Cats (Broadway Musical) - Photo (24 pictures)
24 photos from one of the most famous musicals - "Cats"
The basis for "Cats" was a cycle of children's poems by T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats", published in 1939 in England. This is a collection of ironic sketches of cat characters and habits, behind which various human types can be easily guessed.
Andrew Lloyd Webber began composing songs based on Eliot's poems in the early 1970s. By 1980, the composer had accumulated enough musical material, which it was decided to transform into a musical. The show about cats was doomed to success: the British are known for their love for these animals. The musical's team consisted of talented people - producer Cameron Mackintosh, director Trevor Nunn, theater designer John Napier and choreographer Gillian Lynn.
When it came to bringing Webber's songs to stage, the main problem the musical's creators faced was the lack of a plot. Fortunately, thanks to T. S. Eliot's widow, Valerie, the authors had the poet's letters and drafts at their disposal, from which they gleaned ideas for the plot outline of the play.
Special requirements were placed on the actors of the musical - they had to not only sing well and have perfect diction, but also be extremely flexible. In the UK, recruiting a troupe of 20 people turned out to be difficult, so the cast included Royal Ballet principal Wayne Sleep, pop singer Paul Nicholas, actress Elaine Paige, and young singer and dancer Sarah Brightman.
In the "Cats" theater, created by designer John Napier, there is no curtain; the hall and stage are a single space, and the action takes place not frontally, but throughout the entire depth. The stage is designed like a landfill and consists of mountains of picturesque rubbish, the set is equipped with sophisticated electronics. The actors are transformed into graceful cats using layers of makeup, hand-painted tights, yak hair wigs, fur collars, tails and shiny collars.
The musical premiered on May 11, 1981 in London, and a year later the play opened on Broadway. Until its closing on May 11, 2002, the play ran in London with great success, earning the title of the longest-running theatrical production in the history of English theater (more than 6,400 performances). The musical "Cats" broke all imaginable records in the United States. In 1997, after 6,138 performances, the musical was recognized as Broadway's number one long-running performer. Over the course of 21 years, the London production was watched by more than 8 million people, and its creators earned £136 million.
During its existence, the musical was staged more than forty times, was visited by more than 50 million spectators in thirty countries, translated into 14 languages, and the total gross amount has currently exceeded 2.2 billion dollars. Among the awards of "Cats" are the Laurence Olivier Award and the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, seven Tony Awards, and the French Molière Award. Recordings by both the London and Broadway original casts received Grammy awards.
