LMNOP: A New Muzical

This musical takes place on the fictional island of Nollop, located 20 miles off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop is home to an agrarian, arts and crafts, peace-loving, literate and engaged citizenry, whose ancestors left America in the 1800s prior to the Civil War to start their own island nation. The Nollopian love of language is symbolized by a cenotaph in the center of their town square honoring the island’s favorite son, Nevin Nollop. Marble tiles on the plaque proudly display a pangram (a sentence which uses all 26 letters of the alphabet with minimal repetition) created by Nevin himself. The saying is: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

The unexpected happens when the tile displaying the letter ‘Z’ tumbles to the ground. Concern over the fallen tile and its underlying meaning sends the High Island Council into an emergency session. Their conclusion is that Nollop has spoken from the grave, that the fallen tile is a sign that the letter ‘Z’ must be immediately removed from all spoken and written usage. Not understanding the ramifications of the Council’s decision, islanders celebrate the decision with a “Goodbye to Z” party.

The Minnow Pea family, Otto, Gwynette and their 18-year-old daughter Ella attend the party. Ella is a headstrong, bright and restless young woman who just graduated from high school at the head of her class and who is keen to move quickly into adulthood. As her parents and the rest of the island celebrate the banishment of ‘Z,’ Ella is troubled by the pronouncement and suspicious of the real reasons behind the High Island Council’s decision.

The celebration comes to a quick halt when the Council communicates a series of increasingly severe penalties for violating the new law. A first time offender will be marked with a slash of black ink across the face. A second offense will result either in time spent in stocks or a lashing at the whipping post. A third offense will result in the immediate banishment of the offender from the island with the added penalty of death if the person should refuse to leave or attempt to return.

Nollopians quickly realize that eliminating a letter from their speech and writing, even a letter as seemingly innocuous and unnecessary as ‘Z,’ is difficult. Soon after, the letter ‘Q’ falls, and others after it. The Council maintains that each letter represented by a fallen tile must be banished from all oral and written communication. As the alphabet shrinks, all manner of speaking and writing becomes increasingly difficult. For tickets and more information Click Here.

Synopsis provided by Goodspeed Musicals.