Akihiro Nishino (King Kong) Co-Produced Work 'Cats ~THE JELLICLE BALL~' Achieves Remarkable Feat with 9 Tony Award Nominations!

CHIMNEY TOWN Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Akihiro Nishino), participating as a Co-Producer, has seen its stage production 'Cats ~THE JELLICLE BALL~' nominated for a total of 9 categories at the 79th Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

**Nominations across a total of 9 categories, including Best Musical**

This production is an ambitious reinterpretation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's timeless masterpiece 'Cats,' boldly reimagined from the perspective of 'queer ballroom culture,' which symbolizes contemporary New York. This challenge, transcending the traditional musical framework and depicting the beauty of diversity and self-expression, has been highly acclaimed at the Tony Awards, the highest honor in the theater world.

**Key nominated categories include:** Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Choreography, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (André De Shields), and a total of 9 categories.

**Comment from Akihiro Nishino**

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has continuously supported us.

I believe this experience holds more meaning than just the 'possibility of winning an award.'

By being involved in Broadway, a stage where artistic expression and commercial viability coexist at a high level, the unique strengths, possibilities, and challenges of Japanese entertainment have become more clearly visible.

In particular, IP is an important industrial asset in Japan, and how to adapt and deploy its value within the Broadway format is one of the crucial themes we must address in the future.

I intend to bring the knowledge and network gained from this experience back to Japan, connecting Japanese creativity to the world, while also translating the mechanisms and philosophies of Broadway and implementing them in a way suitable for the Japanese context.

Through this back-and-forth movement, my role is to build a cultural bridge between Japan and Broadway.

I will continue to take on challenges.

I would be grateful for your continued warm support.

Akihiro Nishino (King Kong)

**About 'Cats ~THE JELLICLE BALL~'**

This production, 'Cats ~THE JELLICLE BALL~,' is a highly talked-about work that vividly reconstructs Andrew Lloyd Webber's global hit musical 'Cats,' based on T.S. Eliot's 'Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,' from a completely new perspective.

The dazzling spectacle, numerous moving songs, and stimulating dance choreography that draws the audience in, all merge to elevate the entire stage into an overwhelming experience filled with excitement and joy.

By infusing modern rhythms and social contexts into classical masterpieces, this work is carving a new history on Broadway as a new form of celebration that transcends the boundaries of theater.

▼ 'Cats ~THE JELLICLE BALL~' Official Website

https://catsthejellicleball.com/

▼ Online Salon 'Akihiro Nishino Entertainment Lab'

https://salon.jp/nishino