The musical gives a ballroom spin to the famed feline-themed musical

NEED TO KNOW

• Andrew Lloyd Webber and Anna Wintour made a cameo during the CATS: The Jellicle Ball performance at the 2026 Tony Awards
• The Broadway revival highlights New York City’s ballroom culture and features a star-studded cast including André De Shields
• Webber is also excited for the upcoming Evita revival starring Rachel Zegler, set to debut on Broadway next spring

During the CATS: The Jellicle Ball performance at the 2026 Tony Awards, the cast brought a few surprise guests to the ballroom floor: Anna Wintour and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Wintour, 76, and Webber, 78, popped up from the audience holding cat-themed signs reading "Meow" and "Purr" to cheer on the dancers.

Others in the crowd were waving CATS: The Jellicle Ball fans to keep with the ballroom theme.

The musical, which is a reinvention of Webber's classic show, has taken over the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City to showcase the city's history with ballroom culture.

"Well, it's just a joy to be here," Webber told PEOPLE on the red carpet on Sunday, June 7. "If somebody told me this time last year, when I was standing in this same space, that it was going to be here this year, I wouldn't have believed you."

"A couple of them said to me this morning they've never been near Radio City," he added about the cast, which includes a lot of performers making their Broadway debuts. "Can you imagine?"

During the show's opening night on Tuesday, April 7, Webber, who wrote the music for the original CATS, which was adapted from a book of poems by T.S. Eliot, spoke about how he feels about the "daring" spin on his classic musical.

"Well, what's wonderful about this is that it is so original, so daring," he told PEOPLE. "And it has a quality about it that I think Eliot would have loved. And I think what it is, if it's got real heart, that's what this has. And I think that's the big difference."

CATS: The Jellicle Ball is the first time the production has received a Broadway revival since 2016. The original Cats closed in 2000 after 7,485 performances at the Winter Garden Theatre. 

The new show stars Dudney Joseph Jr. as Munkustrap, André De Shields as Old Deuteronomy, Chasity Moore as Grizabella, Leiomy as Macavity, Junior LaBeija as Gus, Ken Ard as DJ Griddlebone, Kya Azeen as Etcetera, Bryson Battle as Jellylorum, Jonathan Burke as Mungojerrie, Baby Byrne as Victoria and Sydney James Harcourt as Rum Tum Tugger.

The show also features Dava Huesca as Rumpleteazer, Robert “Silk” Mason as Magical Mister Mistoffelees, Primo Thee Ballerino as Tumblebrutus, Xavier Reyes as Jennyanydots, Nora Schell as Bustopher Jones, Bebe Nicole Simpson as Demeter, Emma Sofia as Cassandra/Skimbleshanks, Garnet Williams as Bombalurina and Teddy Wilson Jr. as Sillabub. 

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As for what else Webber has in store, he told PEOPLE he was looking forward to the Evita revival starring Rachel Zegler. The show, which was a "fantastic success" during its run on London's West End in summer 2025, is set to kick off Broadway performances next spring.

Webber praised Zegler, 25, for her "incredible performance" and while it is a "very radical new interpretation" directed by Jamie Lloyd, he emphasized that "the music has stayed exactly the same."

After the Tony Awards end tonight, he shared that his celebration plans are going to be a bit calmer.

"I'm going to be very relaxed tonight," Webber shared. "I'm just very delighted for everybody involved with the show that it's got here. It's fantastic."

The 2026 Tony Awards air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

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