http://www.youtube.com/v/mXWkIZUPmDY?version=3&Number 40 : The Mikado(26 points on 2 of 12 lists. Top Vote #8 by C Jones)Synopsis:In Japan, a wandering minstrel, Nanki-Poo, arrives in the town of Titipu looking for his lost love, the maiden Yum-Yum. Upon his arrival, he discovers that flirting has been decreed to be a capital crime. The town's residents have gotten around that decree by appointing Yum-Yum's guardian, Ko-Ko, who was also the next to be executed, to be the High Executioner. And until he cuts off his own head, he's unable to fulfill his execution duties. Nanki informs Ko-Ko of his love for Yum-Yum, but is sent away. Nanki meets his beloved and informs her that he is secretly the heir to the Mikado, who is in hiding since an elderly dowager, Katisha, is pursuing him.
But Ko-Ko discovers that the town will be demoted to a village unless they execute a person every month. So he offers a deal to Nanki. he may marry Yum-Yum if, at the end of the month, he agrees to be executed. But as the pair is set to be wed, Katisha arrives to try and claim Nanki, but her revelation that Nanki is the Mikado goes unheard.
Later, Ko-Ko discovers that if a married man is beheaded, his wife must be buried alive. Yum-Yum refuses to marry in that case. Ko-Ko then sends the pair away rather than executing them. But the Mikado himself arrives in town, along with Katisha, looking for his son. Unfortunately, Ko-Ko thinks that he's arrives to see if an execution has been performed and reports that Nanki has been executed. The Mikado then orders the death of Ko-Ko for killing the heir. Ko-Ko then throws himself on the mercy of Katisha, feeling that if she was married to him, then Nanki could return to the village in safety. She eventually agrees, Nanki returns with bride in tow and the Mikado is mollified.
Okay, everyone got that? I don't want to have to try and explain that again.
Memorable Songs:It's Gilbert and Sullivan. They're all memorable songs.
Awards:Trivia Notes: The Mikado was performed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera company from 1885 to 1982. This long run of shows was the third longest run of musical theater in length until its record was broken by Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.
In one of his later performances, Groucho Marx starred in the TV production of the Mikado, playing Ko-Ko.
The Mikado is one of the G&S musicals performed by the FBI Light Opera Society in the Simpsons episode Cape Feare.
Coming Soon:Well, I'll be dancing through a minefield on the next one.