According to Zhao Fei, the deputy director of the performance program department of the NCPA, tickets for the Beijing Cats shows opened on July 16 and sold more than 65 percent of the bookings within two hours, proving the wide popularity of the musical.

Peter McCarthy, pianist and music director of the musical, says that the latest production staged during the upcoming China tour will stay loyal to the original version of Cats, which will tell the story with the universal themes of love, redemption and self-discovery through a unique theatrical lens.

"We started conducting auditions for the musical in April, which received over 2,000 applications. We held auditions with nearly 500 people and rehearsals will begin in August," says McCarthy.

"There is an appetite for musicals in China. When I was here in 2019 with Cats, I felt the enthusiasm from the fans," he adds.