Verona is home to two feuding noble houses, the Montagues and the Capulets. In response to the constant brawling between members of these families, the Prince of Verona has issued an edict that will impose a death sentence on anyone caught dueling. Against this backdrop, young Romeo of the house of Montague has recently been infatuated with Rosaline, a niece of Capulet. Rosaline is quickly forgotten, however, when Romeo and his friends disguise themselves and slip into a masque ball at Capulet's house. During the festivities, Romeo catches his first glimpse of Juliet, Capulet's daughter. In one of Shakespeare's most memorable scenes, Romeo steals into the garden and professes his love to Juliet, who stands above on her balcony. The two young lovers, with the aid of Friar Laurence, make plans to be married in secret.

Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, later discovers that Romeo has attended the ball, and he sets out to teach the young Montague a lesson at the point of his sword. Romeo is challenged by Tybalt, but tries to avoid a duel between them since he is now married to Juliet (making Tybalt a kinsman). Mercutio, Romeo's best friend, takes up Tybalt's challenge and is killed in the ensuing fight. Enraged, Romeo slays Tybalt in turn. As a result of this bloodshed, the Prince proclaims that Romeo is to be banished from Verona for his actions. Romeo has time to consummate the marriage and bid farewell to Juliet, though he hopes to be reunited with her once the Capulets learn that they are man and wife.

The Capulets, meanwhile, press for Juliet to marry Paris, a cousin to the Prince. Juliet, relying again on Friar Laurence, devises a desperate plan to avoid her parent's wishes. She obtains a drug that will make her seem dead for forty-two hours; while she is in this state, Friar Laurence will send word to Romeo of the situation so that he can rescue her from her tomb. Unfortunately, fate will not be so kind; the letter from Friar Laurence is delayed. Romeo instead hears second-hand news that Juliet has died. Grief-stricken, Romeo purchases poison and hastens to Juliet's tomb to die at her side. Meanwhile, Friar Laurence has discovered to his horror that his letter did not arrive, and he means to take Juliet away until he can set things aright.

At the tomb, Romeo encounters Paris, who mourns for Juliet. Romeo slays Paris, then enters the tomb and downs his poison. As Friar Laurence comes upon the scene, Juliet awakens only to find the lifeless body of her beloved Romeo laying beside her. Juliet takes the dagger from Romeo's belt and plunges it into her heart. Upon this scene, the Prince arrives—along with the Montague and Capulet parents—demanding to know what has happened. Friar Laurence relates to all the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet's secret marriage and their senseless suicides. The Montagues and Capulets, when faced with the terrible price that their feud has exacted, vow to put an end to the enmity between their two houses

