Leona Lewis cast as Grizabella in Cats on Broadway

Updated 26th May;  It has just been announced that with Nicole Scherzinger's withdrawal  to join the judging panel for the next series of X Factor,  LEONA LEWIS (winner of the third X Factor series in 2006) is to play Grizabella.

With a career now spanning eight years, Leona Lewis  has sold 20 million records worldwide. She should be amazing vocally in the part with  an impressive powerful  four octave mezzo-soprano vocal range with strong technical control and frequently use of the falsetto register. In 2014 she  made her film debut in the supporting role of Elena in the romantic comedy musical, Walking on Sunshine.

"Leona has one of the greatest voices of her generation," said Andrew Lloyd Webber. "We are all hugely excited about working with her."

"It is an incredible honor to be asked by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber to join the Cats family," said Lewis. "I will never forget seeing the show as a little girl and how blown away I was by the magical experience of it. I am beyond thrilled for my Broadway debut to be in such an iconic show. To work with a team as legendary as those on Cats is an experience I will cherish every moment of. I cannot wait to see the audiences out in NYC!

The cast for the first-ever Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical CATS has just been announced. The show  will return to Broadway this summer at the Neil Simon Theatre with previews beginning Thursday, July 14th and an opening set for Sunday, July 31st.

The new generation of CATS will include Giuseppe Bausilio as "Carbucketty," Quentin Earl Darrington as "Old Deuteronomy," Jeremy Davis as "Skimbleshanks," Kim Faure as "Demeter," Sara Jean Ford as "Jellylorum," Lili Froehlich as "Electra," Daniel Gaymon as "Macavity," Shonica Gooden as "Rumpleteazer," Christopher Gurr as "Gus/Bustopher Jones," Tyler Hanes as "Rum Tum Tugger," Andy Jones as "Munkustrap," Kolton Krouse as "Tumblebrutus," Eloise Kropp as "Jennyanydots / Gumbie," Jess LeProtto as "Mungojerrie," Georgina Pazcoguin as "Victoria," Emily Pynenburg as "Cassandra," Arianna Rosario as "Sillabub," Ahmad Simmons as "Alonzo," Christine Cornish Smith "Bombalurina," Corey Snide as "Coricopat," Emily Tate as "Tantomile," Ricky Ubeda as "Mistoffelees," and Sharrod Williams as "Pouncival,"with Richard Todd Adams, Aaron Albano, Callan Bergmann, Claire Camp, Francesca Granell, Jessica Hendy, Harris Milgrim, Madison Mitchell, Nathan Patrick Morgan and Megan Ort.