On a spring day in Rainbow Valley, the Sheriff is about to auction off a parcel of land for non-payment of taxes. Property owner Susan Mahoney, who was born silent, delays the auction until her brother Woody can arrive ("This Time of the Year"). Susan heads off to meet Woddy's train as Finian and his daughter Sharon arrive from Ireland ("How Are Things in Glocca Morra?). Finian reveals that he has "borrowed" a leprechaun's gold and plans to bury it so it will grow into more money.

Finally Woody arrives (Woody's Entrance) and, with a little help from Sharon, pays off the debt. To show his thanks for the help, Woody gives Sharon and Finian a share of the land. Finian now has a place to bury his gold. Sharon tells the people of Rainbow Valley about her home ("Look to the Rainbow") and soon she and her father are welcomed in like old friends. That evening Og, the leprechaun, shows up demanding that Finian return his stolen gold. Og is scared away when Sharon and Woody arrive looking for Finian ("Old Devil Moon").

The next morning, knowing that gold has been found in Rainbow Valley, the Senator tries to buy the land now owned by Finian, but Finian will not sell. Before leaving, the Senator disparages the workers on the land for "looking different" than him.

Sharon is washing clothes ("How Are Things In Glocca Morra? - Reprise") when she is approached by Og, who is quite smitten with her (Something Sort of Grandish). Og hides as Woody approaches. The lovers begin to quarrel, but they are interrupted by the arrival of friends. Finian has hatched a plan to get Woody betrothed to his daughter ("We're Havin' a Party", "Sharon's Getting Betrothed", "Woody's Getting Betrothed"). Woody and Sharon tries to buy the land again, he makes bigoted comments about the "rainbow-colored" Sharecroppers. Sharon is not happy and wishes the Senator looked just like the Sharecroppers and, because she is standing over the buried gold, the wish comes true.

A Sharecropper announces that gold has been found in Rainbow Valley ("That Great Come-And-Get-It Day"). Finian and Woody convince the Sharecroppers not to dig for it, but once Susan is alone, she discovers Finian's gold and moves it ("Dance of the Golden Crock"). A few weeks later, the people of Rainbow Valley are rejoicing ("When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich"), and Finian has convinced Sharon and Woody to marry. The Sheriff enters and threatens a murder charge on Susan if the Senator, who has not returned since Sharon "changed" him, is not found by Tuesday.

In the woods, Og encounters the transformed Senator and realizes that what he really needs is a new inside ("Fiddle-Faddle"), not outside. The "cured" Senator is happy again and is soon welcomed as a member of the Passion Pilgrim Gospeleers ("The Begat").

Just before the deadline, Finian finds Og and pleads with him to change the Senator back. Og doesn't know where the gold is, but when he mistakes SUsan for Sharon ("When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love") he falls in love with her. As Og searches for his gold, he wishes Susan could speak as she might know where the gold is hidden. His wish comes true, and Og realizes where his gold is buried. Og decides to stay mortal so he can be with Susan, and uses the last wish to change the Senator back. Sharon and Woody are saved and the Senator returns a changed man. Finian sets off to keep hope alive throughout the world ("Look to the Rainbow (Reprise)", "Finale Ultimo/How Are Things in Glocca Morra?", "Curtain Act II/That Great Come-And-Get It Day").

THIS TIME OF THE YEAR

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA?

[Sharon]

LOOK TO THE RAINBOW

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

OLD DEVIL MOON

[Woody, Sharon]

NECESSITY

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers, Henrietta, Howard]

HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA? (REPRISE)

[Sharon]

SOMETHING SORT OF GRANDISH

[Og, Sharon]

WE'RE HAVIN' A PARTY

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

SHARON'S GETTING BETROTHED

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

WOODY'S GETTING BETROTHED

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

IF THIS ISN'T LOVE

[Woody, Sharon, The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

THAT GREAT COME-AND-GET-IT DAY

[Lucy, Howard, Henrietta, The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

DANCE OF THE GOLDEN CROCK

[Susan]

WHEN THE IDLE POOR BECOME THE IDLE RICH

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

FIDDLE-FADDLE

[Og]

THE BEGAT

[Company, Gospeleers, Senator]

WHEN I'M NOT NEAR THE GIRL I LOVE

[Og]

LOOK TO THE RAINBOW (REPRISE)

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

FINALE ULTIMO / HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA?

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

CURTAIN ACT II / THAT GREAT COME-AND-GET-IT DAY

[The Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers]

ENSEMBLE

Workers 1 and 2, Geologist, Gospeleers and Rainbow Valley Sharecroppers

FINIAN MCLONERGAN

An Irishman hoping to make his dreams come true in America. He has a big personality and a plan for everything, including getting his daughter married.

Gender: Male

Range: Ab3 - Db5

GOSPELEER 1

One of three spokespeople for a group of traveling singers. They are larger than life as they spread joy throughout Rainbow Valley with their songs.

Gender: Both

Range: C4 - F5

GOSPELEER 2

One of three spokespeople for a group of traveling singers. They are larger than life as they spread joy throughout Rainbow Valley with their songs.

Gender: Both

Range: C4 - C5

GOSPELEER 3

One of three spokespeople for a group of traveling singers. They are larger than life as they spread joy throughout Rainbow Valley with their songs.

Gender: Both

Range: Bb3 - Eb5

HARRIET

A formidable, opinionated woman. She's a Sharecropper and Henrietta's mother.

Gender: Female

Range: C4 - Bb4

HENRIETTA

A happy child who has befriended everyone in Rainbow Valley.

Gender: Female

Range: Eb4 - F5

HOWARD

A Sharecropper who bids his time until he can go away to college. He has a quiet strength.

Gender: Male

Range: G3 - Eb5

LUCY

A dreamer looking forward to the day when the Sharecroppers' lives will be better.

Gender: Female

Range: Ab3 - Db5

NARRATOR

A Sharecropper who keeps the audience up-to-speed on what is happening.

Gender: Both

OG

A leprechaun who's desperate to retrieve his stolen gold because without the gold, he will turn into a human. Og's emotions and thoughts are always transparent, and he can be overly dramatic.

Gender: Both

Range: B3 - F#5

ROSA

Lucy and Harriet's friend.

Gender: Female

SENATOR RAWKINS

A self-righteous politician who openly dislikes anyone different than himself. He pretends to be kind and gracious to get what he wants, but quickly drops that pretense once he achieves his goal. During the show, the Senator magically changes into a different man (on the outside), and by the end of the show, even though his appearance changes back to his original form, the Senator learns to be a kind and caring person.

Gender: Both

Range: Eb4 - D5

SHARON MCLONERGAN

Finian's daughter. A strong woman who is generous of heart. While she is homesick for her beautiful Ireland, she believes that she will build a happy life in America. Sharon stands up for her beliefs and is willing to fight for what is right.

Gender: Female

Range: Ab3 - E5

SHERIFF

The Senator's right hand man and as closed minded as his boss.

Gender: Both

SUSAN MAHONEY

Woody's mute sister. She is well liked by everyone and communicates through "foot-talk" instead of typical American sign language.

Gender: Female

WOODY MAHONEY

The charming leading man of the story. Woody is a landowner in Rainbow Valley who does everything he can to take care of his freinds and neighbors.

Gender: Male

Range: C4 - G5