Cats became one of the most popular musical comedies in theater history. English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music. The lyrics were taken from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a collection of poems by T. S. Eliot, published in 1939.
Cats opened in London in 1981 and in New York City in 1982. The original director in both cities was Trevor Nunn. In 1989, the show set a record as the longest-running musical production in London after 3,358 performances. The New York show closed in 2000 after 7,485 performances, a Broadway record that stood until 2006, when The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history. The London production closed on May 11, 2002. Touring companies of Cats have performed throughout the world. The show has been performed in 11 languages, in more than 300 cities in over 25 countries.
The musical does not have a continuous plot. It is basically a series of song-and-dance numbers performed by actors costumed and made up to resemble giant cats. The action takes place in an elaborate junkyard. Each featured cat has a distinct personality. They include Old Deuteronomy, Gumbie Cat, Rum Tum Tugger, Macavity, Growltiger, and Skimbleshanks. The most famous song in the score, “Memory,” is sung by the aging beauty Grizabella.
See also Eliot, T. S.; Lloyd Webber, Andrew.
