nonreplicakittiesā non replica masterpost!
linked below the cut are the tags to all the productions i have covered, organized chronologically, along with a little summary!
MacskƔk Budapest 1983
this was the third production of CATS ever performed internationally! it took place in an abandoned theater and featured new costumes and swing characters. while it opened in 1983, it has continued to play on certain dates to this day. in this production, Grizabella ascends to the Heaviside Layer on a giant chandelier!
Oslo 1985
while the costumes in this production look quite different than current replica designs, they were actually created by London production costume designers, and were the standard London costumes at that time. the most unique aspect of this production is that Jemima doesnāt sing with Grizabella in Memory, rather itās Grizabellaās younger self!
Helsinki 1986
this production featured new costumes and a large ensemble of named chorus cats, alongside swings. many changes were made to characters, for instance Bustopher Jones became a full character, Coricopat was female, and Growltiger and Griddlebone were played by different characters!
Stockholm 1987
Australia Circus Tent Tour (1999)
this production was performed inside a giant CATS-themed circus tent, and included many circus elements, including trapeze, tumbling, and ball balancing. it used mostly replica-style costumes, although several cats got new wigs. this productionsā Mungojerrie took on the role of a circus captain and would direct the other performers in their circus feats!
Prague 2004
Warsaw 2004
in this production, the word Jellicle is translated to Dachowiec, which literally means ārooftop cat,ā but is best translated as āalley cat.ā fittingly, this production is set on the rooftops of Poland. it featured all-new costumes and choreography, as well as several new ensemble characters!
CLOC 2006
Gothenburg 2006 / Cirkus Stockholm 2009
this production was set in an abandoned amusement park and featured unique costumes, reportedly inspired by anime. the costumes and sets originally used in Gothenburg were reused for the Cirkus Stockholm production, which saw a return of many Gothenburg actors!
Abbey Musical Theatre 2007
this production was set in an abandoned carnival, with the costumes fittingly taking on a ādark circusā style, with detailed, over-the-top designs!
Lahti 2007
this production featured new brightly colored āspace-ageā costumes and made several changes to the characters and plot. some of the most notable are that Munkustrap and Rumpleteazer were in a relationship, and that Jennyanydots was played by a man!
Wichita 2007
Footlight Productions 2008
this production featured an all-new, brightly colored set and new costumes with a distinct blocky aesthetic. this productionsā version of the jellicle moon set piece was designed as a giant cat face!
Italian Tour 2009
this production featured masks and costume design inspired by commedia dellāarte! while not the first production in Italy, it was the first to be performed in Italian. this productionsā Skimbleshanks uses a shopping cart for his train prop!
Oslo 2009
this production appears to be set in an abandoned warehouse or factory, and featured brand new costumes. this productionsā Tugger has an electric guitar which he apparently plays in his number!
Candlelight Pavilion 2011
Council Rock North 2012
this school production was wild west-themed, with a homesteader-type Jennyanydots, and highwaymen Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer! the whole production is available on youtube!
CRT 2012
this production was set in the back alley behind an abandoned theatre, making use of old props and stage lights for set dressing. it also featured all-new costumes, including some very fluffy legwarmers!
Brno 2013
this production stands out because the characters are intended not to be cats, but humans, participating at a masquerade ball in a nightclub. this productionsā Grizabella is reborn as a kitten, played by an actual cat!
Mexico 2013/2018
this production leans slightly more replica, but the costume designs are reimagined as much more colorful than standard productions, with bold makeup and bright colors. it originally ran in 2013, but was revived in 2018 and played over 400 shows throughout its tour!
Theatre by the Sea 2013
this productionās costuming leaned more towards replica, but has its own distinct flair! brightly colored neon lights seemed to be a main feature, lighting the stage with purples and pinks.
BMMS 2014
this production seemed to be set within a clock tower, and included steampunk-style costumes and theming. it had a large cast of over 80 performers, ranging from adults to teens and children!
Harvest Rain 2014
this was the largest production of CATS ever performed, with a cast of over 800, each dressed in their own unique costume (even the orchestra)! the show was staged in a convention centre, with a raised center platform for the main performers with the ensemble dancing around it.
Paramount Theatre 2014
this production featured a unique set and some new choreography, but what stands out the most are the costumes! with all-new designs, these costumes feature intricate patterns, bedazzlements, and detailing. this productionsā Jennyanydots wears a Union Jack dress for her tap number!
Pilsen 2014
this production seems to be focused more on costumes, giving each character a unique and detailed costume with pops of color. the set, however, is kept rather minimal, relying mainly on neon lighting and simple set pieces.
Santiago 2014
Marriott Theatre 2014
WCT 2014
this college production took place in a playground, with a brightly-colored set and costumes (with very fluffy warmers) to match! interestingly, the program lists two Sillabubs, as well as a āmatineeā Grizabella alongside her regular performer.
Tecklenberg 2015
this production was performed at an open-air theater, and was also circus-themed! it featured brightly-colored costumes that accentuated the theme, as well as brand-new stunts. this productionsā Mistoffelees danced on aerial silks, and its Macavity was a fire-breather!
Blue Bird Theater 2016
this production quite a bit shorter than the original show, with several songs cut or reordered. it takes several liberties with the story, the largest of which comes during the Macavity fight, where Macavity appears to kill Sillabub, with the story diverging somewhat from there.
Lahti 2016
this production, performed on the same stage as Lahtiās 2007 production, mainly featured circus performers exhibiting stunts such as acrobatics, aerial silks, and cyr wheel. notably, this productionsā costumes donāt resemble cats!
