(The Jellicle junkyard is made up to look like an African jungle. Most of the cats are trying to stuff themselves into their costumes--Mistoffolees, the Tugger, and most of the queens are wearing tan bodysuits.)

MISTOFFOLEES: Great. Insanity's poster child has returned.

TUGGER: It was a matter of time before someone had us do this one.

MATT: Oh, come off it. You guys are already cats, you just have to pretend like you're even bigger cats.

BUSTOPHER: (trying to stuff himself into a dark brown bodysuit) That's easy for you to say! You should have my problems...me, a WARTHOG?! Well, I never!

MACAVITY: I already think I know what part you want me to play in this and... (sees Juliet approaching with the black hair dye) yep. (sighs and lets her dye his mane black)

MATT: All right, guys, this is gonna be great! ACTION!

(It is morning in the African jungle. An elderly baboon, Gusfiki, is standing on Old Deuteronomy's tire, which has been elevated and a gray tarp has been pulled over it to make it look like a giant rock, and begins to sing in Swahili...translated his chant means "It's a lion, it's a very big lion". A group of animals comes out to greet their King, and one of them--OK, so it's Grizabella dressed up like a cheetah--begins to sing...)

GRIZ: From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun

There's more to see than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done

There's far too much to take in here

More to find that can ever be found

But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

ALL: It's the circle of life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the circle

The circle of life

(At the instrumental break, the king of beasts, a lion named Deutfasa, and his wife, Jellabi, look out over the crowd. Gusfiki presents them with their young cub, Mistimba...)

MISTO: Problem. How can I play young Simba and adult Simba?

MATT: Relax. Tugger's playing adult Simba.

MISTO: Oh boy. Well, at least I'm only in half this play...

(Gusfiki presents young Mistimba to the crowd...)

GRIZ and ALL: It's the circle of life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the circle

The circle of life!

(they bow to Deutfasa)

POUNCIVAL: OK, hold up. If this really was the jungle, those lions wouldn't look on us as subjects, they'd look on us and think we were a jungle buffet!

TUMBLEBRUTUS: Pouncival, sometimes I think you watch too many PBS nature shows...

(However, someone ISN'T at the celebration...Deutfasa's younger brother Mascarvity. Deutfasa's aide, a bird named Zazustrap, condemns him for not coming...)

MUNKUSTRAP: HEY! How come I have to play that neurotic little bird?

MATT: Because you were such a good Cogsworth in "Bomby and the Beast", and besides, you're basically doing what you do for Old Deuteronomy in real life, so I figured this would fit.

MUNKUSTRAP: But look at this costume...this plastic beak on my nose...I look like a dork!

(Anyhoo, we go to the next scene. Young Mistimba is a little anxious for his dad to show him around his future kingdom, so he starts biting at his ears and waking him up...)

OLD D: Mmmm, our son is up early.

JELLYLORUM: Before sunrise, he's YOUR son.

MISTO: Daaaaad, you PROMISED!

(So Deutfasa shows Mistimba around the vast African plain...and Zazustrap approaches them with his report.)

MUNKU: Checking in with the morning report.

OLD D: Fire away.

MUNKU: Well, the buzz from the bees is that the leopards are in a bit of a spot. The baboons are going ape...

ALL: Oooooh, lousy puns.

MUNKU: Of all the dorky costumes you've stuffed me in and of all the stupid parts you've had me play, THIS tops the list.

(And Zazustrap loses his dignity even more when Deutfasa teaches Mistimba how to pounce on prey...with Zazustrap being the prey...)

MUNKU: Mistoffolees, don't EVER do that again.

MISTO: Sorry. It was in the script!

MATT: May we continue please?

(Deutfasa shows Mistimba around the kingdom some more and offers some of his wisdom...that everything the sun touches will be Mistimba's kingdom, but stay away from a darkened area off in the distance. Mistimba is excited about this and tells his uncle Mascarvity...)

MISTO: Someday I will be king over all this!

MAC: Forgive me for not jumping for joy. Bad back, you know.

MISTO: When I'm King, what will you be?

MAC: A monkey's uncle.