Through Aug. 27, Carousel Music Theater (CMT) is staging “All American Road Trip,” a cross-country cabaret show featuring over two dozen place-based songs, connected through a central storyline: Annie wants to make it big in New York, but before she goes, she and her parents embark on the all American road trip, taking in landscapes and locals and singing iconic songs representative of the places they travel. The show was written by CMT’s Garrett Carter. “It was important to us to select time periods, cultures and settings that speak to each region of America. We charted a path across the country, with points and locations of interest – just as you would when planning a road trip, then found songs indicative of those places and put them in a sequential order,” he said.

The show’s theme is universal. Each of the actors can identify with taking road trips with their families, sometimes fighting with parents and siblings for control of the playlist. Madison Mintzer (Annie) recalls a road trip from Florida to New Hampshire with her father where they listened to heavy metal the entire way. For Elena Tarpley (Local #2), it was always classic rock, and for Cavontè Green (Rodger), a mix of K-pop, show tunes, rap and gospel helped carry him, his mother and a small car full of siblings from Virginia to Florida when he was younger. Music director Ashley Grace Ryan said what makes a road song a classic is “a feeling that you can’t help, a feeling that makes you want to scream the song at the top of your lungs.”

Emma Murphy (Shirley) plays the worried mother, hoping to convince Annie to change her life course. But Shirley can’t escape the lure of the open road and the production’s upbeat dance numbers and eventually comes around to supporting her daughter’s decision. Murphy’s vocal talent lights up the stage in the Chicago set of songs. And Tarpley is pure magic singing “Luck Be A Lady” (Loesser, 1950) for the Vegas segment. Green was simply sensational, even by his own exacting standards; as an Elvis impersonator in Vegas, as the devil in “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (Charlie Daniels Band, 1979) and his favorite of the night, “Georgia On My Mind” (Carmicheal & Gorrell, 1930). “Melody, that’s what makes a road song a classic,” he said. “People pay attention to the melody, the chorus – it has to register with them and invite them to sing along.”

Meredith Charbonnet (Local #1) remembers many road trips with her family, driving from hometown New Orleans to Disney World. “We listened to a lot of One Direction, Black Eyed Peas and whatever else was on my mom’s workout playlist,” she said. Charbonnet was excellent in “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” (Styne & Robin, 1949), but “Down in New Orleans” (Newman, 2008) was her favorite song to perform. “It takes me back home for a second.”

Mintzer’s operatic power vocals end the show with a collection of songs about New York. “I feel very connected to Annie’s character,” she said. “She had dreams of making it on the New York stages, and that’s exactly what I do, exactly the same drive.”

Kelli Leigh-Ann Connors shares a director credit and was the show’s choreographer. Paulette Carter is executive director, Garrett Carter is on lights and sound tech, and Leisha MacDougall is photographer. Susie Taylor is kitchen staff, and special thanks are extended to Mark Carter, the MacDougalls, Rob Barnard, Tom Dewey, Mary Miller and BRHS Drama Club.

The show is popular; opening night hosted a crowd of about 50. Visit CMT’s website for the show schedule and tickets. Ticket blocks are available for large crowds and incoming tour buses.