“Jellicle Cats Come out To-Night Jellicle
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For immediate release Acclaimed West End revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical Jellicle Cats Grizabella, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer Make Special Visit To Meet Local Media Ahead of Gala Opening [HONG KONG, 1 December, 2017] Hong Kong rejoiced as Jellicle cats Grizabella, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer – lead cast members of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical CATS - flew into Hong Kong to meet members of the media and explore the cosmopolitan city today. At a press conference this afternoon at the Renaissance Hotel, the three lead stars Joanna Ampil (Grizabella), Billy Mahoney (Mungojerrie) and Naoimh Morgan (Rumpelteazer) delivered their breath-taking live singing performances including the show’s iconic song ‘Memory’. “We are thrilled that the acclaimed revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning musical CATS is pouncing back onto the Hong Kong stage,” said leading lady Joanna Ampil. “The show was ground-breaking when it opened in 1981 and remains as fresh and innovative today. We’re enormously proud of this production, which combines Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless music, Gillian Lynne’s extraordinary choreography and John Napier’s ingenious set design. We are excited to share with Hong Kong audiences one of the most thrilling theatrical experiences of all time and let the memory live again!’ The ever-popular musical opens at the Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy Performing Arts on 6th January 2018, and due to overwhelming demand for tickets, the producers have already extended the season for one last week until 11 February 2018, with no further extension possible. Tickets for the newly added performances from 6 January until 11 February can be purchased online at www.hkticketing.com, or by phone at 31-288-288. Seats can also be obtained at all HK Ticketing or Tom Lee outlets in person. Don’t miss out your last chance to grab the hottest tickets in town! The hit revival was reworked by the original creative team - Director Trevor Nunn, Choreographer & Associate Director Gillian Lynne, Set Designer John Napier and Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber – and opened at the famous London Palladium in 2014, with Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls as Grizabella, and received excellent reviews. The season was such a triumph that it was extended to April 2015, and then returned for a second season from October 2015 to January 2016, with Beverley Knight as Grizabella, whose performance was equally acclaimed. Based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the show is alive with our favourite feline characters from the Jellicle tribe of Cats, including Rum Tum Tugger, Mr. Mistoffelees, Macavity, Jennyanydots, Old Deuteronomy, Grizabella and Skimbleshanks. On one special moonlit night each year, the Jellicle Cats reunite in a rubbish dump for the Jellicle Ball. One by one they tell their stories, extolling the unique abilities and special traits that make them such an exceptional tribe. Their wise and benevolent leader, Old Deuteronomy, must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. CATS Press Release Page 2 Grizabella, a one-time glamour cat who left the tribe years ago to explore the outside world now wants to return to the fold. But she is shunned by the rest of the tribe and can only look back on her glorious past as she sings ‘Memory’. The poignant song, with its spine-tingling climactic top notes, has become one of the biggest hits from the world of musical theatre, recorded by over 150 artists from Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis to Liberace and Barry Manilow. In addition to the magnificent musical score composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS is renowned for its extraordinary choreography from Gillian Lynne. Her ability to fuse feline movement and almost-human characteristics with contemporary dance moves has resulted in some of the most iconic and energetic choreography ever seen on the theatre stage. John Napier’s set design is equally innovative. A junkyard playground for cats has been created, specially constructed to a cat’s scale - three and a bit times life size – complete with an abandoned car, massive tyres, a bicycle and about 1,500 pieces of everyday rubbish. The fantastical set spills over into the theatre, with carnival lighting hung all the way to the rafters. One of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history, CATS received its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances. The ground-breaking production was the winner of the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical. In 1983 the Broadway production became the recipient of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, and ran for 18 years. Since its world premiere, CATS has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 15 languages and has been seen by more than 81 million people worldwide. Both the original London and Broadway cast recordings won Grammy Awards for Best Cast Album. CATS is quite simply a phenomenon. Featuring