Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live has confirmed the first three cast members for the upcoming 40th Anniversary Australian tour of CATS, the long-running musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The production will begin its tour at Theatre Royal Sydney from 17 June, before moving to Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide from September and (as of writing) concluding at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne starting December.
Todd McKenney will take on the dual roles of Bustopher Jones and Gus the Theatre Cat. McKenney, a familiar face to Australian theatregoers, was most recently seen in Wicked as The Wizard and in The Odd Couple opposite Shane Jacobson. His association with CATS dates back to the original Melbourne season in 1987–1988, where he portrayed Tumblebrutus.
Joining the cast as Old Deuteronomy is Mark Vincent. Known for his work in classical music, Vincent has released ten albums and performed internationally. His previous musical theatre credits include roles in Dirty Dancing and My Fair Lady. This marks his return to the stage in a major musical theatre production.
Leigh Archer will return to CATS in the role of Jennyanydots, the warm and maternal “Gumbie Cat”. Archer previously played Demeter in the 1992–1993 Australian and Asian tour of CATS, and has since appeared in productions such as Strictly Ballroom, West Side Story and Moonshadow.
Commenting on the announcement, John Frost shared:
I am very excited to bring the original production of CATS back to Australia, and to cast the ultimate showman Todd McKenney as Gus the Theatre Cat, Mark Vincent with his breathtaking voice as Old Deuteronomy, and welcome Leigh Archer back to one of her earliest shows. CATS was revolutionary when it first opened and to entice some of its past Australian cast members back for the 40th Anniversary is a huge thrill. Australia has an enduring love for CATS and it’s time to let the memory live again.
Ticketing information for the Australian tour can be found on the official CATS the Musical website.
