CATS  the Musical

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Intro As a shameless fan of CATS it is my duty to present the plot and each of its characters in my  own interpretive voice. So here's where the magic will begin.

As you can see, CATS has a large cast, and I'll get to each individual description in due time. But for now, let's go over the plot of CATS.

CATS Rum Tum Tugger Bombalurina Old Duteronomy Munkustrap Jellylorum Demeter Jellylorum Mungojerry Rumpleteazer Grizabella Skimble Shanks Mistoffelees Bustopher Jones Victoria Coricopat Tamtomile Pouncival Alonzo Rumpus Cat Macavity Asparagus/Gus Jennyanydots Etcetera Electra Jemima Cassandra

CATS is based on a set of old poems written by T.S. Elliot. The lyrics are based upon these poems almost word for word, including Grizzabella's "Memory" which  went unpublished. Read T.S. Elliot's poems for free here: Hit me!

Plot and Spoilers

The musical begins with the cats gathering in the junk yard for the yearly Jellicle Ball. They sing about how wonderful it is to be a Jellicle cat, they frolick, they flirt, they sing so loud that someone throws a boot at them. Then the leader second only to Old Dueteronomy, a black and silver cat named Munkustrap, comes forward and explains what the Jellicle Ball is about. Jellicle cats gather once a year so their leader, Old D., can make what is known as the Jellicle Choice. The Choosen cat will go to the Heavy Side Layer, a sort of cat heaven, and return to a new Jellicle life.

The Jellicle Ball begins when Victoria, a white housecat very gifted at dancing, has a solo dance. The rest of the cats join in and the Ball begins. Munkustrap suggests the cat to be choosen. As he is speaking, Mistofflees (a black and white young male) stands tall at his side but is disappointed and even laughed at when Munkustrap begins to describe Jennyanydots. Jenny is a cat who disciplines the mice at night and keeps them in line with " a purpose in life and a good deed to do." She makes an appearance on stage through Mistofflees's gift with magic and begins her song. However, her song ends abruptly and the music changes when a new cat struts onto the scene. The Rum Tum Tugger is a confident, cocky young tom to whom all the females seem attracted and some of the males envy and want to be like. The Tugger swaggers onto stage with a few sarcastic "meows," knocking over objects and kicking his path clear. The females flock to him. He's a curious cat and boasts about how it's impossible to please him. Mistofflees calls him a bore, but the rest of the cats love him as they sing and dance about him. Etcetera in particular can't keep away and faints at the end of the song. But the music fades again and the Rum Tum Tugger points in disgust. An old scraggly cat is limping on to the scene. The other cats hiss at her, scratch her, and flee in disdain. Some of the young ones take pity on her, but the older cats pull them away. This new cat is Grizabella the Glamour Cat. Demeter, a cat who seems to pity Gizzabella and who has a strong interest in her, sings along with Bombalurina of the old cat's days of glory.  Grizzabella straightens with pride at the singing of her own anthom, but cringes when Demeter and Bombulrina reveal their shock at how altered the once beautiful cat is. She limps off the stage and another cat appears. Bustopher Jones "is not skin and bones, in fact, he's remarkably fat." This fat cat loves clubs because he gets free food there.  All the cats seem to revere the "twenty-five pounder," especially Mistofflees who seems in some way to resemble him ( a relation?). But the sound of sirens clears the stage as Demeter wails "Macavity!" With the stage empty, two cats creep onto the scene clutching bags of loot. One is male, the other is a female who seems to be suffering from uncontrollable giggles. Both are orange with black strips. They are brother and sister, Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer: a couple of cats nutorious for their crimes. They brag about all things they've stolen and broken and remark that they "Go through the house like a hurrcane!" At the end of their song, they declare, "And there's nothing at all to done about that!" At which point, the other cats realize that it's not Macavity but the twins. They reemerge and snatch the twin's loot, tossing it out of reach. As the other cats reprimand Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer, the psyhic twins Coriocpat and Tantomile, sense Old Dueteronomy's arrival. Munkustrap sings that Old Deuteronomy has lived "many lives in succession," while the Rum Tum Tugger sings that the old cat's burried "nine wives," something he seems to admire in their leader. The cats begin to sing their hopes and Old Deuteronomy appears at last. Overjoyed by his appearance, the cats pounce upon the fat old cat and hug him and rub against him. Old Deuteronomy is gentle and wise and accepts their greeting witha warm heart. Munkustrap is eager to chat with Old Deut. and begins a story about two rival dog tribes: the pekes and the pollices.  The pekes and the pollicles get into a mad barking match and are frightened away by the sudden appearnce of a terrifiying cat. This cat is the Great Rumpus Cat. As Munkustrap sings his introducion, the Rumpus Cat goofily leaps upon stage behind everyone. Annoyed, Munkustrap turns and draggs Rumpus to the front of the stage, where he finishes the tale with "All hail and all power to the Great Rumpus Cat!"