The young and innocent white cat Victoria performs a solo
dance. Munkustrap, a large grey tabby who serves as the show's
narrator, explains that the Jellicle Cats meet once a year to
rejoice! He also explains that they are waiting for their leader,
the wise Old Deuteronomy, who will choose which one of the
Jellicle Cats will this year journey to the Heaviside Layer to be
reborn to a new life!

ALL:
Jellicle cats come out tonight
Jellicle cats come one, come all
The jellicle moon is shining bright
Jellicles come to the jellicle ball

Jellicle cats come out tonight
Jellicles come to the jellicle ball

Jellicle cats come out tonight
Jellicle cats come one, come all
The jellicle moon is shining bright
Jellicles come to the jellicle ball

Jellicle cats come out tonight
Jellicle cats come one, come all
The jellicle moon is shining bright
Jellicles come to the jellicle ball

SOLO:
Jellicle cats meet once a year
At the jellicle ball where we all rejoice
And the jellicle leader will soon appear
And make what is known as the jellicle choice

That's when Old Deuteronomy just before dawn
Through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife
Announces the cat who can now be reborn
And come back to different jellicle life

Because waiting up there is the heaviside layer
With wonders one jellicle only will see
Jellicles ask because jellicles dare
Who will it be?

From this point onward, each of the cats tells his own story
in song and dance, hoping to be chosen as the special cat to
come back to a different Jellicle life.