Finally, a play that answers the question, "Where in the heck did the term 'Grand Pooh-Bah' come from?"

Librettist Sir W. S. Gilbert and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan (who also wrote "The Pirates of Penzance"), the late-19th century playwriting duo, have long been noted for their zany plots filled with twists that only serve to complicate things (rather than make sense). "The Mikado," currently playing at Valley Center Playhouse in Lindon, is Gilbert and Sullivan at their wackiest, combining Oriental cultures and fabricating goofy names like "Pooh-Bah," "Pish-Tush," "Nanki-Poo," "Ko-Ko" and "Yum-Yum." It's more like baby talk than butchered Far East languages.

"I think Gilbert and Sullivan were having a really fun time making fun of (Oriental cultures)," said Julie Gritton, who plays the part of Katisha in the play.

The play revolves around the lives and loves of the people in the fictional Japanese village Titipu. Nanki-Poo, the son of the emperor, or mikado, of Japan, flees both the royal court and the advances of a very forward woman named Katisha.

"She's an old woman who's very ugly," said Gritton, 37, who dons a wart, kimono and graying wig to play the part. "I was the oldest woman who tried out."

When Nanki-Poo arrives in Titipu, he seeks out the hand of the lovely maiden Yum-Yum. After all, how could you go wrong with a name like Yum-Yum?

The officious Pooh-Bah informs Nanki-Poo that his desires are out of line since Yum-Yum is already promised to Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner.

"He's the big dude in Titipu," Gritton said. "He's the crux of the whole play."

Ko-Ko, however, is in danger of losing his execution job since he hasn't filled his quota. In fact, he has failed to kill off anyone in his time as executioner. He finds out that Nanki-Poo is contemplating suicide because of losing Yum-Yum and offers to execute him instead.

"It's just manic," Gritton said. "So many plot complications hit you from nowhere. They're just in there to make the plot complicated. The characters are actually caricatures."

When the Mikado finds out it's his son's neck on the line, Ko-Ko himself is in danger of the chopping block. More comic complications ensue before the happy ending materializes out of thin air.

And, despite its execution theme, "The Mikado" is very family friendly.

Valley Center owner Jody Renstrom said that she tries to have all her productions meet the squeaky-clean standard that would be expected of them at LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University. "It's hard to come up with family-oriented shows all the time," she said, "because modern writers have put in a lot of things that people wouldn't want to listen to."

Unfortunately, Renstrom said, recent Valley Center attendance figures are down, though she and her husband opened the playhouse in 1975 and have kept its doors open continually ever since.

She said that she thinks attendance would improve if more people knew about her shows.

"Other than lying down in State Street with a sign I don't know how to get them to come," she said.

If You Go

The Mikado

Where: Valley Center Playhouse, 780 N. 200 E., Lindon

When: Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays through May 8

Showtime: 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $6 Adults, $5 Students, children or seniors, $25 Families

Info: 785-1186, www.vcpnews.com