The Ups 'n Downs of Rollin' Hills
8 Men, 8 Women, 2 Either
It's no longer business as usual at the Rolling Hills City Hall because there is a new mayor in charge and it's a woman! Mavis finds she has her hands full as the civic leader of her community and she vows to move Rolling Hills in a positive direction even if she has to push it along all by herself. But fortunately for her she has the help of her fellow councilmen to back her up ... way back. There's Turk, who is more of an antagonist than an ally; Lenny, who has a legal background and the mouth to prove it; and Jewel, the council secretary who is only a bottle of peroxide short of being the proverbial blonde. Together the foursome is compelled to tackle the issue of Economic Development in an effort to become more competitive with the arch rival community of Addison Heights. But distractions abound as a trio of sisters, who are all candidates for a long vacation in a mental institution, and a trio of cousins, who live in a hole in the ground (literally!) and are the male counterparts of the Abernathy sisters, bring their own problems to the city council. Toss in a dog-lovin' redneck, a French Businessman, and a goofball spy, and the public meeting of the Rolling Hills city council heads south and the citizens find themselves unwittingly enrolled in a class of "self-improvement" taught by none other than the mayor herself. Then things go from bad to worse whan a kidnapping takes place and the highbrow MacAllisters from Addison Heights show up to steal a major industrial project from the needy hands of the Rolling Hills community. But in the end, a surprise development turns the tables around as one citizen becomes an unimaginable hero.
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MAVIS: We, as citizens of Rolling HIlls have to pull together to claim a victory over Addison heights! Because if we don't, we might as well give up and let them walk all over us and try to smile through broken teeth as they wipe their shoes on our backs. (All look at her in silence.) Does anyone understand me?
SAMMIE: AH-huh-huhg-uh-hmmmmm.
MAVIS: Perfect.
BERNADETTE: Ms Dupree, may I SPEAK!?
MAVIS: (sighs) Yes, please.
BERNADETTE: I didn't realize the condition of our community was in such a bad state of affairs. Our home town is IMPORTANT TO US! My sisters and I want to help. We wish to WITHDRAW OUR GRIEVANCE!
DUSTY: Does that mean the three of you are gonna stop draggin' my little girl's name through the mud?
CLAUDETTE: I reckon.
DUSTY: (To Doradette) And you're gonna stop kickin' me in the knees?
DORADETTE: Vooda Vooda Gamma Nooga Pong!
CLAUDETTE: She said yes.
DUSTY: Okay, then ... call me crazy, but I'm in!
JOE BOB: If they's in, we's in! You can appoint Sammie after we get ahold of this Addision Heights sitiation by the tail.
TURK: Well, Mayor Mavis Dupree ... looks like you got an army for that war of yours. And considering the--the caliber of our voluntary recruits, I think we need to institute a draft so we can double our options.
SAMMIE: Uh-huhuhuh-hm-ugh-ha.
BILLY BOB: That's a good Idea, Sammie.
DUSTY: What did he say?
BILLY BOB: He said he thinks we need to have another big meetin' and invite the whole town and have one of them Brain Stormers.
JOE BOB: That's what we need, a meetin' of the minds. We do, we do! Told you Sammie had qualifications!
"I am the drama director at James A. Garfield schools and our community has thoroughly enjoyed Gary Ray Stapp's plays. In fact, Daddy's Girl and The Ups 'n Downs of Rollin' Hills were the most well-attended and received out of ANY of the plays we have ever performed." -- Don M. King, Director.
"What a delightfully fun play! Both my students and the audience laughed hysterically. The characters are fun, the set is simple, and the audience loved it! I would encourage anyone who is looking for a simple large cast comedy to look no further." -- Vicki Markham, Director, Anderson County High School
