Difference between revisions of "Cats"

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''[[Cats]]'' is a musical by Andrew Lloyd-Webber (1948-)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber].
  
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== Original text ==
  
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Based on the 1939 poetry collection ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot], which Lloyd Webber had begun setting to music in 1977. First performed as a song cycle in 1980, but then producer Cameron Mackintosh (1946-)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Mackintosh] had it turned into a complete musical with the help of the director Trevor Nunn (1940-)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Nunn] and the choreographer Gillian Lynne (1926-2018)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Lynne]. It opened to at the New London Theatre in the West End in 1981 and then at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway in 1982.
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 C|C]] in Plays 1
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== South African productions ==
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 2 C|C]] in Plays 2
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2001: First South African production, produced by [[Pieter Toerien]] and [[ArtsCape]] opening in December, directed and choreography recreated by [[Jo-Anne Robinson]]. The cast included [[Paul Warrick Griffin]], [[Gareth Hewitt]], [[Anton Luitingh]], [[Gareth Williams]], [[Robin van Wyk]], [[Marcus Desando]], [[Jo Galloway]], [[Fem Belling]], [[Marize Nel]], with [[Slindile Nodangala]] as Grizabella the Glamour Cat.
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
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2002: The production moved to the [[State Theatre]] in Pretoria in February for a 16-week run.
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2025-26: Performed at [[Artscape]] in Cape Town from 10 December 2025 to 11 January 2026, and at [[The Teatro]] at [[Montecasino]] from 17 January tot 22 February. The show was produced by [[Pieter Toerien]] and [[GWB Entertainment]], by arrangement with  Lloyd Webber's international entertainment company '''The Really Useful Group'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LW_Entertainment] and in association with [[Cape Town Opera]]. Utilizing the original designs by John Napier, choreography by the late Gillian Lynne and direction by Trevor Nunn, the production was locally directed and choreographed by [[Duane Alexander]], with a huge South African cast that included [[Cindy Ann Abrahams]] (as Grizabella), [[King B]] (as Old Deuteronomy), [[Dylan Janse van Rensburg]] (as Rum Tum Tugger) and [[Che-jean Jupp]] (as Munkustrap), [[Stephan Van Der Walt]], [[Sibusiso Mxosana]], [[Sipesihle Ngamlana]], [[Tatum Coleman]], [[Tshepo Ncokoane]], [[Michael Fullard]], [[Hannah Marshall]], [[Darren Rockman]], [[Brittane van Loggerenberg]], [[Morgan Marshall]], [[Harry Smallman]], [[Noa Duckitt]], [[Scarlett Pay]], [[Zoe Mclaughlin]], [[Austin Tshikosi]], [[Jordan Roelfze]], [[Tannah Levick]], [[Logan Timbre]], [[Tania Mteto]], [[Cassiel Eatock-Winnik]], [[Ryan Flynn]], [[Jackie Lulu]], [[Marco Titus]] and [[Phoebe Charles]] as swings.
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The vast company management and technical crew included: [[Juanita van Wyk]] (Company manager), [[Duane Alexander]] (Resident director), [[Louis Zurnamer]] (Musical dirtector), [[Morgan Marshall]] (Dance captain), [[Wicus Louw]] (Stage manager), [[Amber Fox-Martin]] (Deputy stage manager), [[Allan Peterson]] (Head mechanist), [[Francois van der Hoven]] (Deputy Head mechanist), [[Frankie van Straten]] (Costume head of department) and [[Madelein Krugell]] (Wigs head of department)
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2026-2027: The company followed up the South African season with a two-year tour of India and the Middle East in 2026-2027.
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== Sources ==
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_(musical)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Mackintosh
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Lynne
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Nunn
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https://whatsonincapetown.com/cats-musical-cape-town/
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https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-12-12-animal-instinct-why-cats-is-the-musical-everybody-remembers/
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''''[[Business Day]]'''', 11 December 2001.
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https://www.litnet.co.za/cats-is-terug-en-die-hele-kaapstad-kattemaai/
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https://www.netwerk24.com/kunste/teater/resensie-gaan-kyk-cats-en-neem-jou-kinders-saam-20251216-0337
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''[[Cats]]'' (2026) Programme, [[Pieter Toerien]] and [[GWM Entertainment]].
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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== Return to ==
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Return to [[South_African_Films]]
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Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
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Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
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Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
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Return to [[South_African_Radio/Plays|South African Radio Plays and Serials]]
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Return to [[South_African_Television/Plays|South African Television Plays and Series]]
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Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 05:36, 7 January 2026

