Successful composer Stephan Scott Lay has decided to write his next musical on the dramatic Biblical hero Samson (I'm Stephan Scott Lay). His plans suddenly change when his Board of Directors (BOD) decide they want Stephan to write a children's musical on Jonah (The Mighty Samson). In fear of damaging his career, Stephan hatches an idea to write a musical so absurd that the BOD would deem it "unstageable" (A Whale of a Tale).
Once Stephan is in his Studio, he is visited by his conscience, Mr. Scruples, and his Emotions, who teach him that God's Voice comes in many ways (Anthropomorphism).
Stephan begins writing on Jonah and introduces him as a farmer tending to his Farm Animals (Lights Fade Up on Jonah). Stephan writes that God unexpectedly speaks to Jonah through a soulful Rooster who instructs him to go to the great city of Nineveh and tell them to change their wicked ways or be destroyed in 40 days (Woe Mercy Me).
In the SLMTP Boardroom, the BOD reviews Stephan's writing and are surprisingly delighted over Stephan's zany genius. And to further Stephan's fears, the BOD fully expect Stephan to stage a spectacular whale (We Wanna Whale). Stephan continues writing his absurd musical in hopes to elude putting a whale on stage as the BOD has instructed.
Mr. Scruples and the Emotions help Stephan to continue his absurd writing (Jonah Went Down, Down, Down). Meanwhile, Jonah decides to flee instead of heeding God's call to go to Ninevah (The Docks of Joppa). He charters a boat run by three tuba-playing Spanish Sailors - Nacho, Taco and Jimmy Chongas (The Wings of the Dawn).
No matter how ludicrous the writing, the BOD continues to love the musical. Frustrated, Stephan wants to give up and write on some deeper subject matter - Samson! Mr. Scruples and the Emotions vividly talk him out of it (Just Add Water). Stephan reluctantly continues writing on Jonah whose story takes a turn for the worse when a terrible storm rocks the boat and he is thrown overboard by the Spanish Sailors after an intense Tuba-playing contest (Troubled Waters).
Out of fear and spite, Stephan decides that regardless of what the BOD wants, he will not write the whale into the show (The Whale's Belly Fanfare). Instead, he writes that Jonah awakens to find himself in the belly of a whale where he is counseled by Sea Creatures (Paying the Fare). Stephan writes that Jonah is left in Sheol, attacked by The Shadows and ultimately saved by an Angel. As Stephan writes the Sheol scene, he falls asleep and dreams about the Critics destroying his reputation (The Dream of Death). Stephan awakes to find himself in the SLMTP boardroom where the phone begins ringing off the hook. It's the critics telling Stephan they can't wait to see his spectacular whale (The Critics of the World).
A WHALE OF A TALE Synopsis Act 2 :
The BOD convince Stephan they believe in him. Stephan dismally decides to finish the musical knowing that this will be the end of his career (As Good As Dead). Mr. Scruples helps Stephan along by educating him on the Ninevites and explaining their love and belief in the deity DAGON, a fish God. (Dagon! Half-man/Half-fish).
Stephan writes that Jonah arrives in Nineveh, is greeted by beautiful showgirls (Drop Dead Gorgeous), and then led to The Palace of Nineveh where he finds his worst enemies - his 9th Grade Gym teacher, his first love, himself at the awkward age of 16, and THAT GUY - the guy everyone hates (Ninevah! The City Of Dreams). In an effort to entertain THE KING OF THE NINEVITES, Jonah's worst enemies proceed to cut him to shreds through a comedic show (The Jonah Roast). But when The King of the Ninevites finds out that Jonah survived the belly of a whale, he is convinced that Jonah has beaten the Ninevite God Dagon. He therefore declares that Jonah's God ... must be God. Jonah faithfully and spitefully delivers God's message and then retreats to the desert. The Ninevites joyfully repent and rejoice in there new found forgiveness (Another Cheesy Ballad).
Stephan and Mr. Scruples begin wrapping up the musical with Jonah who is suffering from heat and discomfort in the desert (Oooo It's Hot!). There, he encounters a WORM who teaches him that God loves everyone, even our worst enemies, and that everyone deserves a second chance, just like he was given (The Worm Song).
On opening night, Stephan is devastated as he watches the Critics scuttle out of the theater spewing negative remarks. Completely dejected, Stephan is approached by a little girl who wants his autograph and reveals to Stephan all the valuable lessons she learned watching his musical. Stephan is touched and finally realizes that his purpose may lie beyond the boundaries he sets for himself, and not to let the "critics of the world" bring him down (God Loves Everyone).