When will "Cats" be revived?

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:00am

IF YOU'RE SERIOUS:

I would think Idina has better things to do than be part of an ensemble.

And if Mr. Webber or Mr. Mackintosh actually have the guts to stick it out another twenty years or so before reviving CATS, maybe they'll get a titch of respect back.

IF YOU'RE JOKING:

Eh, whatever.

[bkonbroadway]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:06am

I don't know if this was a rumor or not, but I heard that whenever Mamma Mia closes at the Winter Garden, they plan to put Cats there again. As for Grizabella, I think Idina's a bit young for the role. We shall see!
I also heard that the current non-Equity tour is going to finish out at Madison Square Gardens. This is all word of mouth from what I know, so nothing is set in stone.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:12am

Menzel is actually the same age as Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige were when they did the role originally (36).

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 12:12 AM

[Elphie3]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:17am

Check a previous thread I started on this...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:54am

A horrible, 17th rate touring production of CATS at one of the worst venues on the east coast...sounds perfectly terrible.

[alterego]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:16am

Only musicals with some redeeming features should be revived. CATS isn't one of them.

[withoutlovewithoutU]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:22am

Honestly, I have a feeling it will be revived in the next 5 years.
Hopefully if they do that they'll do a bit of re imagining and not just do the same show that just closed.... but I doubt that will happen.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 10:28am

With any luck, not for a long time.

[nealb1]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 10:46am

I think it would be terrific if "Cats" was revived on Broadway in the next few years or so. What's the harm?

When "Cats" first opened in New York in the early 80's, it started the arrival of the "mega musicals" from the West End, that dominated much of Broadway in the 80's and early 90's. It had a HUGE, HUGE advance and was the ticket to get for many years...........long before internet sales, etc.........when we had to go to the box office or do mail order ticketing.

Think of all the millions of people who saw the show and went to the theatre and enjoyed themselves. All the thousands of actors, stage crew, ushers, box office staff and other who were employed because of this show. It brought tens of millions of dollars into NYC....hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.....it's a ripple effect.

Yes, people love to slam it. But, believe me, people weren't slamming it when it first opened and arrived in NYC. "CATS" was an event!
Updated On: 11/16/07 at 10:46 AM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 11:50am

Well, I was around back in 1982 when CATS opened (I saw the OBC about a month after it opened) and you better believe people were slamming it back then. Yes, it was a hit and many enjoyed it -- for the special effects if nothing else -- but there was no shortage of jokes about it in NY theatre circles at the time. Many found it and the "mega-musicals" that followed it to be big, empty, soulless, mind-numbing, style over substance affairs, that had none of the wit and humanity and sheer invention of Broadway at its finest. Yes, they employed a lot of people and brought money to the city, which are both good things, but for many, they were also ultimately a setback to the artform of musical theatre. That's why the jokes persist to this day.

There's no doubt that CATS and its ilk will return to Broadway someday (though the fact that Les Mis flopped this time around may indicate that audiences have grown bored of spectacle for spectacle's sake and once again have returned to wanting shows with a bit of wit and cleverness and humanity about them) -- they made too much money for producers not to want to try them again someday. But, to be sure, not everyone is looking forward to their revivals.

[nealb1]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 11:54am

Margo, you're right. There was smack talk about "Cats," even back when it opened. In fairness, I suppose every show can have some of that. But, it was an event when "Cats" came to NYC.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:04pm

Oh, there's no denying it was an event. It was soldout for most of the first decade it played at the Winter Garden. It was incredibly popular with families who had little ones (no complicated plots to confuse the kids -- a 5 year old could follow it with no problem) as well as foreign tourists (you didn't need English to be your first language to be able to get something out of the dancing and designs and special effects). It had tons of repeat business over the decades -- an ideal show for those undemanding people who didn't follow, know much about, or really care about musical theatre at its finest.

Most New Yorkers and hardcore theatregoers, though probably only saw it once (or maybe would go again when out-of-town guests would come into town) and waited patiently for the next Sondheim or Kander & Ebb or Cy Coleman show to come along and demonstrate what musical theatre at its best could be.

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 12:04 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:29pm

I wonder if the CATS show in Atlanta that I am going to see this January would be the same as the one they had on Broadway's stage? (of course, not the cast)

http://www.foxtheatre.org/groupSalesCal.htm
scroll down

J*

[winston89]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:39pm

If there is a god then this will not happen.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 12:56pm

Jay, as with all touring productions of 'Cats' here in the UK and around the world they are 100% different to what was seen in London and on Broadway. I worked on the show in London 15 yers ago just as it went on its first out of town run. Very different stagings. I hope it doesnt appear in London again at any time soon. The tour is still puttings claws in around the UK at the moment.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:10pm

Margo, not that I'm challenging you, but I'm curious how Les Miz could be considered a flop this time around?

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 01:10 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:12pm

From what I've heard it won't recoup its costs by the time it closes.

Hence, it's a flop.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:17pm

It made its money back this time, i spoke to Camerons guys last week in London and they are happy with its run and the fact they extended it.

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 01:17 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:19pm

Margo, thanks. I didn't know that.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:22pm

Funny, I spoke to a person associated with the show and he said that they were close, but would probably fall short of recoupment. Whatever. Perhaps, it'll end up a modest success, but still the point remains that the era of the European mega-musical is decidedly over at this point.

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 01:22 PM

[fakemyway2thetop]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:48pm

I'd be perfectly content never to see this show again.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:50pm

'Cats' AND 'Les Miz' I AGREE!

[Nonfreak]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:54pm

Why are people so gung ho on reviving shows that have only been gone a few years.....revivals SHOULD be for shows that have been gone for a while (10/20/30 years).......regardless....CATS should STAY AWAY now and forever....put the damn thing to sleep.....

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 2:04pm

I adore CATS.

I have since I was a child.

I get tired of hearing it getting bashed.

There must be something good about a show that has brought so much joy to the world on a consistent basis for almost 30 years.

That being said...

Broadway would benefit to have it back... MUCH MUCH later down the road.

[sanda]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 2:43pm

I saw a 3rd rate tour production in my local theatre. The dancing is a joke. The music is servicable.

However, the concept of "Cats" is genius. The set design, light design and all costums, no matter how shabby they are, can still reflect the glorious days it used to have.

I sincerely wish "Cats" back to Broadway and I will go to see it for sure.