a fantastical oversized set, a superb score, inspired choreography and mischievous costumes and make-up, CATS is a brilliant song and dance spectacular not to be missed. “The cat’s whiskers…a triumphant piece of musical theatre…” SUNDAY TIMES, UK “Magical! The setting is a miracle of design. Go on…purr with pleasure” DAILY MIRROR, UK “A brilliantly conceived song and dance spectacular” SUNDAY EXPRESS, UK “Many thrilling moments… Extraordinary ingenuity” SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, UK “ . Slick and polished . great fun.” THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, UK Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Ian Productions present the Cameron Macintosh and The Really Useful Theatre production of CATS. Originally produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company. CATS Press Release Page 3 The Title Sponsor of CATS Hong Kong season is American Express Hong Kong. Official Sponsor is Asia Miles. Official Ocean Carrier is OOCL. Official Hotel is Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong. Ticketing Information CATS Performance Dates: From 6th January to 11 February 2018 Venue: Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Show Dates Show Times Tuesday to Friday 7:45pm Saturday 2:00pm & 7:45pm Sunday 1:00pm & 6:00pm Standard Ticket Prices: $1,245 (Broadway Package), $1,045 (VIP), $845 (A Reserve), $595 (B Reserve), $445 (C Reserve) Student Package* $895 (VIP) / $695 (A Reserve) / $330 (B Reserve) Family Package* (A set of 4 tickets): $3,580 (VIP) / $2,780 (A Reserve) / $1,320 (B Reserve) Ticket prices are exclusive of HK Ticketing service charge and courier fees *A limited number of tickets for Full-time Students and F am i l y packages (a set of 4 tickets) are available in VIP, A and B Reserves for all performances (excluding Fri & Sat evenings). The event is suitable for age 3 or above. Children under 3 years of age will not be admitted. All persons entering the theatre, regardless of age, must have a ticket. Tickets can be purchased via HK Ticketing as follows: - HK Ticketing hotline: 31 288 288 - HK Ticketing website: www.hkticketing.com - HK Ticketing outlets: K11 Select, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, The Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus- Bethanie, AsiaWorld-Expo, Fringe Club, Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, and all Tom Lee Music outlets For more information, please visit www.lunchbox-productions.com For more updates, please visit CATS Press Release Page 4 Notes for Editors About Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Founded in Hong Kong in 1992 by James Cundall, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions has established an unrivalled reputation for producing top quality international entertainment across five continents, and is now headquartered in the United Kingdom with companies in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and The Philippines. Productions include musicals such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Wicked, Mamma Mia, West Side Story and Chicago; spectaculars such as Riverdance and Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria; boutique shows such as Stomp, Tap Dogs, Slava’s Snowshow, Potted Potter, Circus Oz and Barry Humphries’ Farewell Tour ‘Eat, Pray, Laugh!’; musical concerts including Thriller Live, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Abba Mania; international artists Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Elaine Paige; plays such as The Woman in Black, The Mousetrap and The 39 Steps; children’s shows Thomas the Tank Engine and Barney’s Space Adventures; events such as Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland (an outdoor Christmas ice rink and funfair in York, UK) and The Last Night of the Proms for the Hong Kong Handover; and The Imperial Ice Stars’ productions of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Swan Lake on Ice, Cinderella on Ice and The Nutcracker on Ice. As well as producing this portfolio of shows, James Cundall spent the first five months of 2010 based in Shanghai, as Producer of the Outdoor Opening Ceremony of Expo 2010 Shanghai China, on behalf of David Atkins Enterprises. In addition to CATS, future productions for 2017/18 include: Evita in Singapore, Wicked in Zurich; Cinderella on Ice in South Africa and at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, UK. About David Ian Productions David Ian has produced theatre shows all over the world. He is the recipient of five Olivier awards and two Tony nominations. His credits include: Grease, Saturday Night Fever, The King and I, West Side Story, Singin’ in the Rain, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Anything Goes, The Producers, Defending the Caveman, Guys and Dolls, Daisy Pulls It Off, The Sound of Music, La Cage aux Folles, Sweet Charity, Flashdance, Gypsy, The Shawshank Redemption, The Phantom of the Opera (Las Vegas), My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Chess, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, Chicago, Dr Dolittle, Starlight Express, Seminar, Steel Magnolias, Ghost the Musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Bodyguard, Jersey Boys, Annie, Xanadu and Show Boat.