Cats: The Jellicle Ball to Close 5 Months Early as $18 Million Broadway Costs Draw Fire
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Jul 15
Cats: The Jellicle Ball to Close 5 Months Early as $18 Million Broadway Costs Draw Fire
3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 15
Summary
August 8 will mark the final Broadway performance of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, ending the run five months before its planned January 17, 2027 close after weak grosses made the production unsustainable.
Box office peaked at $1.03 million in late May and never topped $1 million again, sliding as low as $691,071; even a rebound to $766,808 left about 18% of seats empty.
Andrew Lloyd Webber called the closure proof of a Broadway cost crisis, saying creators now survive on minimal royalties or fixed fees and warning of increasingly dark theaters.
That argument drew pushback from performers and crew, who said unions are not the problem and instead blamed theater landlords, rents and ticketing fees for squeezing productions.
The nine-time Tony nominee won three awards but lost Best Musical Revival to Ragtime, and producers have not announced future stagings beyond a routine New York Public Library archive filming.
A Tony-winning show grosses $1M weekly, yet fails. What hidden costs are killing new Broadway productions?
As grand musicals go dark, could a low-cost, one-actor play be the unlikely savior for Broadway's future?
The $18 Million “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Shutdown: Broadway’s Crisis of Cost vs. Creativity
Overview
Despite strong critical acclaim and celebrity involvement, 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' will close its Broadway run in August 2026, as announced on July 13, 2026. The show, capitalized at up to $18 million, has not recouped its investment, highlighting the tough financial landscape facing Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber noted that bringing new shows to Broadway often makes little financial sense, with creators forced to accept minimal royalties. The production, a distinctive reimagining of the classic musical, will be preserved in the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive, ensuring its artistic impact endures despite its early closure.