Andrew Lloyd Webber Says Broadway Is Dying as His Own ‘Cats’ Revival Gets Killed by the Numbers

Andrew Lloyd Webber said he is “gutted” over the closing of “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” the queer ballroom reimagining of his 1981 musical, which played its final Broadway performance on August 8 at the Broadhurst Theatre, roughly five months ahead of its originally planned January closing date. The production began previews on March 18, officially opened on April 7, and went on to receive nine Tony Award nominations, winning three — for Qween Jean’s costume design, the choreography of Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, and Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch’s direction [1, 2, 3]. In an Instagram post reacting to the closing, Lloyd Webber wrote that he was “immensely proud” of a production whose cast and creative team “broke new ground on Broadway” and gave 17 actors their Broadway debuts, and he renewed his warning that “Broadway risks rivalling Hollywood’s empty soundstages: increasingly dark theatres where bold new work once lived” [1, 2]. The closure came even as the show posted its best-ever box office week in its final stretch, grossing $1.41 million and playing to more than 100% capacity for the week ending August 2 — its first appearance in the Main Stem’s top 10 grossers — pushing its total run gross to roughly $18.7 million [4].

Why It Sucks:

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Broadway Producers

• A Tony winner still can’t survive financially. Lloyd Webber argues that even a critically acclaimed, awards-sweeping production can’t cover its costs on Broadway anymore, calling the current economics “unsustainable” for anyone trying to mount new work [1, 2].
• The warning comes too late to save this show. He’s using the closing as a rallying cry for theater owners, unions, and producers to “come together urgently,” but the message arrives only after his own production has already been forced to fold [2, 3].
• Success at the Tonys didn’t translate to sustained ticket sales. Despite winning three Tony Awards just over a month before closing, the show’s grosses fell enough afterward that an early closing notice became necessary [3].

The Cast and Creative Team

• Seventeen performers lose their Broadway debut run early. The production gave 17 actors their first Broadway credits, and those debuts are now cut short five months ahead of schedule [1].
• Groundbreaking work gets shut down despite critical acclaim. The reimagining as a queer ballroom competition was praised for breaking new ground on Broadway, yet that innovation wasn’t enough to keep it running [1, 3].
• The show hit its stride right as it was forced to leave. The production notched its single best box office week in its final days, with more than 100% capacity attendance, showing the audience was still building when the plug got pulled [4].

Theatergoers and Fans

• A sold-out hit closes anyway. Fans watched the show sell out its final weeks and crack the Main Stem’s top 10 grossers for the first time, only to see it shutter regardless [4].
• Bold, daring theater gets treated as disposable. Lloyd Webber’s own framing — that Broadway “risks rivalling Hollywood’s empty soundstages” — reflects fan fears that adventurous, non-formulaic shows can’t survive even when audiences show up and critics love them [2].
• The closing announcement itself became the marketing. It took the threat of an early close to finally drive attendance to record highs, meaning some fans only rushed to see it once they were told they were about to lose the chance [4].

Sources & Citations:

[1] Deadline: Andrew Lloyd Webber “Gutted” About ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ Closing
[2] Variety: Andrew Lloyd Webber Is ‘Gutted’ on ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ Closing Night
[3] Playbill: Cats: The Jellicle Ball Closes August 8; ‘I Won’t Forget You,’ Says Andrew Lloyd Webber
[4] Deadline: ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ Scores Best Week Ever As Closing Date Nears – Broadway Box Office