“CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL” CELEBRATES PRIDE WITH CHARITY PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Aaron Meier / Imani Punch / Elda Kahssay
rick@omdkc.com / aaron@omdkc.com / imani@omdkc.com / elda@omdkc.com
212 695 7400
COME ONE. COME ALL.
THE NINE-TIME TONY AWARD NOMINATED
“CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL”
CELEBRATES PRIDE
WITH CHARITY PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
CAST WILL KICK OFF THE 2026 NYC PRIDE MARCH
WITH A PERFORMANCE FROM THE WILDLY ACCLAIMED REVIVAL
JUNIOR LABEIJA & LENA WAITHE
TO HOST SPECIAL SCREENING OF THE LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY
“PARIS IS BURNING”
New York, NY (June 2, 2026) – CATS: The Jellicle Ball, the wildly acclaimed musical nominated for nine Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, is celebrating Pride unlike any other show on Broadway with charity partnerships, community engagements, and a special screening of Paris is Burning including a talkback with Ballroom Pioneer and CATS cast member Junior LaBeija, who is featured in the landmark documentary, and co-producer Lena Waithe. The CATS celebration of Pride will culminate in a historic performance to kick off the 2026 NYC Pride March, the country’s largest celebration of LGBTQ+ liberation.
CATS Tony-nominated Co-Choreographers Omari Wiles & Arturo Lyons said, “CATS: The Jellicle Ball is deeply indebted to the queer icons, especially the Black and Brown trans women who pioneered Ballroom. While Pride is a time to celebrate, we must never forget it originated as an act of resistance. As a community, we must continue to give back, support, and uplift those that nurtured us and made all of this possible.”
Below is the CATS Pride Calendar:
- LAUNCHED JUNE 1 – CATS: The Jellicle Ball is partnering with Gay Pride Apparel, a queer owned clothing company, to benefit Callen-Lorde Community Health Center with a limited edition collection available at the Broadhurst Theatre and online at https://store.platypusmerchandise.com/catsjellicle
- JUNE 1 – New York City’s LGBT Community Center brought CATS to their annual “Fashion Centered” Gala, a one-of-a-kind event that brings together top leaders in fashion, design and the arts to raise funds for The Center’s most vital programs and services for the LGBTQ+ community of New York.
- JUNE 8 – 2026 Tony Award nominated costume designer Qween Jean and cast members Nora Schell & B Noel Thomas will participate in the “Broadway is Trans” cabaret at Judson Memorial Church benefiting Black Trans Liberation’s mission to end homelessness and food insecurity within the trans population.
- JUNE 9 & 11 – Cast members Emma Sofia and Bryce Farris will offer a masterclass at Ballet Tech, the New York City public school for dance.
- JUNE 15 – Cast member and Ballroom Pioneer Junior LaBeija and CATS co-producer Lena Waithe will host a screening of the landmark documentary Paris Is Burning at The Ned NYC, with a post-screening talkback with LaBeija and Waithe.
- JUNE 18 – CATS will host a Pride post-performance talkback at the Broadhurst Theatre for audience members in partnership with the Stonewall Community Foundation and The Center. The talkback will be moderated by Executive Director Elise Crespo.
- JUNE 19 – The cast will host the official after party following the 2026 Native Son Awards:10th Anniversary Celebration, an organization that harnesses the power of Black queer men.
- JUNE 22– Working with the Hetrick-Martin Institute, an organization that supports queer youth, CATS will participate in their Future Icons event.
- JUNE 24 – CATS will perform at the annual exclusive Pride Party hosted by The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel by Hyatt.
- JUNE 28 – The cast of CATS, working with Heritage of Pride, will kick off the 2026 NYC Pride March with a performance from the show covered live by WABC-TV.
Additionally, CATS: The Jellicle Ball will partner with brands such as, Schmackary’s as they celebrate Pride. And keep an eye out for some additional surprise brand collaborations coming to life throughout the month of June!
CATS: The Jellicle Ball, is directed by 2026 Tony Award nominees Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch and choreographed by 2026 Tony Award nominees, Drama Desk Award winners, and New York City Ballroom icons Omari Wiles (House of NiNa Oricci) and Arturo Lyons (House of Miyake-Mugler).
CATS: The Jellicle Ball has music by Webber, who is Tony nominated this year for Best Orchestrations alongside David Wilson, Trevor Holder, and Doug Schadt, and is based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.
