Joseph Jacoby's "Ali Baba's Musical Storybook" is an eight-chapter original story loosely based on the classic "Tales from the Arabian Nights", and set to a modern original musical score. The tales, themselves, date back as far as the 10th century, AD.

Once Upon a Time...there lived a poor woodsman whose name was Ali Baba. While going to work one morning in the forest, Ali hears an approaching band of thieves. As he and his donkey, Poorba, hide, the marauding thieves stash their ill-gotten treasures into a huge rock that looks like a skull. "Open Sesame!" is the Chief Thief's cry, as the rock magically opens. After they leave, Ali tries it out for himself: "Open, Sesame!" and he and Poorba are soon inside a cave of treasures beyond their wildest dreams.

When Ali returns home to tell his wife what has happened, she berates him for not getting any work done and for making up stories about treacherous thieves and vast riches, but becomes a fast believer when presented with pearls and bags of gold. Her "Darling Ali" is an instant hero.

Meanwhile, Ali's greedy brother, Cassim, who lives next door, sees everything through his window. Cassim threatens to report Ali if he doesn't tell him where the cave is. So Mrs. Baba spills the beans.

One thing leads to another and Ali is compelled to save Cassim from the vengeful thieves, after Cassim gets caught.

Meanwhile, Morgiana, Cassim's poor servant girl, saves the day. Selim, Ali's only son, is secretly in love with her, but knowing that he is poor himself, he cannot bring himself to express his love. It is through the values that Ali places on one's inner riches that Selim discovers his own inner worth. And with the conviction of self-knowledge, he tells Morgiana how much he loves her, and she, in turn, how much she loves him.

And, of course - Mrs. Baba has a joyous surprise for all of us!