Overview
- The production announced on July 21–22 that Cats: The Jellicle Ball will end its run at the Broadhurst Theatre with a final performance on Aug. 8.
- Producers told company members earlier this month that ticket sales and average prices were not generating enough revenue to cover the show’s capitalization and weekly operating expenses, so they chose to stop running rather than continue at a loss.
- The revival won three Tony Awards and drew strong reviews and solid attendance, with weekly grosses near $1 million before the Tonys, yet those figures proved insufficient against its roughly $18 million capitalization and rising weekly costs.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber publicly warned that Broadway faces a broader danger and urged theater owners, unions and producers to coordinate solutions, while some producers are testing individual cost cuts such as smaller sets, less automation and leaner casts.
- Industry observers say post-pandemic rises in materials, utilities, rent and labor have pushed many investors toward celebrity casting and established brands, a shift that could reduce opportunities for new and experimental work if no coordinated fixes are agreed.