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More than 8.5 million purring fans can't be wrong.

Based on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and power-packed with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Cats" is without a doubt one of the most popular musicals of all times.

"Cats" set records for longevity in London, scratched out the second-longest-run on Broadway, and on the road, the big '80s musical has lived up to its motto, "Now and Forever" playing in some 26 countries and five continents.

Come Monday and Tuesday, the behemoth musical that cost some $5 million when it first came to Broadway in the early 1980s, brings its amazing and playful musical junkyard to the stage at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, 925 4th Ave.

The Monday night show, produced by the Marshall Artists Series is sold out, as is a Tuesday morning school show that will be performed for more than 2,200 area school children from around the Tri-State.

Tickets do remain for a second night show at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $55, $50 and $45 and are on sale now at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com or call 304-696-6656 for more details.

As a testament to "Cats'" popularity we caught up with actor Adam Steiner (Rum Tum Tugger). He has only been with the touring production of "Cats" since February 2009, but has already been to most states, as well as South and Central America.

A graduate of Western Michigan University, Steiner said it was an amazing experience sharing "Cats" with audiences in South America, many whom were experiencing their first taste of American Broadway shows.

"It was just phenomenal, and we had soldout houses over and over. It was just an honor to be there as one of the first Broadway shows to go down there," Steiner said. "It's something people had only heard about, but they hadn't seen a full production, so it was so cool for them and for us to be immersed into their culture. It really was amazing to get to go and get a feel for each individual place that we were performing it in."

Interestingly, no matter if it was in the South or Central America or in Pittsburgh, Steiner said folks are blown away by the revolutionary musical that was like the "Avatar" of its time.

In 1983, "Cats" won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes.

"I think there are a couple of reasons that it has maintained the success you still see now," Steiner said. "Initially, I think it was the first mega musical that you see now on Broadway with 'Wicked' and 'Mary Poppins,' so part of that is that it is this big multi-million-dollar muscle behind the stories with huge effects and costumes -- and then there's the intricate characterization that goes into those cats. Cats really laid the blueprint for the modern Broadway show. They took a real risk and changed what musicals could be."

Steiner said every aspect of the show is equally impressive from the more than 150 costumes to the massive set that takes over the stage.

Four semis carry their elaborate multi-level junkyard stage where this wild rumpus of cats under the wise cat leader Old Deuteronomy play at nights unveiling a secret world of cats where they dance and sing and where these Jellicle cats meet once a year for the Jellicle Ball.

From taking up to an hour per person for make-up to stretching and watching cat videos, Stein said they work hard to embody their feline character.

As was set by original choreographer Julianne Lynne, the cast does its daily felinity practice where they spend time being cats.

"As weird as it sounds, we move around as cats exploring different options that cats would explore," Steiner said. "We watch videos on YouTube of actual cats moving, and we use that in rehearsals, and that transfers to the show. Each performance of 'Cats' is different than the night before because we are constantly changing and evolving."

While the haunting ballad "Memories" is the best known tune from the show, the strength of "Cats," written by Webber, who had already chalked up such rocking musicals, as "Jesus Christ Superstar," is in musical diversity. "Cats" is flavored with everything from classical to pop, music hall, jazz, rock and electro-acoustic music as well as hymnal songs such as "The Addressing of Cats."

"We have a full band, and our musical director always travels with us, so they rock out every night," Steiner said. "It's interesting because in 'Cats' the orchestra is not located in the pit. You never see the orchestra -- they are behind a curtain back stage and sometimes are in a separate room. That's a little different from other musicals."

Angela Jones, spokesperson for the Artists Series, said this is the first time that "Cats" has played the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center and one of the first times the Marshall Artists Series has brought in a show for two nights.

They've already sold out the Monday night and Tuesday morning school show, with only some tickets remaining for Tuesday night in the Keith-Albee, which seats about 2,200 people.

"Just to hear our phones ringing off the hook is exciting," Jones said. "Right now, there is a big buzz and total nostalgia for bringing in the show. The first show was ours, and when we booked the show, the promoter purchased the second show. They felt like the market could bear the second show, and it is selling very well. It will definitely be one that people will want to see. It's one of those big spectacle shows that people will not want to miss."

Photo courtesy of the Marshall Artists Series

The Broadway smash-hit "Cats" is coming to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington on Feb. 8 and 9. The performance is part of the Marshall Artists Series.

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Photo courtesy of the Marshall Artists Series

The Broadway smash-hit "Cats" is coming to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington on Feb. 8 and 9. The performance is part of the Marshall Artists Series.

Purchase this photo

Photo courtesy of the Marshall Artists Series

The Broadway smash-hit "Cats" is coming to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington on Feb. 8 and 9. The performance is part of the Marshall Artists Series.

Purchase this photo

Photo courtesy of the Marshall Artists Series

The Broadway smash-hit "Cats" is coming to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington on Feb. 8 and 9. The performance is part of the Marshall Artists Series.

Purchase this photo

Photo courtesy of the Marshall Artists Series

The Broadway smash-hit "Cats" is coming to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington on Feb. 8 and 9. The performance is part of the Marshall Artists Series.

Purchase this photo

Courtesy of Shawnee State University

The national touring cast of Andrew Lloyd WebberÕs long-running show ÒCATSÓ will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 25 and 26, at Shawnee State UniversityÕs Vern Riffe Center for the Arts. The singing and dancing musical has become one of the longest running shows in BroadwayÕs history.

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