Act I

It’s 1969, and Principal Varney welcomes the Marvelous Wonderettes back to Springfield High (“Gimme Some Lovin’”). We first met these four best friends and song leaders— Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy— at their 1958 Senior Prom in The Marvelous Wonderettes, and Wonderettes: Dream On takes us to the retirement party for their favorite homeroom and foreign language teacher, Miss McPherson (“I Know A Place”/”Downtown”). They serenade Miss McPherson (an audience member) in the many languages she taught while at school (“L-O-V-E”), only to discover she still has five semesters' worth of ungraded English papers to complete before retiring (“It’s Your Thing”). Brought onstage, Miss McPherson grades papers while the Wonderettes check in with each other. Missy reveals the need to start a college fund with her new husband Mr. Lee (“For Once in my Life”). Betty Jean divulges that Johnny has reappeared in her life (“I Keep Forgettin’”), and laments her continuing bad fortune (“When Will I Be Loved?”). Suzy discloses that hubby Ritchie Stevens lost his job in Springfield and has to take a new job out of town (“Hurting Each Other”/”More Today Than Yesterday”). After a check-in with Miss McPherson (“she’s halfway there!”), we learn that Cindy Lou has been dumped for the very first time (“Build Me Up, Buttercup”). The man responsible is Coach Warner, who has shown up for the retirement party with none other than the principal’s estranged wife, Mrs. Varney (“You’re No Good”). To top off the party, Miss McPherson finally finishes grading her papers, and is allowed to leave the stage with an assortment of retirement prizes. With the farewell signs in place, Cindy Lou delivers the news that she’s moving back to New York to follow her dreams of a singing career. The girls say goodbye (“Reach Out, I’ll Be There”/”Someday We’ll Be Together”), hopeful to see each other again in the near future.

Act II

Act II finds us at the 20-year reunion for the Class of ‘58 (“I’ve Got The Music In Me”), and the Wonderettes are back to entertain their friends and classmates (“Listen to the Music”). As we check in with Missy, she reveals her deep suspicion that Mr. Lee is having an affair (“Everything I Own”/”Don’t Leave Me This Way”), only to discover that he’s actually purchased her a brand new home (“Love Will Keep Us Together”). Betty Jean has recently returned from the Womyn United Festival (“I Can See Clearly Now”/”I Am Woman”), where she found the strength and support she needed to remove all traces of Johnny from her life (“I Will Survive”). Suzy reveals that Ritchie has been chasing jobs all over, and hasn’t lived at home for the past nine years (“Lonely Night [Angel Face]”). Desperate to get her mother-in-law out of her house, Suzy encourages the girls to bring Mr. and Mrs. Stevens onstage for a spotlight reunion dance (“The Hustle”). Ritchie flashes the lights, having returned to his family, and Suzy welcomes him home (“Come in from the Rain”). Now we hear from Cindy Lou, who hit it big in the recording business and lost a new love along the way (“Band of Gold”/“Groupie [Superstar]”). The girls are ready to cheer her up, having practiced her big hit song behind her back (“Everlasting Love”). They end the evening with sincere gratitude (“We Never Really Say Goodbye”), and take us out with the rousing finale (“We Are Family”/”Gimme Some Lovin’”).