The musical stars a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and revolves around their annual Jellicle Ball where they choose which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn.
As of 2024, Cats is the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and the seventh-longest-running West End show.
The original London production of Cats ran for 21 years with 8,949 performances, and the Broadway production lasted 18 years with 7,485 performances.
Cats was adapted into a direct-to-video film in 1998 and a feature film released in 2019.
Judi Dench was originally cast in dual roles for 'Cats', but had to withdraw due to an Achilles tendon injury and was replaced by Elaine Paige as Grizabella.
Andrew Lloyd Webber personally financed the initial production of 'Cats' by taking a second mortgage on his house, risking financial ruin if the musical failed.
Notable for its choreography, 'Cats' is considered one of the most dance-centric shows in musical theatre history, featuring a mix of ballet, modern dance, jazz, and tap.
The original staging of 'Cats' at the New London Theatre was revolutionary, featuring an immersive, quasi-in-the-round setup with a central revolving stage.
The Winter Garden Theatre underwent a $2 million renovation to replicate the immersive experience of the London production when Cats moved to Broadway.
The 2019 film adaptation of 'Cats', directed by Tom Hooper, featured an ensemble cast including James Corden, Judi Dench, and Taylor Swift, but was poorly received and considered a box office flop.
Andrew Lloyd Webber was so disenchanted with the 2019 'Cats' film adaptation that he reportedly got a therapy dog.
A Cats postage stamp was issued in the U.S. in 2000, celebrating the musical as a significant cultural artifact of the 1980s.