Cats is a musical by Andrew Lloyd-Webber (1948-)[1].

Original text

Based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)[2], which Lloyd Webber had begun setting to music in 1977. First performed as a song cycle in 1980, but then producer Cameron Mackintosh (1946-)[3] had it turned into a complete musical with the help of the director Trevor Nunn (1940-)[4] and the choreographer Gillian Lynne (1926-2018)[5]. It opened to at the New London Theatre in the West End in 1981 and then at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway in 1982.

South African productions

2001: First South African production, produced by Pieter Toerien and ArtsCape opening in December, directed and choreography recreated by Jo-Anne Robinson. The cast included Paul Warrick Griffin, Gareth Hewitt, Anton Luitingh, Gareth Williams, Robin van Wyk, Marcus Desando, Jo Galloway, Fem Belling, Marize Nel, with Slindile Nodangala as Grizabella the Glamour Cat.

2002: The production moved to the State Theatre in Pretoria in February for a 16-week run.

2025-26: Performed at Artscape in Cape Town from 10 December 2025 to 11 January 2026, and at The Teatro at Montecasino from 17 January tot 22 February. The show was produced by Pieter Toerien and GWB Entertainment, by arrangement with Lloyd Webber's international entertainment company The Really Useful Group[6] and in association with Cape Town Opera. Utilizing the original designs by John Napier, choreography by the late Gillian Lynne and direction by Trevor Nunn, the production was locally directed and choreographed by Duane Alexander, with a huge South African cast that included Cindy Ann Abrahams (as Grizabella), King B (as Old Deuteronomy), Dylan Janse van Rensburg (as Rum Tum Tugger) and Che-jean Jupp (as Munkustrap), Stephan Van Der Walt, Sibusiso Mxosana, Sipesihle Ngamlana, Tatum Coleman, Tshepo Ncokoane, Michael Fullard, Hannah Marshall, Darren Rockman, Brittane van Loggerenberg, Morgan Marshall, Harry Smallman, Noa Duckitt, Scarlett Pay, Zoe Mclaughlin, Austin Tshikosi, Jordan Roelfze, Tannah Levick, Logan Timbre, Tania Mteto, Cassiel Eatock-Winnik, Ryan Flynn, Jackie Lulu, Marco Titus and Phoebe Charles as swings.

The vast company management and technical crew included: Juanita van Wyk (Company manager), Duane Alexander (Resident director), Louis Zurnamer (Musical dirtector), Morgan Marshall (Dance captain), Wicus Louw (Stage manager), Amber Fox-Martin (Deputy stage manager), Allan Peterson (Head mechanist), Francois van der Hoven (Deputy Head mechanist), Frankie van Straten (Costume head of department) and Madelein Krugell (Wigs head of department)

2026-2027: The company followed up the South African season with a two-year tour of India and the Middle East in 2026-2027.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_(musical)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Mackintosh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Lynne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Nunn

https://whatsonincapetown.com/cats-musical-cape-town/

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-12-12-animal-instinct-why-cats-is-the-musical-everybody-remembers/

'Business Day', 11 December 2001.

https://www.litnet.co.za/cats-is-terug-en-die-hele-kaapstad-kattemaai/

https://www.netwerk24.com/kunste/teater/resensie-gaan-kyk-cats-en-neem-jou-kinders-saam-20251216-0337

Cats (2026) Programme, Pieter Toerien and GWM Entertainment.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to South_African_Films

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to South African Radio Plays and Serials

Return to South African Television Plays and Series

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page