Ep439 - Zhailon Levingston: Building a New Breed of Cats

About this episode

Zhailon Levingston discusses his journey to becoming the youngest Black director on Broadway and his current production, Cats: The Jellicle Ball.

Zhailon Levingston joins the show to discuss his incredible trajectory from selling concessions in Broadway houses to becoming the youngest Black director in Broadway history with Chicken and Biscuits. He dives deep into the "cosmic synergy" of his career, explaining how a chance meeting at a concert led to a Broadway debut and how he managed to stage a production during a global pandemic by building a set literally on top of another show's equipment. Zhailon also shares how his ADHD serves as a creative asset, allowing him the high capacity and patience required to lead a room as a director. The conversation centers on his current hit, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a production that marries the legendary score of Andrew Lloyd Webber with the vibrant, radical joy of Ballroom culture. Zhailon explains the meticulous process of ensuring authenticity while moving the show from a downtown "happening" to the Broadhurst Theatre. From the "human spectacle" of live performance to the profound connection found in "chosen families," he illustrates how this reimagining invites a multi generational, cross cultural audience to see themselves in the poetry of the text. Zhailon Levingston is a…

People in this episode

Host: Alan

Guest: Zhailon Levingston

Topics covered

• Broadway
• theatre
• directing
• ADHD
• Ballroom culture

Keywords

• Chicken and Biscuits
• cosmic synergy
• live performance
• chosen families

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Inheritance Theatre Project

Books & works: Chicken and Biscuits, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Obie Award, The Jellicle Ball, Table 17, Hadestown, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Reconstructing

More episodes of The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

• Ep446 - Matt Rodin: Building Doors in Broadway's Walls · June 3, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Ep445: Brian Anthony Moreland: Naive Enough to be Brave Enough · May 26, 2026 · 56 min
• Ep444 - Tess Marshall: Embracing the Kookiness · May 19, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Ep443 - Melissa Barrera: Rose-ing To The Occasion · May 12, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Ep442 - Michael Arden: Playing Vampire Mad Libs with The Lost Boys · May 5, 2026 · 33 min
• Ep441 - Brandon Contreras: The Math of Mincemeat · April 28, 2026 · 52 min