Cats opened for the first time in Paris Feb. 23, 1989, at Théâtre de Paris, where it ran for more than a year.

The forthcoming production will feature changes made for the 2014 London run, such as the fact that Rum Tum Tugger is now a rapper. In addition, Lloyd Webber revealed during his recent Paris visit that he will add a new song specifically written for the French production. The song will be in Italian, in the style of an opera aria. Apart from that song, Cats will be performed in French in a new adaptation provided by Nicolas Nebot and Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal.

The full company comprise Prisca Demarez (Grizabella), Golan Yosef (Rum Tum Tugger), Pierre-Yves Duchesne (Old Deuteronomy), Cédric Chupin (Munkustrap), Nicolas Turconi (Macavity), Stoyan Zmarzlik (Mungojerrie), Sylvain Mathis (Skimbleshank), Grégory Gonel (Alonzo), Wim Van Den Driessche (Bustopher Jones), Lucas Radziejwski (Coricopat), Yoan Grojean (Bill Bailey), William Da Dilva Pedro (Mistoffelees, Pouncival), Axel Alvarez (Mistoffelees), Rachael Ward (Bombalurina), Oonagh Jacobs (Jemima), Emmanuelle Guélin (Victoria), Vanessa Cailhol (Rumpleteazer), Emmanuelle N’Zuzi (Demeter), Léonie Thoms (Jellylorum), Katharina Lochman (Jennyanydots, Gumbie), Alexandra Girard (Tantomile) and Fédérica Capra (Cassandra) with Fabrice Todaro, Pascale Bruderer, Virginie Perrier, Allessandro Ripamonti, Charlyne Ribul Conte, Denis Ayzin and Els Smekens as ensemble members.

Based on Eliot’s "Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats," Cats is directed by Trevor Nunn, with Gillian Lynne as associate director and choreographer and designs by John Napier.

For more information visit http://www.catsthemusical.com/paris. *

(Stéphane Ly-Cuong is a Paris-based freelance writer and director [[email protected]]).