Luisenburg 2016
this production was described by the director as āa celebration of the diversity and character of each individual.ā fittingly, it featured new costumes representing many walks of life, such as a punk Mistoffelees, Jenny in a victorian gown, and lederhosen-clad Mungo and Rumple!
MAÄKY 2016
this production is set in an abandoned department store in the London suburbs, with many cats dressed in the storeās apparel. it opened in April of 2016 and still seems to be playing today. notably, this productionsā Jemima seems to be played by two actresses, an adult for the dancing scenes and a child for her singing lines!
Pantheon Club 2016
this production featured a rococo theme, with tall powdered wigs and ruffles galore! unfortunately, not a lot is known about this production aside from a handful of photos :(
Ullensaker 2016
this production was still set in a junkyard, with oversized appliances such as an oven and refrigerator making up the set. it featured all new costumes and wigs, and its Grizabella was played by drag queen Geir Ove Bredesen!
Opera Populaire 2017
this production, set in an abandoned train station, took on a steampunk aesthetic with unique and intricate costumes! notably, this productionsā Mistoffelees is played by a woman!
Tampere 2017
this production was directed by Georg Malvius, who has been vocal about his dislike for the original CATS. the show features a rat as the silent ānarrator,ā describing his dream of becoming a cat. it also features especially unique wigs, looking much closer to human hairstyles than cat fur!
Thunerseespiele 2017
this production was set in an abandoned amusement park and was performed at an outdoor stage built over the water of Lake Thun, Switzerland. it featured new costumes with a cybergoth aesthetic. this productionsā Tugger also rode around on a motorcycle!
Festival Players 2018
this production was set in a speakeasy during the prohibition era, with all-new 1920s-style costumes. it reportedly featured a female Macavity, Mungojerrie, and Skimbleshanks!
Hellenic Cosmos 2018
Ostrava 2018
this production is set on the rooftops of London, with new and colorful costumes! it opened in 2018 and is still being performed today. this peoductionsā Old Deuteronomy watches over the ball from his seat in a satellite dish!
SALT 2018
this production featured all-new costumes and makeup, as well as new wigs that seem to be created out of yarn!
Firehouse Theatre 2019
this production, featuring new costume designs, incorporated modern dance styles into its choreography! some costume elements, wigs especially, seemed to be changed and updated over the course of the show. this production also held cat adoption services before each Saturday show!
Kilworth House 2019
this production is set in a WWII-era bombed out London Underground station. the costumes represent many different walks of life from that era, including boy scouts, evacuating children, and glamour girls, creating a mix of human- and cat-like features. interestingly, this productionsā Coricopat and Tantomile are portrayed as children!
New Zealand Tour 2019
this production was reimagined as a ādarker, more sensualā version of the show, inspired by post-earthquake Christchurch and set within an abandoned Victorian theatre. fittingly, the costumes are also redesigned to be darker and quite unique!
NQOMT 2019
this production was set in a post-apocalyptic London, featuring a set overgrown with moss and vines. the all-new costumes are described as āwaste-lander,ā as they are āmade of things the Cats have collected through their life, as though theyāre wearing their memories.ā
Perth/Mandurah 2019
this production featured new, neon-colored costumes with intricate psychedelic patterns. reportedly, it also included aerial silks and roller skates. this productionsā Skimbleshanks number featured a Thomas the Tank Engine inflatable costume!
Melbourne 2020
this production, taking place in a decrepit music hall, is set in the 1930s, when T. S. Eliot would have been writing his works. it takes on a very distinct āflapperā aesthetic with all-new costumes and choreography!
ArtsEd 2021
this production took on a vintage aesthetic, with the all-new costumes drawing inspiration from many different eras, including a classic ballerina outfit for Victoria and a puffy babydoll dress for Electra!
Centre Stage 2022
ChorzĆ³w 2022
this production uses the same translation as Warsaw, calling the jellicles āroof cats!ā it features unique and bright costumes with bold colors. it also has some character changes, such as Tantomile being male and Mungojerrie being played by a woman (although the lyrics still refer to him as male)!
Il Sistina 2022
this production was set in Rome, with the set being constructed out of oversized works of art, statues, and archeological finds, with the Colosseum in the background. it also featured new choreo and new, very fluffy costumes!
Interlakes Theatre 2022
Theatr Clwyd 2022
this production seemed to take place in a high school setting, with human clothes based on different teenage and teacher aesthetics, while still retaining cat-like makeup and wigs! Mungo and Rumple were classic 80s teens, Jenny had a Ms. Frizzle-eque look, and Bombalurina had a punk aesthetic, just to name a few!
Wichita 2023
this production was set in an abandoned amusement park, the production crew actually using old signage from the defunct theme park Joyland to create the set! the costumes, while replica-leaning, are distinct as well, with their own flair. this productionsā Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer have bags of popcorn and cotton candy as their stolen goods!
Thalia Muziektheater 2023
Maynooth University 2024
PAC 2024
this production was inspired heavily by New York drag and ballroom culture, diverting from the showās original premise and instead casting the characters as ballroom performers competing in different categories! this production notably featured Andre De Shields as Old Deuteronomy!
Santiago 2024
Theatre Under the Stars 2024
UFOMT 2024
Casa MaƱana 2025
this production was cowboy-themed, taking place at a Texas stockyard and changing some of the orchestration to country-style music! it featured square dancing, cornhole, and a lasso-wielding Macavity!
Flat Rock 2025
Fulton 2025
this production took place in an abandoned theme park! it saw the return of many cast members from former US tours, as well as a whole host of new named ensemble characters!
Paramount Theatre 2025
another circus-themed production, featuring aerial silks, juggling, and contortionism, just to name a few! most notably, this production included a family tree in its program!
