Nominalement, l’histoire concerne deux adversaires. D’un côté se trouve le petit bourgeois devenu artiste par mariage, Lord Tony Baddingham (un David Tennant délicieusement grincheux), dont la nature méprisable est bien en accord avec son nom à la Dickens. Il grimpe les échelons du pouvoir et du prestige en tant que directeur général d’une chaîne de télévision commerciale. De l’autre côté, il y a le séduisant, titré et insatiable Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), un ancien cavalier olympique devenu ministre des Sports sous Thatcher, qui, avec Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner), un journaliste de diffusion irlandais fougueux attiré de la BBC vers la campagne, forme une chaîne concurrente.
Unveiling the Magic: The Creative Minds Behind Cats: The Jellicle Ball
When, last year, the gleaming new Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) in Lower Manhattan unveiled the performances set to open its advanced theaters, a reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Cats situated in the Harlem ballroom community caused quite a stir. The 1982 musical has a loyal following; the initial show ran for 21 years in the West End and 18 years on Broadway. However, a disastrous film adaptation in 2019, coupled with the inherent theater-kid uncoolness of the plotless piece, made it difficult to visualize it flourishing.
Now, more than a month into its immensely successful production—cherished by critics and theatergoers alike (today, the show announced its third extension)—how did Cats: The Jellicle Ball achieve this feat? Primarily, through a sincere and open interaction with stars from the ballroom scene, some of whom were cast in the show or incorporated into the creative team. The ingenuity shines brightest in the choreography by Omari Wiles, a ballroom luminary who has collaborated with Beyoncé, Madonna, and Janet Jackson, and Arturo Lyons, another scene legend best recognized outside the balls for participating in (and, one season, triumphing in) Legendary, HBO’s voguing competition. In this interpretation of Cats, instead of learning about a mystical group of feline cats desiring to ascend to another existence, we witness a peek into a realm of glamorous humans—mostly queer and of color—vying for recognition in runway cat-egories.
“I have seldom observed an audience react with such joy and love,” Lloyd Weber remarked about the performance in a recent declaration. “The environment was, quite simply, electrifying. Cats and ballroom culture both arose in the same timeframe and I am thrilled that, all these years later, they are merging once again.”
To explore how Wiles and Lyons infused ballroom enchantment into a staple of musical theater, Vogue consulted the duo, along with two of the production’s breakout talents—Chasity “Tempress” Moore, who imbues Grizabella the Glamour Cat with an unforgettably touching presence, and Robert “Silk” Mason, who delivers a sidesplitting rendition of the enchanting Mr. Mistoffelees—both of whom also originate from ballroom. These interviews have been refined and abbreviated.
Camila Cabello’s Dazzling Dive into Miami’s Gritty Glamour
Camilla Cabello has portrayed a variety of characters throughout her career. As part of the X Factor-created girl band Fifth Harmony, she captured the show’s judges as a relatable, quintessential pop star—so compellingly that after four years, she decided to pursue a solo path in 2016. In her early tracks such as “Havana” and “Señorita,” the singer from Cuba presented a modern-day Carmen Miranda fantasy seemingly aimed at English-speaking audiences.
Cabello delved more deeply into her background with her 2022 album, Familia. The sincere ballads, reflecting an immigrant daughter’s dedication, were not solely about her personal identity but also her broader connection to Latino culture. In songs like “Lola,” she mused about an alternate reality where her parents had never left Cuba and Mexico for grander dreams.
In preparation for her upcoming album, C, XOXO, Cabello ended her long-term romance with Shawn Mendes and left Los Angeles for the city of her upbringing: Miami. She enlisted renowned producers El Guincho and Jasper Harris to craft a more daring sound for her, influenced by the hip-hop beats of her youth. By blending her music with Jersey club (“I Luv It” featuring Playboi Carti), reggaeton (“Dream Girls”), and Afrobeat (“He Knows” featuring Lil Nas X), Cabello released an innovative album reflecting the diverse nature of the Magic City.
Gay and Engaged: My Fears of a Trump-Inspired Wedding Ban
On Wednesday morning, as soon as I awoke, the foremost thought that invaded my mind was: “Today, I ought to try on wedding gowns, yet I am unsure about my legal ability to marry next year.” A sense of constriction gripped my chest, and tears threatened as I wrestled with the reality of my existence as a gay, engaged woman in Trump’s America.
I have consistently been a practical optimist—grounded enough to put in the effort, yet always maintaining faith that it might create an impact. The weekend before the elections, I dedicated my time to canvassing in Pennsylvania and dialing calls to Wisconsin, where interactions with voters in battleground states, supportive of Harris, left me inspired. It seemed women were turning out in great numbers, asserting their votes for her, with some lifelong Republicans opting to break party lines. Despite encountering a few fervent, flag-brandishing MAGA enthusiasts cruising around our canvassing base in pickup trucks, they merely seemed eager to exaggerate their presence beyond reality.
As of today, my greatest fear is the inability to clearly visualize my future. Might a composed Supreme Court dismantle my right to wed? Would I ever have the opportunity to raise children with my fiancée via IUI or IVF? Is the prospect of adopting a child out of reach? If we indeed have a child, could both of us claim legal parenthood? If we travel across state borders, would our marriage go unrecognized? Would I face restrictions visiting my future wife in the hospital during illness or injury? Will my homeland see my family as legitimate?
My betrothed, Liv, and I had our nuptials slated in our Brooklyn community for November 2025. As someone with years of expertise as a weddings writer and editor for events, it has been remarkably exhilarating to finally devise plans for my own festivity. However, when Wednesday dawned, my initial action was to turn to Liv and propose we legally wed at City Hall soon. I had anticipated her opposition or to be told it was a knee-jerk reaction, but she concurred it might not be a poor decision. Our parents also supported this in our group chat. Although the future remained uncertain, we believed that formalizing our marriage now would make it tougher to annul later. Moreover, if relocating to another nation became necessary, navigating immigration together might be smoother. I wasn’t isolated in this thinking. After briefly checking in with another queer, engaged colleague in the wedding sector, Jove Meyer, he revealed he had mirrored the exact dialogue with his fiancé that morning. Clearly, the urgency was audibly resonant for everyone.
Finding Pride and Joy in Chappell Roan’s Instagram Comments
Deciding the most suitable way for any queer individual to honor Pride can be challenging, something I’m experiencing anew at the age of 30-soon-to-be-31 (which, admittedly, is Not Old by any means, yet it still leaves me feeling like an older person each time I visit the Woods on a Wednesday evening and everyone appears youthful and fresh-faced enough to be my offspring). Gay venues remain a favored option, but predictably, they become congested and stifling each June. As for marches? Apologies, but I possess more than enough promotional bank T-shirts.
During my mission this month to discover novel spaces to connect with my queer identity without becoming a) perspired, b) overwhelmed, or c) unattractively inebriated, I’ve stumbled upon a Pride haven in an unexpected corner: the Instagram comments of one Ms. Chappell Roan, also known as the Femininomenon herself, whose provocative lyrics and recent evolution into a chaps-wearing Statue of Liberty—not to mention her bold decision to decline performing at the White House—have solidified her status as an LGBTQ+ icon for our era.
For those who are queer, trans, or gender-nonconforming, Instagram comment realms can resemble chaotic wastelands, but Roan’s are warm, rainbow-infused, celebrity-packed hubs, featuring everyone from Ariana Grande to Rina Sawayama to indie brand Fashion Brand Company stepping in to showcase their admiration. (Moreover, Roan recently earned a follow from none other than the club-banger queen Carly Rae Jepsen…possibly a collaboration soon, royalty?) Observe the magic unfold below:
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