The Broadway cast includes 2026 Tony Award nominee and Tony Award winner André De Shields, Ken Ard as ‘DJ Griddlebone,’ Kya Azeen as ‘Etcetera,’ Bryson Battle as ‘Jellylorum,’ Chita Rivera Award nominee Jonathan Burke as ‘Mungojerrie,’ Chita Rivera Award nominee Baby Byrne as ‘Victoria,’ Tara Lashan Clinkscales, Bryce Farris, Chita Rivera Award nominee Sydney James Harcourt as ‘Rum Tum Tugger,’ Chita Rivera Award nominee Dava Huesca as ‘Rumpleteazer,’ Dudney Joseph Jr. as ‘Munkustrap,’ Junior LaBeija as ‘Gus,’ Leiomy as ‘Macavity,’ Chita Rivera Award winner and Theatre World Award winner Robert “Silk” Mason as ‘Magical Mister Mistoffelees,’ “Tempress” Chasity Moore as ‘Grizabella,’ Primo Thee Ballerino as ‘Tumblebrutus,’ Xavier Reyes as ‘Jennyanydots,’ Nora Schell as ‘Bustopher Jones,’ Bebe Nicole Simpson as ‘Demeter,’ Emma Sofia as ‘Cassandra’/’Skimbleshanks,’ Phumzile Sojola, Kendall Grayson Stroud, B. Noel Thomas, Kalyn West, Garnet Williams as ‘Bombalurina,’ Teddy Wilson Jr. as ‘Sillabub,’ Darius Wright, and Donté Nadir Wilder.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s worldwide phenomenon CATS is reimagined in a production that has smashed records, won awards, and left New York City purring. And now CATS: The Jellicle Ball ascends to Broadway in a kaleidoscope of glittering spectacle, iconic music, and electrifying ballroom choreography that the New York Times calls “a lightning strike that sets joy free!” Broadway meets runway in the fiercest event of the season. Don’t miss this “sexy celebration of love and resilience” (New York Daily News) and “the most exhilarating fun that can be had in the theater” (Washington Post).
In addition to nine Tony Award nominations, CATS: The Jellicle Ball has been honored with three Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards including Outstanding Revival, three OBIE Awards, two New York Drama Critics Circle Special Citations, two Chita Rivera Awards, two Audelco Awards, three Dorian Theater Awards, and three Hewes Awards.
Last week, the production announced an extension due to popular demand with tickets on sale through Sunday, January 17, 2027.
Tickets for CATS: The Jellicle Ball, including the new block of tickets, are on sale now at Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200, or at the Broadhurst Theatre box office.
The creative team for CATS: The Jellicle Ball includes 2026 Tony Award nominee and winner Rachel Hauck (scenic design), 2026 Tony Award nominee, OBIE Award winner, Drama Desk Award winner, and New York Drama Critics Circle special citation recipient Qween Jean (costume design), 2026 Tony Award nominee and Outer Critics Circle Award nominee Adam Honoré (lighting design), 2026 Tony Award nominee and Tony Award winner Kai Harada (sound design), Brittany Bland (projection design), Special Tony Award recipient Nikiya Mathis (hair and wig design), Rania Zohny (makeup design), Josephine Kearns (dramaturg & gender consultant), Paul Kieve (magic), William Waldrop (music supervisor and music director), Doug Schadt (music producer), Trevor Holder (beats arranger/producer), Cooper Howell and N’yomi Allure Stewart (associate directors), Chelsey Arce (associate choreographer), Michael Samarie George (assistant choreographer), X Casting: Victor Vazquez, CSA, and Sujotta R. Pace, CSA (casting director), Ann James (sensitivity specialist), and Cody Renard Richard (production stage manager). Baseline Theatrical serves as general managers.
CATS: The Jellicle Ball is produced by Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and Mike Bosner by arrangement with LW Entertainment. The production is co-produced by Cynthia Erivo, John Legend and Mike Jackson’s Get Lifted Film Co., LaChanze, Jeremy Pope, Law Roach, Lena Waithe, Origin Story Productions, Miranda Gohh, George Strus, William Berlind, Timothy Bloom/Martinez Grimmett Productions/Drama Club Productions, Adam Kantor & Charly Jaffe, Alex Levy & Shari Redstone, Kevin Cahoon, AEG Presents/Jay Marciano, D’Angora Padgett Productions/Open Horizon, Gavin Kalin Productions, Jake Hine, Nederlander Presentations, Scott Mauro Entertainment/Leachman Feigelson Productions, Lindsay Holmes, Sean Nyberg, Meowz Productions, Nelson & Tao, TFLO Theatricals, artEquity Acton, Bob Boyett, Chimney Town, Cloth Fair Productions, Crooked Letter, DJD Productions, Duda Marcus, EK Productions, Lian Bloch Gill, Grace Street Creative, Lisa Hane, Harris Lanedo Productions, Hill Steinfast, John Gore Organization, Key to the City Productions, Willette Klausner, Klive Entertainment, L + E + N + Z Entertainment, LBH Productions, Christina Liceaga, LTJOF Productions, Lucky Tea Productions, Gates McCaffrey, Mount Caperton Productions, Mumby Foung, Mark Musico, Debbie Ohanian, Ryan R. Ratelle, Adam Riemer, Second Set, The Shubert Organization, The Brians, The Theater Offensive, Theatre Producers of Color, and Andy Jones.
CATS: The Jellicle Ball premiered at Perelman Performing Arts Center | PAC NYC in 2024.
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