Andrew Lloyd Webber’s original hit musical Cats is back with a brand new, glittery, queer remake. Cats: The Jellicle Ball opened on April 7 at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City.

Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the original musical is a worldwide phenomenon. This new production, directed by Zhailon Livingston and Bill Rauch, with choreography by legends Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, is a queer extravaganza like no other.

The musical itself is a wonder of Ballroom culture, high-energy performances, and immersive audience interaction, so much so that it left the audience dancing and singing, transforming the original into something spectacularly magical and queer.

As with the original, the cats take the spotlight, displaying dance moves and their unique performing personality in their introduction before taking the stage and dancing, singing and performing the night away under the Jellicle moon.

The performance is colourful, and the costumes and makeup are eccentric and vivid, full of flair and life, mimicking felines while retaining artistic freedom.

From start to finish, the musical is a masterpiece of modern music, keeping true to the source material. The musical’s cultural impact and diversity remain central, as well as its themes of acceptance and community.

Starring in this remake is Ken Ard, who previously played the original Macavity in the original Cats and now steps into the role of DJ Griddlebone. Chasity Moore, a ballroom icon, also appears in the musical, playing Grizabella and performing the iconic ‘Memory’.

“This is my purpose: To speak for those who are othered,” Chasity Moore told Broadway Buzz. “This is a redemption story for ‘Tempress,’ for Grizabella and for everybody else who ever felt othered.”

Reprising their roles are also Tony Award and Grammy Award winner Andre de Shields as Old Deuteronomy and Jonathan Burge as Mungojerrie, among many more.

Speaking about the musical, Lloyd Webber told People: “It has a quality about it that I think [T.S.] Eliot would have loved.”

Cats: The Jellical Ball is a Broadway-meets-Runway musical that puts queer energy front and centre, all while breaking down the audience-performer barriers with flourish.