Betty Buckley's opinion essay argues that the new Broadway production 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' reveals a deep, long-hidden connection between Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical and the ballroom culture born in New York's Black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities. Buckley, who originated the role of Grizabella in the original 1982 'Cats,' sees the new show as more than a reimagining; it explicitly intertwines two parallel traditions flourishing in the same city decades apart. Ballroom culture, which developed its competitive dance form 'voguing' in the 1980s, created its own elaborate pageantry and chosen families ('Houses') within marginalized communities, offering a vital space for self-expression and survival during the AIDS crisis. While 'Cats' became a mainstream Broadway juggernaut, ballroom culture remained largely outside the tourism spotlight.

The new 'Jellicle Ball' production brings ballroom's architects, like Leiomy Maldonado and Junior LaBeija, onto the Broadway stage, allowing performers from these historically marginalized communities to reshape the narrative. This marks a significant moment where Broadway acknowledges its past borrowings and provides a platform for the originators of influential art forms.