Script

SIDE 1

CAT 1

Horton soon heard a voice,

Calling over and over—

MR. MAYOR

(offstage)

Help!

CAT 2

So he tried to think

Who might be down on that clover.

CAT 3

An invisible world! Amazing but true!

And guess who now enters the story?

CHILD

Who?

(The CHILD becomes JOJO. JOJO joins the WHOS who have entered the stage.)

CATS

You! 

SIDE 2

MARSHAL

This is the case of the People versus Horton the Elephant. Judge Yertle the Turtle presiding. The defendant is charged with talking to a speck, disturbing the peace and loitering... on an egg.

HORTON

Your honor, this clover is Exhibit A.

They’re Whos here smaller than the eyes can see

It’s true sir! He’s a Who and so is she.

(HORTON shows JUDGE YERTLE the clover. JUDGE YERTLE stares at it as the crowd anxiously awaits a verdict.)

Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor! Oh, please, Mr. Mayor!

You’ve got to prove now that you really are there!

(The JUNGLE CITIZENS all lean in to “listen” to the clover. No sound is heard.)

JUDGE YERTLE

Based on the evidence, I have no choice but to order the defendant, Horton the Elephant, remanded to the Nool Asylum for the criminally insane. And as for the dust speck... it will boil in a hot steaming kettle of beezlenut oil.

HORTON, MR. MAYOR, MRS. MAYOR

JoJo, think of something!

(All freeze except the CATS and JOJO.)

CATS

Now just for a moment, young JoJo looked grim.

The fate of the Whos rested squarely on him!

But then came a Think:
A peculiar new word.

The kind of a word no one ever had heard!

(Time is suspended for a moment as JOJO clears his throat and opens his mouth.)

JOJO

Yopp!