The musical features the goings-on of a group of cats called the Jellicle tribe. They are led by "Old Deuteronomy", a heavy-set cat who has lived long enough to bury 99 wives and has fathered numerous kittens (in one song it is mentioned that the entire Jellicle tribe, in fact, consists entirely of his offspring, thus explaining their god-like reverence of him). Every year, Old Deuteronomy chooses one cat to go to the "Heaviside Layer"<ref>In real life, the "Kennelly-Heaviside Layer is part of Earth's ionosphere, but in the musical it is a metaphor for [[Heaven]].</ref>, to later be reborn as a new Jellicle member; tonight is the night he will make his decision. | The musical features the goings-on of a group of cats called the Jellicle tribe. They are led by "Old Deuteronomy", a heavy-set cat who has lived long enough to bury 99 wives and has fathered numerous kittens (in one song it is mentioned that the entire Jellicle tribe, in fact, consists entirely of his offspring, thus explaining their god-like reverence of him). Every year, Old Deuteronomy chooses one cat to go to the "Heaviside Layer"<ref>In real life, the "Kennelly-Heaviside Layer is part of Earth's ionosphere, but in the musical it is a metaphor for [[Heaven]].</ref>, to later be reborn as a new Jellicle member; tonight is the night he will make his decision. |