The Musical of Musicals the Musical

Structured into five acts, each of which is a short musical parodying (and paying homage to) the style of an American or British musical theatre composer or composer/lyricist team, all dealing with roughly the same classic melodrama plot: "I can't pay the rent!"

Corn!
Corn! is set in the style of the musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein, featuring parodies of and references to The King and I, The Sound of Music, Carousel, Cinderella, Flower Drum Song, Oklahoma!, and South Pacific. In Kansas in August, Jitter threatens that June will have to marry him if she can't pay the rent; Big Willy is torn between his desire to marry her himself and his desire for the freedom of his carnival-barker lifestyle, and Mother Abby advises her to "follow her dream", leading to a lengthy dream ballet and a happy ending.

A Little Complex
A Little Complex is based upon the musicals of Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, and Sunday in the Park with George, et al.). In a New York apartment complex full of neurotics, Jitter is a mad artist/landlord who plots to murder his tenants, including bird-obsessed, indecisive June, deep-thinking composer Billy and pessimistic alcoholic Abby, for throwing his artwork out with the trash. After many overly-complex lyrics and dissonant music, he does.

Dear Abby
Dear Abby parodies the work of Jerry Herman, especially Mame and Hello, Dolly! Aunt Abby is an unconventional Manhattan socialite, adored by her neighbors, and her advice solves everyone's problems. In between costume changes, Abby manages to matchmake her nephew William and her geeky friend Juney-Fae and convince the stuffy Landlord Mr. Jitters to embrace his true self and become a drag queen. Much dancing follows.

Aspects of Junita
Aspects of Junita plays upon the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber, including Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Phantom of the Opera. In this sung-through pop opera, Junita hopes that becoming a superstar, despite her lack of talent, will allow her to get out of paying her rent from the mysterious Sir Phantom Jitter. As her boyfriend Bill bemoans the lack of communication in their relationship (due to the fact that they literally cannot talk), and fading diva Abigail von Starr advises her to go over the top, Junita falls under Phantom Jitter's spell, only for an errant Chandelier to bring things literally crashing down to a spectacular climax.

Speakeasy
Speakeasy reflects the work of John Kander and Fred Ebb, chiefly Chicago and Cabaret. In a speakeasy in 1930s Chicago, where half the characters are German, Fräulein Abby advises Juny to turn to prostitution to pay her rent; her boyfriend, Villy, is both gay and in jail, and is of no help; and the activity is presided over by the creepy emcee/landlord Jütter. All sing about how depressing life is and dance around in skimpy clothing.