A ballroom Hall of Famer and icon of the Femme Queen Face category, “Tempress” Chasity Moore brings the glam to — of course — Grizabella the Glamour Cat.

Who she plays: Grizabella is someone who has fallen on hard times, someone who has aged and is experiencing ageism, and feeling like her history is being erased. It's a redemption story. It's someone who finally gets their confidence back and becomes the Jellicle choice.

Jellicle name: Something sexy. Purr. Maybe Purr-Cat.

Ballroom category she'd win: Well, I just won $10,000 the other night for Face.

Cat person? I've been researching cats lately because I know I want a pet. And I was leaning towards dogs, but because I'm in Cats now, I'm like, "Oh, maybe I should get a cat." I'm looking for one that is not so independent and more cuddly.

"Wonder Woman of Vogue" Leiomy, who made history on America's Best Dance Crew as the first trans woman of color on a TV dance competition, is putting a new spin on a classic cat.

Who she plays: Macavity is known as being a male character, and he's known to be more like a villain. But the femme queen Macavity is more like Robin Hood. She takes from the rich and gives to the community.

Jellicle name: Wonder Puss

Ballroom category she'd win: I'm known for slaying the children and eating up everyone's favorite for Performance.

Cat person? I am not a cat person. I love all types of animals, but [...] they're too independent for me. I need to be needed.

Dudney Joseph Jr. has a paw in both the theatre and ballroom communities, having appeared in multiple Off-Broadway shows and competed internationally in balls with the House of ELLE.

Who he plays: I play Munkustrap, who happens to be the commentator or the emcee of the ball.

Jellicle name: Panther

Ballroom category he'd win: I walk Big Boy Runway in ballroom with the House of LaBeija. My ballroom journey started in 2014.

Cat person? I'm getting there.

Ken Ard is having a full-circle moment, returning not only to Broadway for the first time in 25 years, but returning to Cats, in a new role, after over 40 years.

Who he plays: I am the original Macavity from 1982, and I am playing DJ Griddlebone in this newer version of Cats.

Jellicle name: Gentleman of Leisure or Dandy Cat

Ballroom category he'd win: Runway. "Ken walked Virgin Runway [at an NYC ball] and got to last battle and should have won grand prize," Joseph said.

Cat person? I wasn't [when I was] in the original company, but I've come to love cats over the years, and now I'm a total cat person. I love dogs, but I never want one in my house.

Byrne, Baby, Byrne! A celebrated dancer, Baby Byrne hails from the ballroom scene and has also been seen off Broadway in Masquerade.

Who she plays: I play Victoria. She's the dancing cat. She's the white cat. [...] She usually likes to walk like as many categories as she can.

She's the princess of the House of Dots. She's really about building the name of her house. She loves her mother, Jennyanydots, and her brother, Tumblebrutus, and her little sister, Cassandra.

Jellicle name: Roly-Poly-Oly, because I like to roll around, and I feel like all the Jellicle cat names are really long.

Ballroom category she'd win: I usually walk Women's Performance, but I really love Old Way. I love getting into my more masculine bag sometimes. And I'm nominated for Old Way of the Year for the Southeast region this year.

Cat person? I'm allergic, but I love animals.

Original Hamilton cast member Sydney James Harcourt is trading the revolution for the runway.

Who he plays: I play the Rum Tum Tugger. I'm a curious cat. [...] Think of me as the god Bacchus that wants to enable everyone in their party. I'm the Dionysus of the Jellicle world.

Jellicle name: I'll have to go with the name of the most recent kitten I saved, which is Mama Yes God the House Down Boots.

Ballroom category he'd win: I vogued in the clubs as a teenager, but [...] I was never in a house. I am now in the House of Oricci. I have walked Realness. I could also be Twist, which is walking Realness, but then being able to bust out into Vogue.

And I might be able to do a little Sex Siren. You might see it in the show.

Cat person? I am an insane cat lady. I try and save every cat I ever find or see. I have two foundlings at my home in Michigan: Amunet "the goddess of mystery" Harcourt, also known as Momo. And then there's Mama Yes God the House Down Boots, also known as Boots.

Like his character, Jonathan Burke has every reason to be self-assured on stage, having appeared in multiple Broadway shows like The Inheritance, Choir Boy, and Tuck Everlasting.

Who he plays: Mungojerrie is basically a troublemaker. He walks a lot of categories. He believes he can do anything he puts his mind to, whether he tried it before or not. He's very bold because he can. And he is a big brother to [Rumpleteazer].

Jellicle name: Egypt

Ballroom category he'd win: Face

Cat person? I'm not. I'm allergic to cats, but I got an appreciation for cats when I did the show that really made me understand them more.

Where Mungojerrie goes, Rumpleteazer follows. But dancer Dava Huesca has paved a career all her own, being named one of Dance Magazine's “25 to Watch” in 2025.

Who she plays: Rumpleteazer is Mungojerrie's little sister. She's new to ballroom. She also thinks she can do everything because her brother can do everything. And she can, okay? She dances. She always wants to be in the front. She grabs people's things. She has an attitude problem.

Jellicle name: Muse

Ballroom category she'd win: I walk Vogue Femme. Vogue Femme is hard. I mean, I have won a couple of times, but I want to switch up my category, actually. I would love to be a Runway girl, and I would love to be a Face girl eventually.

Cat person? I have a dog and I love her so much and I've never owned a cat. I have nothing against them. It's just, I love dogs.

For more than 50 years, Junior LaBeija's name has been synonymous with ballroom. The iconic emcee is a purr-fect fit for Gus the Theatre Cat — a glittering, living legend.

Reflections on Gus the Theatre Cat: What has been inspiring from this collaboration with André [...] is that I learned the most important lesson about theatre: Learn to listen and listen to learn. André's Deuteronomy not only taught me tone, but set the tone. It's no longer about equality. It is no longer about opportunity. It is about elevation. Through this elevation, I get to see that I have a purpose. I have a purpose-driven life in theatre.

I never wanted to be Bill Bojangles. I never wanted to be Stepin Fetchit. I never wanted to be Sammy Davis, Jr. And here I am, Gus the Theatre Cat. Not that I didn't appreciate their talent, not that I didn't appreciate their brilliance, but I am not an entertainer. I am an artist. And that is what solidifies Gus the Theatre Cat.

Old Deuteronomy is the judge of the Jellicle Ball, the one who makes the all-important Jellicle choice. As with any judge — especially as played by a Broadway icon like André De Shields — it's no wonder audiences are asked to stand when he enters.

Reflections on Old Deuteronomy: The original Old Deuteronomy in the mid-'80s [was] Ken Page, a wonderful friend of mine. He's no longer with us. That he created Old Deuteronomy and I am reimagining it in the 21st century makes a whole lot of sense for me personally.

It has always been my artistic effort to break the Methuselah code, and this is the tool I'm going to use to do that because now three generations have seen me work on Broadway. So they wonder, "How old are you?" It's a wonderful experience. It's revitalizing.