Confirmed as official event of DSF 2005; dedicated website launched
Dubai, UAE - Orion Events in partnership with The Really Useful Group (RUG), has announced the Dubai season of Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS - the most popular musical in the world. CATS will open at Madinat Jumeirah on January 22, and run for a week as an official event of the Dubai shopping Festival (DSF 2005). A dedicated website, www.catsindubai.com has been launched to offer information on the week long event.
Announcing details of the Dubai season at a press conference, Tim McFarlane, Managing Director of Really Useful Company Asia Pacific (RUCAP) said: "CATS has been seen by more than 64 million people worldwide - it has been staged in over 150 cities in over 40 productions and in 14 languages. It is Dubai's turn now to host the musical of the century, and it gives us great pleasure to announce that CATS will be staged here for a week starting January 22 and running until the 30th."
"CATS has been confirmed as an official DSF event, which will add greatly to its popularity with residents and visitors alike, and it is our belief that the audience will also comprise several visitors from the GCC states," he said, while thanking the government of Dubai for the warm welcome accorded to the management and organisers of the event.
Terry Dehdashty, Director of Orion Events, organisers of the event in Dubai, welcomed Tim's presence as a key representative of the Really Useful Group, while appreciating the unique opportunity.
"It has been often said that if you get to see only one stage production in your entire life, let it be CATS. On behalf of all of us in Dubai, I would like to thank The Really Useful Group for this marvellous opportunity for all of us to see it, right here, in our own city.
"Orion Events has the distinct pleasure of presenting CATS in Dubai, and we have already begun preparing for what will surely be one of Dubai's most unforgettable events," she said.
She also spoke about various aspects of the musical and what it has come to mean to people of all ages and cultural backgrounds, from all around the world: "CATS has enthralled several million viewers and has won over 30 international awards for various facets of the production. It is a simply magnificent combination of theatre, music, choreography and entertainment.
"The Really Useful Company will be assembling over 60 people from all around the world to bring CATS to Dubai with the cast and crew travelling from Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Japan, Italy and England exclusively for the season. 32 cast members will take to the stage for each performance, supported by over 50 backstage staff which include physiotherapists, carpenters, electricians and stage managers. The larger than life stage set will feature 1,500 pieces of props and the equipment will take four weeks by sea, in eight containers, to reach Dubai," she said, explaining some of the logistics for the event that have already been set in motion.
Dehdashty also used the occasion to formally launch a website dedicated to the event. The site, www.catsindubai.com will showcase various details of the event including shows, tickets, timings and other details. "We live in really exciting times, and more information on the event will be made known at timely intervals," she added.
-Ends-
Notes to the editor
CATS - The story: CATS is based on a series of poems by T. S. Eliot. The magnificent stage set is a rubbish dump, three times larger than life, where the Jellicle Cats have come out to play. It is the night of the annual Jellicle Ball when their leader, Old Deuteronomy, will announce the name of the cat who will be reborn to a new life in the Heavyside Layer. The announcement will be made just before dawn. While they wait, the cats amuse themselves (and us!) with stories of famous cats of the past and present. Dawn comes, and Old Deuteronomy gathers the cats together for his announcement of the name of the cat to be reborn. CATS - The composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the world's most successful composers. His other theatre works include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Song & Dance , Starlight Express, The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind , The Beautiful Game and, most recently, Bombay Dreams, which premiered in London in June 2002. Andrew Lloyd Webber's thrilling music for CATS includes the classic song Memory, one of the most loved melodies of all time. Memory has been recorded by more than 250 artists including Barbara Streisand, Barry Manilow and Placido Domingo. Sales of the cast album and video of CATS have now topped 40 million.
Andrew Lloyd Webber was knighted in 1992 and created a British life peer in 1997, becoming The Lord Lloyd Webber of Sydmonton.
The Really Useful Group (RUG): Founded in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber, RUG is an international entertainment company actively involved in theatre, film, television, video and concert productions, merchandising, magazine publishing, records and music publishing. RUC Asia Pacific (RUCAP) is responsible for Really Useful Group's activities including producing, co-production and licensing in the Asia Pacific region and South Africa.
For media information, please contact:
Iona Stanley
Tel: +971 (50) 6954056
Email: iona@oronevents.com
© Press Release 2004
