The Glamour Cat Arrives! Leona Lewis Will Play Grizabella in Cats on Broadway

If you touch her, you’ll understand what happiness is, but please keep your hands (and paws) to yourself. The rumors were true and Leona Lewis will take on the role of glamour cat Grizabella—and the feline power anthem “Memory”—in the Broadway revival of Cats.

"Leona has one of the greatest voices of her generation,” said composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in a statement. “We are all hugely excited about working with her.” Added Lewis: "I am beyond thrilled for my Broadway debut to be in such an iconic show...I cannot wait to see the audiences out in NYC!”

The production, directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Hamilton’s Andy Blankenbuehler, will begin preview performances at the Neil Simon Theatre on July 14. Opening night is set for August 2.

After winning the third season of the U.K.’s X Factor in 2006, Lewis earned three Grammy nominations for her pop album Spirit and the hit single “Bleeding Love,” which became the best-selling single of 2008. She has sold over 20 million records worldwide. In addition to her music career, Lewis trained in theater at a young age and appeared on screen in the 2014 musical Walking on Sunshine.

The casting announcement follows the news that Nicole Scherzinger, who received an Olivier nomination for her performance in the recent London revival, will not reprise the role in New York. She will instead return as a judge on the U.K.’s X Factor.

Lewis joins a cast that will include Tyler Hanes as Rum Tum Tugger, Ricky Ubeda as Mistoffelees, Quentin Earl Darrington as Old Deuteronomy, Eloise Kropp as Jennyannydots/Gumbie, Giuseppe Bausilio as Carbucketty, Jeremy Davis as Skimbleshanks, Kim Faure as Demeter, Sara Jean Ford as Jellylorum, Lili Froehlich as Electra, Daniel Gaymon as Macavity, Shonica Gooden as Rumpleteazer, Christopher Gurr as Gus/Bustopher Jones, Andy Huntington Jones as Munkustrap, Kolton Krouse as Tumblebrutus, Jess LeProtto as Mungojerrie, Georgina Pazcoguin as Victoria, Emily Pynenburg as Cassandra, Arianna Rosario as Sillabub, Ahmad Simmons as Alonzo, Christine Cornish Smith as Bombalurina, Corey Snide as Coricopat, Emily Tate as Tantomile and Sharrod Williams as Pouncival.

Featuring a score by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by T.S. Eliot, Nunn and Richard Stilgoe, Cats follows a clowder of jellicles and each cat’s quest to be selected to ascend to the Heaviside Layer. The show, based on Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, ran for 21 years in London and 18 years on Broadway, where it won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. This production will be the first Main Stem revival.

Rounding out the company will be Richard Todd Adams, Aaron Albano, Callan Bergmann, Claire Camp, Francesca Granell, Jessica Hendy, Harris Milgrim, Madison Mitchell, Nathan Patrick Morgan and Megan Ort.

And if you're wondering how Broadway's original Grizabella feels about the announcement, you're in luck! Check out Tony winner Betty Buckley's reaction below.
 

@buckhollywood @nytimestheater @nytimes I do! @leonalewis can “sang”! Great choice! #Grizabella #CATS2016

— Betty Buckley (@BettyBuckley) May 26, 2016