Balgord will join Ken Prymus (as Old Deuteronomy) — another Broadway Cats alum — in the musical, which plays the Massachusetts Theatre July 8-Aug. 3. The official opening is scheduled for July 10. Rounding out the cast of 22 singers, dancers and actors are Joe Abraham, Jacob Brent, Mark Burrell, Lou Castro, Rob Flebbe, Kevin Loreque, Tina Moya, Brian Noonan, Carolyn Ockert, Susan Owen, Julie Tollivar, Pamela Rainey, Dani Schaffel, Matthew Sipress, Shylo Smith, Grant Turner, Kyle Patrick Vaughn, Sharon Wheatle, Nikol Wolf and Gustavo Wons.

  Richard Stafford will direct and choreograph the North Shore production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which is based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.” The creative team comprises Mark McLaren (musical director), Howard C. Jones (scenic designer), Hugh Hallinan (lighting design), Michael Goudzwaard (special effects design), Suzanne Viverito (make-up design), Jay Woods (costume design), Gerard Kelly (wig design) and John Stone (sound design).

About the upcoming production, NSMT Artistic Director/Executive Producer Jon Kimbell said, “It is truly an honor to be one of the first regional theatres in the country to produce Cats since it closed on Broadway.”

  Cats begin life at the New London Theatre May 11, 1981; the Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in Oct. 1982 where it played a record-breaking 7,485 performances. The Broadway mounting — Directed by Trevor Nunn — won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Betty Buckley.

Tickets, priced between $26 and $63, are available by calling (978) 232 7200. The North Shore Music Theatre is located in Beverly, MA, at 62 Dunham Road. Visit www.nsmt.org for more information.