'Cats' will return to Broadway: How well do revivals do on the Great White Way?
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
Jellicle cats are returning to Broadway.
Andrew Lloyd Webber鈥檚 smash hit musical 鈥淐ats鈥� will be returning to the Great White Way this summer.聽
It will open at the Neil Simon Theatre on Aug. 2. The show originally debuted on Broadway in 1982 and is often remembered for such songs as 鈥淢emory鈥� and 鈥淛ellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.鈥�
Mr. Webber, the composer for the show, is also behind such hit Broadway shows as 鈥淭he Phantom of the Opera鈥� and 鈥淓vita.鈥�
This is the first revival for 鈥淐ats鈥� following an original Broadway run of almost 20 years, so many theater fans and perhaps some who don鈥檛 often go to shows are most likely familiar with "Cats." How do shows that are revivals or are based on existing popular movies or music 鈥� material that would be familiar to audience members rather than new music or stories 鈥� perform financially on Broadway?
Those who put on Broadway shows think these familiar properties will work, if the current Broadway lineup is any indication. Shows that are revivals or are either based on big movies or on pre-existing music that are on Broadway right now include 鈥淎laddin,鈥� 鈥淎n American in Paris,鈥� 鈥淏eautiful: The Carole King Musical,鈥� 鈥淐hicago,鈥� 鈥淔iddler on the Roof,鈥� 鈥淔inding Neverland,鈥� 鈥淛ersey Boys,鈥� 鈥淜inky Boots,鈥� 聽鈥淟es Mis茅rables,鈥� 鈥淢atilda The Musical,鈥� 鈥淢isery,鈥� 鈥淣oises Off,鈥� 鈥淪chool of Rock,鈥� 鈥淪pring Awakening,鈥� 鈥淭he Color Purple,鈥� 鈥淭he King and I,鈥� 鈥淭he Lion King,鈥� and 鈥淲icked.鈥�
These shows obviously far outnumber the productions with original plots on Broadway, which are mostly plays, including 鈥淐hina Doll鈥� and 鈥淥ur Mother鈥檚 Brief Affair.鈥澛�
By gross, familiar properties can dominate. In the , 鈥淗amilton鈥� and 鈥淭he Book of Mormon,鈥� shows that are either original stories or not based on a popular movie or music, appear 鈥� 鈥淗amilton鈥� is number one 鈥� but the rest of the list of the top five highest-grossing productions of the week ending on Jan. 17 are 鈥淟ion King,鈥� 鈥淲icked,鈥� and 鈥淎laddin,鈥� all productions based on well-known movies (鈥淲icked鈥� is based on 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz,鈥� in case you haven鈥檛 ventured near a theater in the last decade).聽
The story is the same with the list of the . 鈥淟ion鈥� is the highest-grossing musical of all time, and the lion's share (sorry) of the other top five highest-grossing musicals ever are based on movies or pre-existing music, including 鈥淲icked鈥� and 鈥淢amma Mia!,鈥� which is based on the music of Abba.
Does this mean that only productions that audiences have a prior knowledge of can make a splash? Not so. The musical 鈥淭he Book of Mormon鈥� is one of the biggest hits on Broadway right now, yet that鈥檚 based on original material. The pitch by itself of a musical based on the life of Alexander Hamilton probably wouldn鈥檛 have raked in the crowds, but stellar reviews have made the show a phenomenon.聽
If the word-of-mouth is there, a star can be born.
