Episode summary
'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' Co-Directors Bill Rauch & Zhailon Levingston | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · 12 min · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec · Guests: Bill Rauch, Zhailon Levingston
Summary
The conversation centers on the Broadway transfer of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a reimagining of the long-running musical through ballroom culture. The co-directors explain that the project began with the idea of placing Cats in a gay context, then evolved into a production where Grizabella becomes a transgender woman and the show’s pageant-like structure maps naturally onto ballroom competition. They say Andrew Lloyd Webber ultimately approved the concept after a long process of pitching the vision through his team.
They also describe what changed in moving from an immersive downtown production to Broadway. The challenge was not to copy the earlier version, but to preserve the feeling that the audience is part of the room, even inside a traditional proscenium theater with more seats and less space. The co-directors say the Broadway scale forced them to sharpen the storytelling while keeping the communal energy intact. They emphasize that the production has drawn both longtime Cats fans and skeptics, and that the goal is a longer Broadway life and, eventually, a tour.
Key takeaways
- The co-directors say Cats: The Jellicle Ball grew from the idea of putting Cats into a ballroom and gay cultural context.
- They argue the musical’s themes of family, competition and identity fit ballroom culture almost perfectly.
- The Broadway version had to solve a space problem: twice as many audience members, but only half the room of the downtown production.
- The co-directors say the move to Broadway sharpened the story and made the audience feel even more together.
- They say the production was built for a longer life, with hopes for touring after Broadway.
Notable quotes
“About 30 years ago, I began to think about Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical Cats in a gay context”
“we realized of course it's not a bar, it's a ball. And Grisbella is not a gay man. Grisbella is a transgender woman”
“the biggest thing we struggled with was how to make it work in a precenium”
“the truth is what felt life or death for this production was making sure that the audience felt like they were in a different relationship with each other”
“I've never been in a theater with as much love as I've been in for Cats the Jello Ball”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio, news. — You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenc on Bloomberg Radio.
If you've been paying attention to us over the past couple years, then by now you've seen Cats the Jellico Ball. Because close to 2 years ago, we were having a conversation with Chris Rouseer of Bloomberg Pursuits about how the costumes were made. Uh it was based on a story from James TMY.
If you missed it, be sure to check it out on the terminal or at bloomberg.com. But back then, our team called it a viral new show. I remember Chris saying to us that we absolutely had to see it.
We did. — Now, the Hollywood Reporter is out calling it quote this season's must-see Broadway revival.
We've got with us Bill Roush and Jayen uh Levston. They are co-directors of Catholical Ball. Bill is also artistic director at the Pearlman Performing Arts Center.
Also with us is our own Chris Rouseer, Bloomberg Pursuits editor at large. Chris, as we said, he's also the guy that we reach out to when we need to go somewhere and figure out what to go see. Welcome, welcome.
Congratulations. How did this first come together? Did you guys call Andrew Lloyd Weber?
Like, how does this happen?
Eventually, we eventually, — But how did it start to like there's always either people sitting around a table thinking, "Oh my god, what if we just did this?" — We both have our own stories about that. About 30 years ago, I began to think about Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical Cats in a gay context. I thought about the possibility of Grisbella being an older gay man in a gay bar singing the song Memory.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- broadway musical reimagining
- theater relaunch
- arts and entertainment
- podcast business news
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Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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