Patricia Zhou on Joining Cats Cast as Cassandra in London
American-born dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker Patricia Zhou has taken on the role of Cassandra in the new production of “CATS” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London, marking the latest chapter in a career that has taken her from the world’s most prestigious ballet companies to a self-directed path as an independent artist.
Zhou joined the full cast of director Drew McOnie’s reimagined production, which opened at Regent’s Park in August 2026 following an earlier announcement in March. The show, featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,” has since been extended through mid-September due to strong demand, with Zhou’s casting as Cassandra also carrying over into the production’s subsequent UK touring company.
Reviewing the production, critics have singled out Zhou’s performance for its technical clarity and classical precision, with one review describing her Cassandra as bringing elegance, precision, and beautiful classical line to the role. McOnie, addressing the full company at the time of casting, said he was excited to welcome such an astonishing group of performers to Regent’s Park, adding that the production would allow each cast member to play their own distinctive part in creating what he described as the show’s “animalistic harmony.”
Zhou’s path to the West End stage reflects a broader shift in her career over the past several years. Beginning ballet training relatively late, at age 13, she went on to study at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., where she graduated with the school’s prestigious President’s Award. She went on to win a place at the Prix de Lausanne, one of the most competitive international ballet competitions, which secured her an apprenticeship with The Royal Ballet in London at just 17 years old. From there, she progressed to a full company position with Staatsballett Berlin before later dancing with Benjamin Millepied’s LA Dance Project.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhou made the decision to leave full-time company work behind and transition to a freelance career, a move that allowed her to focus on creating her own artistic projects as a choreographer and filmmaker alongside her performing work. Since then, she has continued to build a multidisciplinary career spanning stage and screen, including performances such as the lead role of Sugar Plum in “The Nutcracker” at the Southbank Centre and appearances in productions including “Dr Semmelweis” at the Harold Pinter Theatre.
Her casting as Cassandra in “CATS” marks one of her most high-profile theatrical roles to date, placing her at the centre of one of the West End’s most enduring musical productions as she continues to balance large-scale ensemble performance with her ongoing independent creative projects.
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