In the spirit of the musical Cats, Hennepin Theatre Trust (HTT) and Animal Humane Society (AHS) have teamed up to highlight the virtues of celebrating differences and giving everyone a second chance. The weeklong partnership throughout the run of Cats at the historic Orpheum Theatre will culminate in a special event, The Jellicle Ball, on Saturday Oct. 29, National Cat Day, immediately after the matinee performance, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The event is aptly named the Jellicle Ball, which is the fictitious event in the musical Cats when the “jellicle” cats gather to celebrate. The event is free and open to the public.
The event will take place in between the matinee and evening performances of Cats, which is being performed at the historic Orpheum Theatre (910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) from Tuesday, Oct. 25 to Sunday, Oct. 30 as part of the Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season. The afternoon will feature activities such as “ask a behaviorist,” where guests can ask AHS’s cat behaviorist questions about why cats do what they do, a meet and greet with Purrs the AHS kitty mascot, and best of all, a visit from some adorable AHS kittens for visitors to meet and play with.
The Jellicle Ball will be held at Jack Link’s Legend Lounge in The Hennepin (900 Hennepin Ave.) located next door to the Orpheum Theatre. The Jellicle Ball is free and open to everyone.
The event is an awareness event for both Twin Cities nonprofits, to showcase the power of working together in the areas of the performing arts and animal welfare. Attendees will also be able to learn about AHS services, which not only benefits the public with traditional animal adoption, but training classes and low-income veterinary services, to help keep people and pets together.
A limited number of tickets for Cats are on sale at HennepinTheatreTrust.org. Show dates are Tuesday, Oct. 25 to Sunday, Oct. 30 at the historic Orpheum Theatre. Performance times are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $40. All pricing includes a Building Restoration Fee of $5.00. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.