by Chris Peterson
There are revivals that dust off a show, give it a handsome new coat of paint, and remind audiences why people liked it in the first place.
And then there is Cats: The Jellicle Ball, which looked at one of the most famously strange musicals ever written and somehow said, “Actually, we can make this stranger, sharper, sexier, funnier, more specific, and more alive.”
That is the kind of revival Broadway should be chasing.
So if Broadway is going to keep returning to familiar titles, maybe the question should not be, “How do we bring this back?”
Maybe the better question is: “What would happen if we stopped being so boring about it?”
So I had some ideas about potential reimaginations of classic shows that I would love to see(some more serious than others).
Bye Bye Birdie — but make it stan culture
This one is begging for it. Conrad Birdie should not feel like a dusty Elvis parody anymore. Make him a manufactured pop idol with a terrifyingly organized fanbase, a crisis PR team, livestreamed appearances, and teenagers who know how to weaponize a hashtag before breakfast.
Kim MacAfee’s house becomes content headquarters. “The Telephone Hour” becomes group chats, TikToks, livestream comments, and parents asking, “What is a Discord?” with the fear of people who know they have already lost.
A Chorus Line — but make it reality TV
Honestly, the show is already halfway there. Confessionals? Eliminations? Trauma revealed under bright lights? A panel deciding your future while you pretend not to need their approval? That is reality television with better dancing.
Imagine cameras onstage, live feeds, audition numbers, and the audience feeling uncomfortably complicit.
Guys and Dolls — but make it sports betting and nightlife
Guys and Dolls is among the most popular shows produced in schools and community theatres today, for one simple reason; nostalgia. But (if we are being completely honest), it is a dated show. It doesn’t have to be in 2026. Yes, it’s great seeing actors dress up in old-fashioned suits and talk like gangsters. But put this world in the era of betting apps, VIP rooms, club promoters, influencer parties, and people ruining their lives through “just one more parlay.” and you suddenly have a very fresh take on an all-time classic musical. We don’t need to do away with the original version; let’s just see what this looks like and how well it speaks to us today.
Fame — but make it a performing arts school in the age of viral ambition
This idea is so obvious that it almost feels irresponsible not to do it. Students are not just trying to become working artists anymore. They are trying to survive student loan debt, social media comparison, and the crushing knowledge that someone in their class already has 800,000 followers for doing warmups in a hallway.
A new Fame could be painfully recognizable. Also, apparently, the Jellicle Ball choreographers have floated the idea of reviving Fame as their next project, which means the universe is at least flirting with the idea.
The point is not that every revival needs to arrive wearing a concept helmet and screaming for attention. Some shows really do benefit from trust in the material.
Cats: The Jellicle Ball reminded us that affection can be fearless. You can love a show and still challenge it. If Broadway is going to keep asking audiences to return to the same titles, then the least it can do is give those titles a reason to surprise us again.