This year’s performance of “Tracy, Our Town — USA,” depicts a New York family making its way across the United States along the historic Lincoln Highway back in 1938. The family’s destination — the Golden Gate Bridge, for its opening — by way of the Lincoln Highway, which included Tracy’s own 11th Street.

With the road traveling right through Tracy, the family stops to visit a distant relative in Tracy. The relative is one of the original settlers profiled in the play’s opening scene. In Tracy, Angel, the daughter of the New York family, discovers delicious ice cream produced by a local dairy.

The show profiles the opening of the McHenry House and concludes with the opening of the Lolly Hansen Senior Center, where the audience discovers that Angel is now a senior citizen living in Tracy.

The show makes two very interesting detours. One scene is called “Swinging” and plays a tribute to Mr. Lee Dunn, who as a young man frequently put together dances at the American Legion Hall and Portuguese Hall. The other scene profiles the Tracy Temple Church of God in Christ, which was Tracy’s first African-American church, in 1944.

This year’s “Tracy, Our Town” is cabaret style, which means the audience will dine on tasty treats and soft drinks during the performance. Special guests will join the audience at their tables. Think about one of those murder-mystery dinners, and you’ll get the idea of what surprises are ahead for audience members this year.

Audience members should come ready to dance, sing along and have an experience to remember for years to come.

This year’s cast includes 15 returning actors and more than 20 new folks to “Tracy, Our Town — USA.”  

• Jack Elliott is executive director of “Tracy, Our Town — USA.” He’s joined by Cole Inghram, musical director; Laura Hagler, choreographer and associate director; and Charlette Rademacher, executive producer.