The world-famous show, which Andrew Lloyd Webber first staged in 1981 based on a series of poems by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), has played to more than 8 million people around the globe, including record-setting runs on Broadway and London's West End.

The curtain rises on the local performance on March 28, with producers expecting 90,000 people to take in the 53-show run at the Shanghai Grand Theater.

Tuesday's sales were a good start toward meeting that goal.

"More than 2,400 tickets were sold before 4 p.m.," said Wang Ying, marketing director of Shanghai Grand Theater, noting that one local company bought all 1,700 tickets for one of the shows.

"In addition, about 2,500 tickets have been reserved by phone."

Tickets can be purchased at the Shanghai Grand Theater, or any of the city's 100-plus Kodak stores, with prices ranging from 80 yuan (US$9.6) to 600 yuan.

"I have heard of Cats for a long time, but never got the chance to see it when it was staged on Broadway or in the West End," said 30-something banker Jason Yu, who scooped up three 240-yuan tickets yesterday.

Yu said there is no reason to pay for the more expensive tickets.

"I don't mind if I can clearly see every movement of the actors, it only matters that I can know what the famous musical is like."

Ann Zhu holds a different view.

She spent 1,800 yuan on three top tickets.

"My 3-year-old daughter is fond of dancing and singing," said Zhu. "We have a DVD of Cats at home, and she has watched it many times. I think she would like to see a live staging. We saw the musical a couple of years ago on Broadway, and it is necessary to sit in a seat with a nice angle."

"Unlike Les Miz, a plot-centered musical, Cats is composed mainly of fantastic dances, so we decided to buy the best seats," said Zhu. "The musical deserves it."

The show will be performed in English.

Following the international norms, the London-based Really Useful Company, producer of Cats, will take away 5 percent of each show's box-office collection, according to Qian Shijin, vice president of the theater.

"Since box office take-ins will be shared by two sides, no complimentary tickets will be offered, unlike what Chinese theaters usually do," the theater official said.

(Shanghai Daily January 9, 2002)