After crashing at the 1909 Monaco Grand Prix, prized racing automobile the Paragon Panther is about to be melted down for scrap. Schoolchildren Jeremy and Jemima Potts want to save the car from destruction, and the scrap shop owner agrees to give it to them if they can pay forty shillings for it. Heiress Truly Scrumptious comes across the children and agrees to drive them home so she can confront their father for not putting them in school.

The Potts children live in an abandoned windmill filled with the abandoned projects of their eccentric inventor father Caractacus and Grandpa Potts. Caractacus believes his newly created sweets will take off, and Truly agrees to introduce him to her father, Lord Scrumptious, who made his millions through a successful sweet factory. However, Caractacus’ “Toot Sweets” emit a high whistle that makes all the dogs in the neighbourhood swarm the factory.

Nonetheless, Truly is taken with the entire Potts family. Meanwhile, Boris and Goran, two spies sent by Baron Bomburst of Vulgaria, are trying to track down the secret mechanism that made the Paragon Panther so special and decide to keep tabs on the Potts family as they try to purchase the vehicle. The Potts family and Truly arrive at a carnival (“Come to the Fun Fair”), where Caractacus tries to put his hair-cutting machine to use. When a customer is made bald, Caractacus manages to escape his wrath, and he is also approached by a turkey farmer who pays him for the invention as an improved method of slaughtering his turkeys.

With the money from his hair-cutting machine, Caractacus buys the Paragon Panther and sets to work on its refurbishment. When it is completed, Truly joins the family for a drive in the magical car, now renamed “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” They head to the beach, but become stranded by the incoming tide. Meanwhile Baron Bomburst has captured Grandpa Potts, believing him to be the inventor of the magical vehicle, and now attempts to seize the car in his airship. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang manages to transform into a floating car and escapes the Baron, while the family set off to rescue Grandpa.

Grandpa Potts receives a warm welcome from the people of Vulgaria who mistakenly believe him to be a great inventor. The Baron orders him to make his royal car magical, and he diligently sets to it with the help of Vulgarian inventors. When he is unsuccessful, the Baron attempts to have him executed, but Chitty flies above the city with the Potts family, and disrupts the proceedings.
Truly and the Potts family land and meet the Toymaker, who informs them that children are banished from Vulgaria and are rounded up by the Childcatcher. The Toymaker safely stows Jeremy and Jemima and shows Caractacus where the hidden children in Vulgaria live. The Childcatcher arrives and tricks the Potts children into being captured. Truly runs into the sewers to find Caractacus and they dress as dolls to sneak into the Baron’s lair. They manage to rescue the children and Grandpa with the help of Chitty and fly off to their next adventure together.

Act I

• Overture — Orchestra
• Prologue — Company
• “You Two” — Caractacus, Jeremy & Jemima
• “Them Three” — Grandpa Potts
• “Toot Sweets” — Caractacus, Truly, Lord Scrumptious & Ensemble
• “Think Vulgar” (2002–2005) “Act English” (2005–present) — Boris and Goran
• “Hushabye Mountain” — Caractacus
• “Come to the Funfair” — Company
• “Me Ol’ Bamboo” — Caractacus & Ensemble
• “Posh!” — Grandpa Potts, Jeremy & Jemima
• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — Caractacus, Truly, Jeremy & Jemima, & Grandpa Potts
• “Truly Scrumptious” — Jeremy, Jemima & Truly
• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”(Nautical reprise) — Caractacus, Truly, Jeremy & Jemima
• “Chitty Takes Flight” — Company

Nominated for 5 Tony Awards

Nominated for 3 Olivier Award