‘Cats’: ‘Hamilton’s Andy Blankenbuehler To Choreograph Universal-Working Title Film

EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton‘s Andy Blankenbuehler has been set to choreograph Universal Pictures and Working Title’s big screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. The three-time Tony Award winner was already part of the extended Cats family, having choreographed the recent Broadway revival. I understand he boards the project, which starts production in early December, after scheduling conflicts with the Royal Ballet arose for Wayne McGregor. Directed by Tom Hooper, Cats is set for a December 20, 2019 theatrical release.

Blankenbuehler received the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors for his work on Hamilton, for which he also won a Tony and an Olivier. His other Tonys were for Bandstand and In The Heights. Further Broadway credits include Bring It On, 9 To 5, The People In The Picture, The Apple Tree and Annie. He was Tony-nominated for Bring It On and 9 To 5. Blankenbuehler’s upcoming projects include the new musical Only Gold with British singer/songwriter Kate Nash.

On TV, the artist’s work has been seen on the Lionsgate/ABC remake of Dirty Dancing, as well as America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, The Sopranos, MTV and Sesame Street. He has staged concert work for both Elton John and Bette Midler, and conceived, directed and choreographed the hit Caesars Palace production Nights On Broadway. Blankenbuehler is currently working on FX’s limited series Fosse/Verdon about the lives of filmmaker/choreographer Bob Fosse and dancer Gwen Verdon.

As a performer, Blankenbuehler has danced on Broadway in Fosse, Contact, Man Of La Mancha, Saturday Night Fever, Steel Pier, Big and Guys And Dolls. He’s repped by WME.

The Cats cast includes includes Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, James Corden, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Rebel Wilson and Royal Ballet principal dancers Steven McRae and Francesca Hayward.

The epic will be produced by Hooper and Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, as well as fellow Les Misérables producer Debra Hayward who brought the idea to Working Title. Cats will be produced by Working Title Films in association with Monumental Pictures and The Really Useful Group and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Lloyd Webber and Angela Morrison.