Synopsis
Act I
Dr. Outrageous warns the audience that the material in this show will be offensive. Simultaneously, Alan, a young man, visits his shrink, and asks what his dream means. Sex dancers who populate Alan’s fantasies fill the stage. Alan’s car is stolen.
Carless, Alan dances to the side of a freeway and is joined by a host of “frogs”. A widow named Mom (not Alan’s mom) shows up and has a conversation with Alan about the past. Frogs try to cross, but die each time. Alan gets frustrated and rallies the remaining frogs to cross the road with him. All the frogs die. Mom consoles him, saying: “Open your hand to the universe. Make a fist for strength, But leave your thumb out for good luck.”
A repentant sinner and itinerant traveler, Jack Forest, slams on his brakes and offers them a ride. They hop in. Mom says she’s going to Vegas for her niece’s wedding. Alan protests, but off they go. Immediately after they motor off, an Old Man successfully crosses the freeway with a Zen cluelessness while telling a story about a boy being killed by a truck. Back in the car, Jack spins a yarn about how “God Made America” and why he’s traversing the country - to find God. Alan has a vision of his fantasy woman riding in a convertible alongside them toward Vegas. When they finally arrive in Vegas Mom befriends (while Alan offends) the surly, African-American check-in clerk, Gerry.
Bob, the owner of the Vesuvian Hotel & Casino, has decided that if he makes a film about himself he could become immortal in a way that he can't by being rich. His assistant films him in the casino being adored by everyone. Bob sings a glitzy floor show. Alan keeps seeing glimpses of his fantasy woman, but she eludes him. A guest at the casino, caught cheating, is brought into the back room and roughed up.
The next morning, Mom meets her niece Alicia and her fiancé Juan. Alicia asks Mom to keep her dad, Bob, from learning that Juan is a Mexican busboy in his hotel. They are wed. Bob finds out and is furious. Juan and Alicia flee. Bob tries to arrest Juan on trumped up kidnapping charges. On their way out of town, they pass Gerry getting drunk with Alan (they bonded over drinks during the night). Gerry tells them how to get past the roadblocks Bob has set up: hop a freight. Gerry joins them.
Mom puts everyone to sleep and then, thinking she's unseen, she cries. The Old Man is revealed to be riding in the freight car next to them. He continues telling the story of how the mother dealt with her child’s death after being killed by a truck. Mom overhears the story and is comforted to sleep.
Act II
Mom’s posse is hungry in Dumas, Texas. They get out of the boxcar and find a gas station/convenience store where a young woman, Vanessa works. She joins them too. Once again, by chance, the Old Man is right behind them telling a story about how he met his wife.
Still evading Bob's pursuit, they stop in a Louisiana swamp. They catch fresh fish, but have no way to cook it. Out of the blue, Jack Forest shows up and provides a bonfire. Gerry fries up the fish and Mom asks Gerry to say a prayer. He gives one concerning the “Origin of Things”. It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Alan and Vanessa have a romantic encounter. Alicia sleeps with dozens of men and tells Juan to leave her. He refuses and forgives her trespasses. She locks him out. Fearing Bob, everyone but Alicia and Juan continue by train to Florida (except Jack, who refuses to set foot in that state).
In Florida, they enter the Lagoons of Mystery -- true sideshow Americana. They meet Gator Gary who wrestles gators and is abusive to his beautiful, young cousin/wife Normandy who is a pretend mermaid. Alan falls in love with Normandy. Normandy reveals her abuse through a song. Meanwhile, Alicia kills herself. Bob finds his daughter dead and is furious. He kills his own thug because he continued filming him in what was supposed to be a heroic rescue, but turned out as tragedy.
Bob, more furious, catches up with them in Florida. Facing imminent capture, Mom's posse is trapped on a dock with no way out, when Jack saves the group by motoring up in a boat into which they all hop. Gerry is left behind with homophobic Gary by accident. Mom’s posse sails up to New York City. During a storm, Vanessa goes on deck and considers suicide. On the other side of the boat, Normandy decries her frustration that people see her beauty without seeing her. She cuts off her hair.
Many days later, as they're settling into New York, Alan argues with Normandy and storms out. Vanessa, on her way to make up with Alan, passes him on the stairs. He snaps at her. She sings that there’s no one she can talk to in this town. Norm consoles her and they spend the cold night together.
Alan joins Mom in The Berkshires. Mom wants to see her old summer-home. Jack has found The Old Man in Ohio and is flying him to her ASAP. But the plane piloted by Craaazy Mac fails and before they crash, they jump out with only 2 parachuted for the 3 of them . They skydive down - right to where Mom is. Jack hits a tree while landing. The Old Man survives. Jack dies after asking for forgiveness from his daughter - Normandy. The Old Man and Mom fall instantly in love. All is forgiven. Everyone moves on.