Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a musical with music and lyrics written by Richard and Robert Sherman and a book by Jeremy Sams. It is sometimes referred to as Chitty the Musical to distinguish it from the 1968 film of the same name on which it is based, written by Roald Dahl, Ken Hughes, and Richard Maibaum. The 1968 film was based in turn on the book of the same name by Ian Fleming. The show premiered at the London Palladium on April 16, 2002, directed by Adrian Noble before opening on Broadway in 2005. Plot Act One The Junkman/Coggins recounts the last race of the Paragon Panther ("Opening"), which was contested against the Vulgarian Vulture in the 1910 British Grand Prix, but the Panther crashed after Vulgarian spies sabotaged it. Years later, the Panther sits in a junkyard, forgotten by all save the young siblings Jeremy and Jemima Potts, who are enamored with the Junkman's tales and the car's history. They are shocked when the Junkman tells them he plans to scrap it, but he promises to save the Panther for them if they can purchase and move it within a few weeks. Truly Scrumptious, daughter of the wealthy Lord Scrumptious, arrives at the junkyard seeking a spare part, but upon finding the truant children, takes them home to their father, the widowed inventor Caractacus. Meanwhile, Vulgarian spies acting under the direction of their leader, autocratic Baron Bomburst, have discovered the location of the Panther and make plans to purchase the car before the children. Truly arrives at the Potts household, an old windmill, with the children and lectures Caractacus on their improper upbringing before leaving; as he prepares a meal for the children ("You Two"), they tell him about the plans to scrap the Panther and he promises to purchase the car for them. Caractacus's father, Grampa Potts, recounts the family's troubles ("Them Three") and after trying some of his son's inventions, realizes he has devised a candy that can be played like a flute. The next day, Caractacus goes to Lord Scrumptious's candy factory to sell the design and raise the money needed for the Panther. Truly helps the Potts family make their sales pitch ("Toot Sweets"), but the demonstration ends in disaster as the musical boiled sweets unintentionally summon many stray dogs who invade the factory. The Vulgarian spies decide to pass themselves off as locals ("Think Vulgar" / "Act English") as they realize the patriotic Junkman will never sell the Panther to Vulgarians.