Act 1
Mr. Jacob Jankowski, an elderly Polish-American man living in an assisted living home, visits O’Brien’s One-Ring Circus before it heads out of town. He reveals to the employees that he worked with circus animals in his youth. He reminisces on his first circus job. During the Great Depression, and after the death of his parents in a car accident, Jacob hops a train "going anywhere." Camel, an older worker for the circus, and Wade, the foreman, try to intimidate him off the train, but he stands his ground. Camel reveals to Jacob that he has joined the "Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth" ("Anywhere/Another Train"). Jacob is hired for one day’s work ("The Road Don’t Make You Young").
Jacob walks in on Marlena, the star performer, comforting her horse, Silver Star ("Easy"). Jacob, who studied veterinary medicine at Cornell, shows August, the ringmaster and Marlena’s husband, that the horse is foundering and may need to be euthanized. August offers Jacob a job as the circus vet if he is able to keep Silver Star working. August takes Jacob to the menagerie and tricks Jacob into getting attacked by a toothless lion - he boasts that nothing at his circus is real ("The Lion Has Got No Teeth"). Later that night it's revealed that Wade "red-lighted" another circus worker on August’s command, throwing him off the train. Camel warns Jacob of the dangers of the circus, but Jacob decides to stay ("I Choose the Ride").
Jacob ultimately has to put Silver Star down as the injury has progressed beyond saving. When the circus arrives at the no-longer-in-business Fox Brothers Train, August plans on buying a horse to replace Silver Star. However, all that remains is an old elephant, Rosie ("Ode to an Elephant"). Jacob and Marlena struggle to train Rosie ("Just Our Luck"), and August, unsatisfied with their progress, begins to abuse Rosie with a bullhook. Marlena tells Jacob that August is prone to fits of rage ("I Shouldn’t Be Surprised").
Jacob, Marlena, and August spend the evening at a speakeasy, and August becomes violent again, this time towards Marlena. When the speakeasy is raided, Jacob and Marlena escape from the police together. Outside of the speakeasy, they share a moment, and Jacob kisses Marlena. Marlena runs away, and Jacob revels in his thrilling situation ("Silver Stars").
In Chicago, Marlena and Rosie are set to make their debut as the star act, but Rosie refuses to move. August prepares to beat her with his bullhook when Rosie swipes August down with her trunk. She is about to kill him when Jacob instinctively yells zostań, the Polish word for "stop". Rosie, whose previous trainer was Polish, understands the language and can now follow Jacob’s commands. The circus celebrates finally being "back in business" ("The Grand Spec").
Act 2
Mr. Jankowski reminisces on his younger days spent with Rosie ("Funny Angel"). With Rosie as their new star, The Benzini Brothers Circus becomes a success. As Jacob teaches the circus workers Polish, he grows increasingly close with Marlena ("Zostań"). This draws the eye of circus workers Barbara, Walter, and Camel, who convince Jacob that a relationship with Marlena will bring nothing but trouble ("Squeaky Wheel").
Jacob plans to leave the circus to Marlena’s dismay - August grows suspicious of their relationship. He accuses Marlena of cheating on him and Marlena and August exchange blows ("You’ve Got Nothing (Part 1)"). August orders Wade to red-light Jacob, Walter and Camel. Jacob and Marlena disappear, and a reluctant Wade pushes Walter and Camel off the train as it’s going over a bridge, killing them ("You’ve Got Nothing (Part 2)").
In a hotel room, Marlene regrets how poorly she let people treat her, but resolves to trust herself from now on ("What Do You Do"). Jacob finds Marlena, and they are free to be together for the first time ("Wild"). They form a plan: They will go back to the show, perform the first half, then run off with Rosie while August finishes the show. Unbeknownst to Marlena, when they arrive at the circus, Jacob takes a knife and resolves to kill August ("Go Home"), but can’t go through with it.
During the show, Wade opens the menagerie cages, and the animals stampede the circus. Many people die, including August, who is killed by Rosie wielding his bullhook. Jacob and Marlena make it out alive, and soon after, Jacob and Marlena get married, keeping Rosie in their care. Mr. Jankowski decides that he cannot leave the circus life behind, and runs off with O’Brien’s One-Ring Circus ("Finale (I choose the ride)").
