Theatre Shows Closing in May 2026
April 26, 2026
The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s global sensation, CATS, is embarking on a major UK tour.
CATS at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is part of Drew McOnie’s second season as Artistic Director. It marks the third Andrew Lloyd Webber title produced by the venue in the last 10 years following the Olivier-Award winning revival of Jesus Christ Superstar (directed by Tim Sheader and choreographed by Drew McOnie) in 2016, 2017 and 2020, and Evita (directed by Jamie Lloyd) in 2019.
CATS is one of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history. The show originally premiered at the New London Theatre in 1981, where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances.
The tour is directed and choreographed by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Artistic Director, Drew McOnie.
Joining Drew on the creative team are Sami Fendall (Set, Costume and Wigs Designer); Jessica Hung Han Yun (Lighting Designer); Adam Fisher (Sound Designer); Guy Common (Makeup Designer); Will Burton (Casting Director) and Alex Parker (Musical Supervisor).
The tour of CATS follows a summer season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre from 25 July – 19 September 2026. The show has extended by one week.
Access Performances:
BSL Interpreted: Tuesday 1 September, 7.45pm
Captioned: Friday 4 September, 7.45pm
Audio Described: Saturday 5 September, 2.15pm
Relaxed Performance: Thurs 27 August, 2pm
‘A new day has begun.’
From Euston station to Victoria Grove, the strays and rebels of London gather under the Jellicle moon in the hope they’ll be the chosen one. And each of them asks, because each of them dares, who will it be?
Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and with a legendary score which inspired generations featuring Old Deuteronomy, Macavity: The Mystery Cat, Jellicle Ball and the chart-topping hit Memory, this brand-new production of CATS is a magical musical like no other.
