TV talent show stars are among the cast announced for the CATS 40th anniversary performances

One of the longest-running musicals of all time is returning as Australia celebrates the CATS 40th anniversary.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical played its first Australian shows in Sydney in 1985.
Three cast members have been announced for the anniversary production.
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On July 27, 1985, Cats leapt on to the stage at the Theatre Royal Sydney, making its Australian debut. Now, 40 years on, Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s musical is returning to that same stage in celebration of its Australian anniversary. Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the production premiered in London’s West End in 1981, where it performed almost 9,000 shows over 21 years, breaking records.

Although its jump to the big screen may not have quite landed on its feet in 2019, its impressive legacy on the stage is undeniable. Sydney’s theatregoers will be clamouring for tickets to the limited run of the nostalgic show—and now we have some news on the cast, to make

Who will star in the CATS 40th-anniversary shows?

Esteemed producer John Frost pays homage to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s original score in the over-the-top, campy musical. Ahead of its opening, Frost says:

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 40^th Anniversary is a huge thrill. Australia has an enduring love for CATS and it’s time to let the memory live again.
— John Frost

Perhaps most recognised as a judge on Australia’s Dancing with the Stars, Todd McKenny will take not one, but two roles in the production: Bustopher Jones and Gus the Theatre Cat. Todd is much more than a TV talent show judge though, having earned his reputation as a dancer and performer in stage productions including 42nd Street, Singin’ in the Rain and Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical. He also starred in the original 1987-1988 Melbourne season of CATS as Tumblebrutus, the playful adolescent. Gus the Theatre Cat, the aged cat who misses his theatre heyday, is quite a change in character for McKenny.

Starring opposite McKenny, Mark Vincent also has TV talent show links, having won the third season of Australia’s Got Talent in 2009. The tenor is one of Australia’s most celebrated classical crossover artists; he’s recorded ten albums, performed in multiple international tours and also starred in musicals Dirty Dancing and My Fair Lady. In 2023, Mark reached a new milestone when he was personally invited to Andrea Bocelli’s home for lunch and even entrusted with a song originally composed for Bocelli (Sei Ami La Vita). CATS marks his third musical performance, Vincent will star as Old Deuteronomy, the wise and beloved patriarch of the Jellicle tribe.

The third and final cast member announced so far is Leigh Archer, who will play the maternal Jennyanydots, also known as “Gumbie Cat”. She also returns to the musical after a short catnap—she played the neurotic and paranoid Demeter, who is one of the lead female singers, in the1992/93 Australian and Asian tour. Since then, her credits have been diverse and extensive, including Marty in Grease – The Arena Spectacular, Consuelo in West Side Story and understudying four principal roles in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical.

It’s a stellar lineup for the first announcement, which will no doubt get even more impressive as more is announced in the coming weeks.

CATS in Sydney

Address: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney NSW 2000
Dates: Tuesday, June 17 until Sunday, August 24 2025.
Performance times: Wednesdays 1pm & 7pm; Thursdays 7pm; Fridays 7:30pm; Saturdays 2pm & 7:30pm; Sundays 1pm & 6pm. Subject to changes.

Travelling to the theatre:

The theatre is a three minute walk from Martin Place station, which is serviced by the T4 train line and the Metro. Wynyard and Town Hall stations are a ten minute walk away and the T4 also stops here.

Numerous buses stop outside Martin Place station, which is a short walk from the venue, including the 428 which runs between Canterbury station and the CBD, the 392 which runs between Little Bay and Circular Quay and the 170X which runs between Manly and Wynyard.

For those driving, look out for exclusive Wilson Parking rates in pre-show emails from Theatre Royal Sydney. Nearby car parks include: 25 Martin Place (108 King St), Angel Place Car Park (123 Pitt St), Citigroup Centre Car Park (271 Pitt St) and Australia Square Car Park (31 Bond St).

For more information, go to catsthemusical.com.au.