name sell tickets in NY? Maybe they're not worried about that. If they cast a major star, they'd have trouble replacing her when she left.

At least people here knew Betty Buckley from her (then-recent) stint on the TV series "Eight Is Enough." Plus, she had film and NY theatre credits.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:31am

It seems ALW has reconceived the role as a faded pop star, rather than as an aging grande dame.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:33am

She's not really a thing here in the UK anymore, she seems to do better in the states. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:34am

I think the marketing strategy is to sell the show CATS and not any of the performers, and really that's as it should be. That's how they sell tickets for Phantom, Les Miz and the like and it's not surprising that they went this route when they cast this show from top to bottom. 

[RW3]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:35am

Maybe her starring in CATS will revive her career in the States?

[Petrichor]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:39am

Haven't heard anything about her since I was in 7th-8th grade and I never found her music that appealing. It seems like a random choice. Maybe she's a good actress for the part, who knows...but I feel a little less excited about the Cats revival now. I'll probably wait to see who the replacement will be in the future. 

[Robert16]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:42am

any discounts around for CATS yet?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:43am

Hey BWW, don't copy and paste directly from Word and maybe read it once before you hit "publish."

[Buffalo Bill]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:45am

I am so grateful that they've found such a powerful, big voice for this role! I'll be hearing her eight times a week sing "Memory" and frankly, I cannot wait.  

I love the idea that this will be an ensemble show with amazing talent. Brilliant. 

 

[Dave13]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:46am

WhizzerMarvin said: "I think the marketing strategy is to sell the show CATS and not any of the performers, and really that's as it should be. That's how they sell tickets for Phantom, Les Miz and the like and it's not surprising that they went this route when they cast this show from top to bottom. 

 

"

 

I agree with this. I don't think they need a big name to sell Cats.  Cats fans will buy tickets regardless who is performing.  Phantom continues to do well after all these years without a big name.  Chicago brings in big names but I really wonder if the return is worth the cost. 

 

[PopAria]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:47am

If they're already stunt casting, i assume this show will run for less than a year. 

[tazber]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:55am

I do love her albums.

 

She had that one hit, Bleeding Love, and that was it.

 

But she is a great singer and I think she'll be super in this.

 

I can't wait to see this production!

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:57am

PopAria said: "If they're already stunt casting, i assume this show will run for less than a year." 

The thing is stunt casting isn't stunt casting if it's not going to sell any tickets.  

[PopAria]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 12:07pm

Cupid Boy2 said: "PopAria said: "If they're already stunt casting, i assume this show will run for less than a year." 

The thing is stunt casting isn't stunt casting if it's not going to sell any tickets.  

 

"

Lol. Good point.   I might go just to say I saw Leona Lewis. But I'm not interested enough in either Cats or Cats the musical