Forty-eight hours before the presidential election, front runner Reed Chandler dies between the leather-clad thighs of his mistress. the nation grieves. Among them, Reed's ambitious widow Violet, and his Svengali-like brother Grahame, crippled by childhood polio, on crutches and a stutterer just for good measure. The Chandler Compound plays host to a posh and spectacular post-funeral reception, while upstairs Reed's son Calvin sits in his room, playing virtuosic air guitar, smoking a joint, and expressing his philosophy of life (One, Two, Three). After the guests have gone their way, Violet tries to convince Grahame to shepherd Cal through the ranks of political office. Grahame protests, even going so far as to question the boy's true paternity and stirring the memory of a man from Violet's past, Bobby "Cracker" Barrel. Not easily dissuaded, Violet taunts Grahame with his unnatural attraction to his own nephew, and eventually enlists his aid. The plot is hatched (Embrace Tomorrow).
Cal, a spectacularly unambitious slacker with a poor public profile, is promptly enlisted in the army. Guarding a minefield in a desert one night, and tripping on acid, Cal is visited by Reed who extols the joys of politics to his son (Control).
Once back at home, Cal is married off to a perky debutante and polished to a seemingly high gleam, all the while snorting coke to keep his energy level up (America's Son). Easily elected to the City Council, Cal delivers a scrupulously vapid speech to great acclaim (I See the Future).
Escaping to a seedy strip club afterwards, Cal meets up with the exotic Tina McCoy, the club singer (Lonely is a Two-Way Street). Avoiding the mob types who own the club, Tina quickly latches to Cal.
Cal shows up minutes before a press conference the next morning, unshaven, hung-over, and reeking of a woman who is clearly not his wife. Grahame fumes. Cal snorts. business as usual. But when the word "f*ck" inadvertently finds it's way into Cal's pre-approved vocabulary of buzz words, the press is shocked. Left to sink, or swim, Cal somehow turns this embarrassment to his advantage, wounding Grahame's pride in the process (Simple Words). Violet, brandied lips to her son's ear, advises Cal to keep his Uncle Grahame happy at all costs.
As the race for Governor heats up, Cal seeks escape in the arms of Tina, who for her part finds herself falling in love with Cal. She comforts him, eventually introducing him to the seductive joys of heroin (Alleluia).
But when blackmail photos are taken of Cal and Tina "flagrante delicto", it is up to Grahame to take care of the problem. Seeing that his uncle wants to wash his hands of the campaign, Cal brazenly manipulates Grahame, walking an oh-so fine line between familial affection and provocative seduction. Grahame ashamedly comes back to Cal's side.
Grahame renews the family's long-buried relationship with mob boss, Anthony Gliardi, who gladly welcomes the soon-to-be Governor and his family in the fold (Dangerous Games).
Shortly after his wife gives birth to a well-timed son, Cal is elected Governor. But his continued drug use and corruption are making him harder and harder to control. Even Tina feels helpless as she watches Cal slip away from her (Bend the Spoon/One, Two, Three-Reprise).
Facing the possibility of losing the U.S. senate nomination, Violet takes matters by the balls. With the help of Peter Hale (Chief of Security, and God knows what else), she banishes Cal to his room to dry out (Cleaning House).
Grahame, vindictive and a tad jealous, sets out after Tina. Barred from the apartment in which Cal has placed her, Tina comes running to the Compound for help. Producing some personal and highly persuasive proof, Grahame manages to convince Tina that Cal has given her up to lead a straight life. Tina leaves in tears, believing that Cal wants nothing more to do with her.
Cal, in the meantime, has escaped from his room, and is leading Security on a merry chase as he searches the grounds for a hidden stash. Once he is captured, Grahame confiscates the drugs. Desperate for his fix, and eager to keep Grahame silent, Cal resorts to a proven tatic (Upper Hand).
Violet has been drinking. A lot. And up in her room, she celebrates the joys of the battle (Spin). When Grahame comes to her with his umpteenth threat to resign, she just laughs at him. Incensed, Grahame once again conjures up the memory of Bobby, who bursts through into Violet's reality to tell us all the tale (The Ballad of Bobby "Cracker" Barrel). "Make one mistake, and they never let you forget it!" Violet complains. Eye on the Senate, and Jack Daniels in hand, she refuses to budge.
Cal, alone in his room, reflects on his mistakes (Child's Play). Sober at last, he gives another press conference. In a bizarre turn of events, Cal comes clean to the press abut his family's secrets. Controlled now by no one but himself, he even implicates and exposes Anthony Gliardi. Cal becomes a media darling once again, and as the law closes in on the mob, the mob-in turn-closes in on Cal.
But Tina, having nowhere to go and thinking she has been abandoned by Cal, has returned to the mob where she started. Under orders from Gliardi, she lures Cal away from his family on his birthday. Cal, still in love with Tina, happily agrees to the rendezvous. Tina changes into a cheap Halloween Marilyn Monroe costume for Cal's benefit and goes to meet him (Mistress of Deception).
Cal is overjoyed to see her again, but a happy ending is not on the cards. A pack of hitmen interrupt their reunion. A betrayed Cal and an equally betrayed Tina are gunned down.
Once again, the nation mourns. The United States is once again cheated of a natural born leader. Yet at the funeral, Cal's son makes a devastating appearance. Even Cal, in attendance himself, is impressed. A beautiful three-year-old boy stands, solemn, at his father's grave, an exquisite tear trailing down his tender cheek. And damn, if the future doesn't look half bad (Finale).
