© LW Entertainment
More than 80 million people have seen “Cats” in more than 50 countries and in over 20 languages. Swiss German has not been among them—until now. Starting February 25, 2027, MAAG Moments will bring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical to the stage in Swiss German for the first time. The production is directed by Mitch Sebastian, who most recently staged “Billy Elliot” in Zurich.
Back then, it was the first major musical sensation in Switzerland: 35 years ago, in 1991, the hit musical “Cats” came to Zurich for the first time; and a year ago, “Cats” made a guest appearance as an English-language touring production at Theater 11. Now the musical is being restaged in Zurich. MAAG Moments has secured the rights for a Swiss German version. The show will be performed at the MAAG Halle in Zurich-West, which will be transformed into a world of cats for three months.
The story, based on the poems by T. S. Eliot, remains the same: Once a year, the Jellicle Cats gather for the Jellicle Ball. On this night, their leader, Old Deuteronomy, decides which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and begin a new life. One by one, the candidates introduce themselves: the daredevil Rum Tum Tugger, the magical cat Mr. Mistoffelees, and the criminal Macavity. Then Grizabella appears. Once glamorous, now an outcast. With “Memory,” she recalls better times and asks for a second chance. Old Deuteronomy grants it to her. At dawn, the cats disperse once more.
The show premiered in London’s West End in 1981 and has been performed on stages around the world for over 40 years. It has won seven Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and features “Memory,” one of the most famous musical numbers of all time. In Zurich, the show was last performed in English.
Mitch Sebastian is taking on the roles of director and choreographer. The West End director has already staged “Cats” internationally. He is known in Zurich for “Billy Elliot”: The German-language premiere opened in November 2024 at the MAAG Halle, returned in the fall of 2025, and ultimately drew over 150,000 attendees. The set is designed by Francis O’Connor, the costumes by Ales Valasek, and the lighting by Michael Grunder. The producers are Darko Soolfrank and Guido Schilling.
The translation is by Tim Hunziker. The Zurich-based musical theater actor, director, and author trained in Hamburg, toured for a year with “Grease,” and appeared on stage in “Die Schweizermacher.” So he knows the business from both sides: he used to sing song lyrics; now he writes them.
Dialect musicals have a long tradition at the MAAG Halle. “Ewigi Liebi,” “Mein Name ist Eugen,” “Die Schweizermacher,” and “Sister Äct” were all produced there. “Sister Äct” will run there again starting in November 2026. “Cats” will follow a good six weeks after the final performance. The premiere is on February 25, 2027; the show will run through May, with at least 80 performances planned, accommodating a total of 74,000 audience members. The cast has not yet been announced. We’re curious to see who will play the Swiss cats.