MAKIN’ HAY

A New Musical Based on Moliere’s GEORGE DANDIN

By Matthew Goldsby

Click to View: ‘MAKIN’ HAY’ Script Sample (pdf)

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The LOS ANGELES TIMES calls MAKIN’ HAY a

“crowd-pleasing new musical . . .charming . . . intimate, unpretentious show that harks back to the uncomplicated Broadway era of the 1950s.”

BACKSTAGE says MAKIN’ HAY has

“plenty of fun to be gleaned from the goofy shenanigans and appealing score.”

CURTAIN UP describes MAKIN’ HAY

as “Moliere meets Oklahoma in this delicious musical farce.”

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Synopsis:

MAKIN’ HAY

a musical by Matthew Goldsby

An adaptation of Moliere’s “George Dandin’,” this rollicking but thought-provoking musical puts love, in all its forms, to the ultimate test. With a colorful palette of country music as its backdrop, a wealthy cowboy struggles to figure out how to charm his young wife, who is looking for life beyond their 40 acres. And two simple-minded ranch hands are so head-over-heels, they’ll go to any lengths to charm the local lovelies. Can love conquer all? ” Makin’ Hay” is an examination of the ecstasy, the misery, the joy and the agony of love.
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MAKIN’ HAY

a musical by Matthew Goldsby

Makin’ Hay is a honky-tonk musical about the vagaries of love in the lives of a young woman, her older husband, a couple of ranch hands, and other colorful locals. Set in a Texas border town in 1957, the story is inspired by Moliere=s farce George Dandin and a series of untitled Moliere interludes featuring two shepherds who go to incredible lengths in the pursuit of love.

Premise
The inexorable force of love will overcome foolish attempts to thwart it and will draw together those who are meant for each other; by the same token, romantic partners not blessed with love=s magnetic power will inevitably be parted.

Synopsis
GEORGE, a middle-aged, curmudgeonly, earthy rancher – now a millionaire from the five oil wells on his land – has married ANNA LEE, a young beauty. As the daughter of the socially powerful but cash-strapped JUDGE and MRS. SOTTINPORT, Anna Lee has been placed on a pedestal by her doting parents; yet she is secretly filled with discontent, and has long since lost the momentary attraction she felt for George. Filled with yearning for travel, adventure, and real romance, Anna Lee is encouraged by her sharp-witted, flamboyant maid, LUCIA, to accept a clandestine meeting with a mysterious admirer B the hunky CLAYTON B and quickly falls for his slick charms. (Meantime, RUBEN, Clayton=s simple-minded love-letter messenger, falls hard for Lucia, the maid, who blatantly rejects his professions of love.)

When George gets wind of his wife=s late-night escapades, he loses no time involving Anna Lee=s formidable parents (whose good opinion Anna Lee would rather die than lose). The financially dependent Judge and Mrs. Sottinport swiftly reject as ludicrous George=s assertions of their perfect daughter=s cheating. Confronted, Anna Lee brazenly denies any wrongdoing B and turns the tables on George, making him look the jealous fool. Shortly afterwards she is shocked to discover that the hotblooded Clayton has been insincere and mercenary. Anna Lee grows up fast B and finds herself making some tough decisions.

All the while, two dim-witted ranch hands, PHILLY BOB and TERRENCE, pursue a pair of farm girls, CLARA BELLE and CLEMENTINE, who are playing hard-to-get. Frustrated and desperately in love, the boys hatch a scheme to jump into the river to teach the girls a lesson for rebuffing their advances. Convinced the boys have killed themselves because of the torment they caused them, the girls are grief-stricken.

When the boys emerge from the river in the dead of night, the girls mistake the boys to be ghosts, returning to haunt the girls for their bad behavior. Aimlessly lost in the dark, the boys fear they may in fact have crossed to the other side after leap from the bridge.

In the end, the boys and girls find each other alive and unconditionally in love. George and Anna Lee, meanwhile, reach a quiet understanding that the time has come to part ways. Judge Sottinport presides over a wildly festive double wedding for the young couples with bittersweet undertones as George and Anna Lee privately bid farewell.

Production Specifics
Cast: 5 women, 6 men
Band: piano, bass, guitar, pedal steel
Running time: 2 hours with intermission

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