‘Cats’ to return to Broadway this summer

“Cats” is slated to debut July 14 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” is headed back to Broadway. The show went on to dazzle audiences at the Winter Garden for the next 18 years, becoming one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history. CATS was originally produced on Broadway by Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Company Limited, David Geffen, and The Shubert Organization.

Andy Blankenbuehler, who gave the Founding Fathers their slick moves in “Hamilton”, will do the same for the “Cats” revival, though it will be “based on the original choreography and associate direction by Gillian Lynne”, who choreographed the original production.

Since its premiere, “Cats” has been performed in 30 countries and translated into 15 languages. In a release, the organizations expressed delight at being able to bring the musical back to Broadway. He won a Tony Award for In the Heights and additional nominations for 9 to 5 and Bring It On. “Cats” is based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”, a collection of poems by T.S. Eliot. It bid farewell to Broadway in 2000 after an nearly 18-year run in a confetti-strewn final performance that ended up being No. 7,485.

Webber’s most famous song from the musical is unquestionably “Memory”.

The original Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera continues to play to packed houses at the Majestic Theatre, where it now holds the record of being Broadway’s longest running musical.

No word yet on casting, but Lloyd Webber has spoken of his hope that Nicole Scherzinger, who was Olivier nominated for her role in the 2014 West End revival, will headline the show in NY.