CATS is the longest running musical in Broadway history, debuting in 1982 and finally closing on Broadway in September, 2000. Written by famed composer Andrew Lloyd Weber (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera) and based on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, this musical still remains a favorite with audiences nationwide. CATS tells the story of the Jellicles, a tribe of cats who assemble for their annual junkyard ball where they announce the cat that will be reborn. "Memory," the show's most memorable song (sung by the character Grizabella) quickly became a pop vocal favorite and has been recorded by over 150 artists including Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow and Judy Collins. The show's appeal also appears to be universal, as it has been translated into over 20 languages. As time and ticket sales have proven, CATS is undoubtedly one of the most beloved stage musicals of all time.