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War

I LOVE BROADWAY. War is my business, but the theater is my life. There is nothing I'd rather do than dress up in my finest robe and take a special friend to see one of my favorites shows. Fosse!, Les Mis, Ragtime, Cats, Rent...I love them all.

"Don't cry for me Argentina..."

Don't let me forget the "Lord of the Dance". That Michael Flatley makes me feel all squishy inside. Don't you just love him? He deserves a Tony!

• "Cats" began performances at the Winter Garden on Sept. 23, 1982, and opened Oct. 7, 1982.

• In its 15 years, the Broadway show as been seen by more than 8.2 million people. In its 42 worldwide productions, it has been seen by more than 50 million people, raking in $2.2 billion.

• Currently, there are six companies around the world: London, N.Y., Budapest, Hamburg, Tokyo and the national tour of this country.

• "Cats" opened in England May 11, 1981, at the New London Theater (where it is still running). It is the longest-running musical in the history of the British theater.

• The show has run more than twice as long as the original Broadway production of "My Fair Lady." It has employed 231 actors and has been the largest single generator of income and jobs in Broadway history.

• "Cats" won seven Tony awards in 1983: Best Musical; Best Score (Andrew Lloyd Webber); Best Book of a Musical (T.S. Eliot); Director (Trevor Nunn); Costumes (John Napier); Lighting (David Hersey), and Featured Actress (Betty Buckley). Buckley was the original Grizabella. Ken Page was the first Old Deuteronomy.

• The original cast album has sold more than 2 million copies, and won a Grammy Award. Eleven other original cast albums have been recorded in eight different languages. "Memory," the song Grizabella sings, has been recorded worldwide by over 180 artists, starting with Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Judy Collins, the Boston Pops, Barry Manilow and Liberace.

• After Buckley left, Grizabella was played by Laurie Beechman (who's back in the role at present), Loni Ackerman, Heidi Stallings, Lillias White (this year's Tony winner for her role in "The Life"), Diane Fratantoni and Liz Callaway. The role of Old Deuteronomy went from Page to Kevin Marcum, Clint Bowers, Larry Small and, now, Ken Primus.

• More than 250 costumes are used in the show, and the interior of the Winter Garden has been filled with the kind of props one might see in an alley where cats gather.

• The "magical" pyrotechnic tire that takes Grizabella to the heavens has traveled 605,200 feet, or 114 miles, since it first was cranked up.

• Since 1982, the Broadway production has gone through 1,508,000 pounds of dry ice, 2,706 pounds of yak hair for the more than 35 wigs, 23,457 wig caps, 72 gallons of shampoo, 810 gross of crystal beads, 9,958 G-strings, Fani-Panties and knee pads, 28,492 makeup brushes, 225 gallons of liquid makeup remover, 27,800 subway posters, and 48,451 condoms � to protect the body mikes. The management has consumed 786 pounds of coffee, signed 161,110 checks and distributed 4,524,000 ticket envelopes.