Before this show starts our hero and heroine, Billy Crocker and Hope Harcourt, meet at a party one hot summer night in the early 1930's. Hope is a pretty girl, with an overbearing mother who wants her daughter to marry an English Lord. Billy is a young man just beginning his career on Wall Street. A leisurely drive through Central Park and a chaste kiss put the finishing touches on an evening that speaks of promise. Somehow, Hope slips away without giving her name and address to Billy.
     The story begins at the New York sailing of the Ocean Greyhound AMERICA bound for England. Everything takes place aboard the ship. It is customary for members of the press to take photographs of the passengers for the 'Society' sections of newspapers before a ship sets sail. Of particular interest to the ship's reporters is Reno Sweeney, famed Evangelist-turned-Nightclub singer, with her four beautiful Angels - backup singers. Unfortunately she appears to be the only celebrity on board. Other passengers photographed include Elisha Whitney (Wall Street executive and Billy Crocker's boss), Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (a rich English Gentleman), Miss Hope Harcourt (American debutante and Evelyn's fiancée), Mrs. Wadsworth Harcourt (Hope's mother), Bishop Henry Dobson (a minister), and Ching and Ling (two of Bishop Dobson's Chinese converts).
     Billy Crocker comes aboard to drop off his boss' passport. On board he runs into Reno, who is an old friend. Billy, as it turns out, is the same young man who drove around Central Park with Hope Harcourt, and who has been searching for her unsuccessfully ever since. Reno greets Billy warmly, and she tells him how she gets a "kick" whenever they meet -You're The Top. Then the deck stewards begin to call, "All ashore that's going ashore," and Billy starts for the gangplank. He is just stepping on it when a girl appears: the splendid girl with whom he rode around Central Park. "Are you sailing?" she asks. "You bet I'm sailing" is his reply. And the ship sets sail -Bon Voyage.
     There is another celebrity sailing, but he is very much under wraps. "Moonface Martin," a onetime ship's gambler and "Public Enemy 13," is hiding out on board disguised as a Minister. This "thirteen" has brought him a succession of bad luck, and he is determined to move up to the 11 or 12 spot. Billy wins Moonface's friendship by inadvertently identifying Bishop Henry Dobson as Moonface to the FBI. The innocent Bishop ends up in the ship's brig. Moonface shows his gratitude by giving Billy a ticket and passport, intended for his friend Snake Eyes, for the trip. Snake Eyes, number "one" on the "wanted" list, had been warned against sailing. His companion, Bonnie, does set sail and spends time with Moonface.
     The first evening Billy finds out that Hope is engaged to Sir Evelyn. The British gentleman's lack of romance and upset stomach give Billy an opportunity to be alone with Hope all night -It's Delovely. When he gets back to the room he and Moon are sharing the next morning, Billy realizes that his boss, Whitney, is their neighbor. Moon steals Whitney's glasses, so Whitney will not recognize Billy on board. Moon finds out that the authorities are searching the ship for Billy, who they think is the real Snake Eyes. In order to warn his new friend that he is in danger, Moonface admits to Billy that he is not a real clergyman and reveals his true identity. When Billy responds to Moon that he will not turn him in, Moon tells Billy that the ship's crew thinks Billy is actually Snake Eyes. Billy refuses to hide for the rest of the trip because he wants to see Hope. Bonnie disguises Billy in a sailor's uniform -Heaven Hop. Moon, Reno and her Angels recognize Billy as a sailor. He explains his predicament to Reno, and she is willing to distract Sir Evelyn; she thinks he is attractive -I Get A Kick Out Of You. Moonface also joins in Reno's efforts to help Billy win Hope away from the pleasant but lame-brained English Baronet to whom she is engaged -Friendship. Billy has just a few days to win Hope (whose mother is all for Sir Evelyn), the ship's officers are searching the ship for a man who is the occupant of the "number one" gangster's cabin, and Billy has to resort to varied disguises that include dressing as a woman, a chef and a man with a beard. The ship's Purser finally catches up with Snake Eyes and Moonface, but Billy is spared from going to the ship's jail. All of the passengers except Hope consider Billy posing as Snake Eyes a celebrity, and want him to mingle among them freely-Anything Goes.
     The passengers on board celebrate the new celebrity they discovered in Public Enemy No. One, and Bonnie encourages the imposter's acceptance in Let's Step Out. Sir Evelyn begins to fall in love with Reno. He speaks romantically to her, and she sings to him Let's Misbehave. Hope gets progressively more disgusted with Billy's lie. The Captain instructs Moonface, still undercover as a minister, to perform a service to reform Snake Eyes. Under Hope's pressure Billy finally confesses he is an imposter, Moonface admits who he really is, and the two end up in the ship's brig -Blow, Gabriel, Blow.
     Billy is obsessed with Hope while in jail. Moonface tries to calm him down with Be Like The Bluebird. The two Chinese converts traveling with the real Bishop Dobson are also thrown into the brig, for gambling. When Hope finally visits Billy there, she tells him of her mother's plans to have the Captain marry her and Sir Evelyn within hours. The young couple love each other -All Through The Night. Billy must prevent this wedding from happening. He and Moonface trick the converts to exchange clothes with them, and are released from jail in the converts' places. Billy arrives on deck in time to prevent the marriage ceremony, by embarrassing Sir Evelyn, with Reno's help. Reno reminisces in Take Me Back To Manhattan. Hope and Billy end up together, as do Reno and Sir Evelyn, Bonnie and Moonface, and Mrs. Harcourt and Mr. Whitney. The only one who is the least bit disappointed is Moonface, who is no longer wanted by the F.B.I.

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