The original production opened at the New London Theatre, in the West End on May 11, 1981. Eight years later it celebrated its first important milestone: after 3,358 performances, Cats became the longest running musical in the history of the British theatre.
On January 29, 1996 the London production of Cats celebrated its 6,141st performance and became the longest running musical in the history of West End theatre.
In April 1999 the gross box office for the London production was over 115,363,000.00
CATS opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on October 7, 1982, and continued to live up to its motto of playing "Now and Forever" until September 10, 2000. On June 19, 1997 the show became the longest running musical on Broadway.
Since its opening, Cats has been presented in twenty-six countries and over three hundred cities, including such diverse destinations as Buenos Aires, Seoul, Helsinki and Singapore. Within two and half years of the London opening there were productions in New York, Tokyo, Budapest and Vienna, and the first of tour US touring productions had hit the road.
Cats has been translated into ten languages: Japanese, German, (three versions for Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Hungarian, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Swedish, French, Spanish (two versions for Mexico and Argentina) and Italian. The Swiss production required a bilingual cast who performed in German and English on alternate nights.
The title of the show has never been translated - the Mexican producers did a survey as to whether the Mexican audience would like their production to be called Gatos - the response in favor of keeping the English original was unanimous.
On October 1, 1991, CATS became the longest, continuously touring show in American theatre history. The CATS four US tours have thus far played a combined total of sixteen years and two months.
"Memory" has been recorded by a variety of over 150 artists ranging from Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis to Liberace. Barry Manilow's rendition was a top-40 hit in the U.S.
A techno/dance version by European singer Natalie Grant topped the European dance charts in 1999.
The Original London Cast Recording of CATS won the 1982 Grammy Award for Best Cast Album. The next year the Original Broadway Cast Recording won the same award.
Electronics
1,248,000 lbs. of dry ice
2,059,200 buttons have been pushed
873,600 light cues have been called
Sound
40,136 condoms (to protect body microphones)
79,872 large cotton balls
4992 yards of gaffer's tape (83 rolls)
Wigs
2,240 lbs. of yak hair (over 1 ton)
19,413 wig caps
1,765 lbs. of hair pins
Wardrobe
420,480 fl. ozs. of bio-degradable laundry soap
21,900 shoe repairs
3,456 G-Strings and Fanni-Panties
5,184 knee pads
Make-Up
23,580 make-up brushes
13,652 cosmetic/eyebrow pencils
1,359 liquid eyeliners
3,409 powder puffs
Props
135 gallons of epoxy to resurface the deck 22 times
674 rolls of gaffers tape
266 Siamese cat swords
Management
159,000 aspirin
179,712 cough drops
651 lbs. of coffee
13,824 ice packs
133,333 checks signed
3,744,000 ticket envelopes distributed
Merchandising
306,900 t-shirts
102,850 sweatshirts
115,500 buttons
896,500 souvenir books
Disclaimer: CATS is copyright Andrew Lloyd Webber and RUG. I do not own or claim to own any part of it. This site is only up for the enjoyment of others. The layout, name, and idea for this site do belong to me, however, so please do not claim them for your own. Purrs!
