Curtain Call Catastrophe: Andrew Lloyd Webber Declares Broadway 'Unsustainable' as 'Cats' Closes
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has publicly declared Broadway production costs 'unsustainable' following the early closure of his innovative 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball.' Despite critical acclaim and multiple Tony Awards, the show faced financial struggles, prompting Webber to call for industry-wide action on the escalating expenses that threaten new work.
Ahead of its final show, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has voiced strong concerns regarding the financial viability of producing shows on Broadway, stating it has become 'unsustainable.' Expressing his disappointment on Instagram over the closing of the 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' production, Lloyd Webber lauded the show as an 'incredibly daring production' that provided 17 actors with their Broadway debuts. He posited that the show's closure might serve as a crucial moment for the Broadway industry to confront and address the escalating and unsustainable costs associated with staging and running new productions, particularly original works, on 'The Great White Way.'
'The Jellicle Ball' represented a bold reimagining of Lloyd Webber's iconic 'Cats,' restaging it as a fierce competition among drag performers. The original 'Cats' enjoyed a long and successful run on Broadway from 1982 to 2000, garnering seven Tony Awards. In contrast, the 2019 film adaptation directed by Tom Hooper was met with widespread critical panning. Despite its innovative concept and critical recognition, which included three Tony Awards for best costume design, best direction of a musical, and best choreography, 'The Jellicle Ball' concluded its run five months earlier than planned at the Broadhurst Theatre.
The production initially launched off-Broadway in June 2024 before its Broadway premiere in April, where it initially generated robust weekly earnings of between $900,000 and $1 million. However, these figures saw a sharp decline following its loss of the Best Revival of a Musical Tony Award to 'Ragtime.' This recent statement is not the first time Lloyd Webber has lamented the premature end of the show. In a July Instagram post, he cautioned that 'Without action, Broadway risks rivaling Hollywood’s empty soundstages: increasingly dark theatres where bold new work once lived.'
Lloyd Webber further elaborated on the dire financial realities, asserting that 'The painful truth is that, with things as they are, bringing almost any new show to Broadway makes little financial sense.' He highlighted the immense costs involved, often forcing creators, writers, and directors to accept minimal royalties simply to get their work produced. Looking ahead, Andrew Lloyd Webber is collaborating with 'Sunset Blvd.' director Jamie Lloyd to bring 'Evita,' starring Rachel Zegler, to Broadway, following its successful run in London's West End.