Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Page #3

MILLY:

Alright, you get out. Git!

Adam gets up and looks at Milly.

ADAM:

You're beatin' your head against a stone wall, Milly. You won't make jackdandies out of 'em.

ADAM exits.

MILLY:

You pay him no mind; you'll all do just fine. Tomorrow's the barn dance, and I just know y'all can learn etiquette before then.

GIDEON:

Etti-what?

MILLY:

There's just one thing you've gotta remember. You're gonna have a lot of competition. Those town boys are stakin' their claims on these girls quicker than South Dakota.

BENJAMIN:

We'll clean them out easy.

DANIEL:

Yeah, the whole lot of 'em.

MILLY:

No, no! That's the one thing you musn't do! If they wanna act like a pack of hyenas, let them. You have to be... above that sort of thing. You've gotta be gentlemen, well-spoken and kind.

FRANK:

Well how do we do that?

MILLY:

Like I showed you at breakfast. When you meet a girl, you don't grab her like a flapjack! Hold off for awhile, offer her your arm... then put your arm around her like she means everythin' to you. Call her "my darling", "my precious"... "my love..."

SONG #4 - "GOIN' COURTIN"

Just Milly having fun with the boys. Lights dim, BOYS exit, MILLY goes into bedroom to change. ADAM enters in bedroom, lights go back up.

ADAM:

Erm, Milly?

MILLY:

Yes?

ADAM:

About the barn dance...

MILLY:

What about it?

ADAM:

Well, it's just... these boys haven't left the mountain since their christenings. They ain't ever been to town before.

MILLY:

I dare say that's not true. I just took them yesterday.

ADAM:

Why on earth would you do that?

MILLY:

I needed help at the General Store. Gideon offered, then the rest of them decided to come along.

ADAM:

I don't believe you.

MILLY:

Just ask the boys. They'll tell you the same thing.

ADAM:

They're all under your spell; they'll do anything you tell 'em.

MILLY:

I'm their big sister, why shouldn't they respect me?

MILLY finishes changing, then goes to sit beside him.

ADAM:

It's just...

BENJAMIN enters.

BENJAMIN:

Sorry, Adam. Milly, we're ready.

MILLY:

Oh good!

MILLY gets up, kissing ADAM's cheek. The BOYS line up in the parlour, and Milly admires them. ADAM exits, sighing.

My, such handsome young men. Those townsmen don't have a chance.

CALEB:

Milly, what if they don't like us?

MILLY:

As long as you're all good, wellbehaved gentlemen, I can't see how they won't!

BENJAMIN:

No more talks about coonhuntin'.

They all laugh, ADAM whistles.

ADAM (offstage)

I thought we were goin' to a barnraising, now let's go!

All exit.

- - -

Scene VII

Town. The GIRLS are sitting on the stage, talking with other townsfolk. The BOYS and MILLY are in the carriage.

ALICE:

Look, it's Milly!

DORCAS:

Milly! Oh Milly!

The girls run to the buggy, ADAM gets out and helps Milly onto the ground. She hugs the girls.

MILLY:

I've missed you girls so much!

RUTH:

You need to tell us about your new home! The farm, the livestock, everything!

LIZA:

Looks like you've got a lot of food in that buggy.

SARAH:

We'll help!

The GIRLS look into the buggy with all the boys.

DORCAS:

I'll take the pies.

BENJAMIN jumps out and takes the pies.

BENJAMIN:

I couldn't let a little lady like you take that heavy plate. Allow me.

BENJAMIN takes DORCAS' arm, leads her back to the square. LIZA looks at ADAM.

LIZA:

That bread looks delicious.

DANIEL gets out and takes the bread.

DANIEL:

I'll take that, if you allow me your company.

LIZA (smiling)

I'd like that very much.

Daniel and Liza, arm in arm, join Benjamin and Dorcas. RUTH goes to the buggy.

RUTH:

I'll take the...

CALEB jumps out.

CALEB:

Potato salad, but I can carry that.

RUTH (smiling)

If you'll just follow me...

CALEB:

To the ends of the earth.

Caleb and Ruth join the other two couples, looking in each others' eyes. SARAH and MARTHA go to the wagon. EPHRIAM and FRANK climb out.

MARTHA:

I'll carry the picnic blanket.

SARAH:

I saw a pitcher of milk in there I could take.

EPRHIAM:

I could take the blanket, no trouble.

FRANK:

Same here with the milk.

SARAH takes FRANK's arm, obviously shy. MARTHA grabs the blanket, but takes EPHRIAM's arm anyways. Milly and Adam look at each other.

MILLY:

You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to learn some etiquette.

ADAM:

What for? I've already got a wife. A good one at that.

ADAM and MILLY join the other couples. DAVID enters, ringing the town bell.

DAVID:

Alright men, grab your partners. If there's gonna be dancing, y'all better start dancin'.

THE BOYS take their girls and stand up on the square, taking formation for the dance.

SONG #5 (no singing) - BARN DANCE

The boys compete with the townsmen, dancing with the girls. Things get violent towards the end, and MILLY takes the boys back. The boys look back on the girls, disheartened.

All exit.

- - -

INTERMISSION:

- - -

ACT II:

Scene I

Pontipee farmyard. The boys are carrying about their chores, but seem unhappy about it.

SONG #6 - "LONESOME POLECAT"

The boys pine for their girls, wishing they were back in town.

Millie enters, going towards BENJAMIN.

MILLY:

It's pretty up here. All this snow...

BENJAMIN:

I've seen too much of it. Hate bein' snowed in for months at a time. I'm gettin' out of here.

MILLY:

Benjamin, please don't go! What will we do without you?

BENJAMIN moves away, MILLY is left speechless. ADAM enters.

Adam! You need to talk to the boys.

ADAM:

Why? What's going on?

MILLY:

Benjamin says he's leaving. Oh, he says it's 'cause of the weather but I know the truth. He's pinin' for his girl, they're all pinin' for their girls!

ADAM:

How could they be pining, they've only met them once.

MILLY (hinting)

Once is all it really takes.

ADAM:

I'll talk to them. You get supper ready; we'll be in quickly.

MILLY exits, ADAM looks aorund at the boys and laughs.

If you could just look at yourselves right now. You look like a bunch of lovesick bullcalves! If you're so sweet on them girls, why don't you just go marry 'em?

BENJAMIN:

Yeah, like they'll let us marry 'em now.

EPHRIAM:

They wouldn't say 'I do' even if they liked us.

ADAM:

Then, do like the Romans did. Ever heard of the Sobbin' women? or... Sabyne women, however they said it.

FRANK:

Romans... like the ones that settled up North of here?

ADAM:

No, this was in olden days! This really happened. Here, lemme tell you.

SONG #7 - "THE SOBBIN' WOMEN"

ADAM convinces his brothers to go to town and kidnap the girls. They EXIT with whoops and cheers.

- - -

Scene II

Outside the Pontipee house. The BOYS enter, holding the girls who are fighting to get away. ADAM is laughing.

ADAM:

Hey Milly! We have guests!

MILLY enters, gasping as she sees the girls. They all run towards her, ALICE clutching her desperately.

LIZA:

Oh Millie, we've been kidnapped!

DORCAS:

They took us, right from our houses!

RUTH:

The avalanche... oh Milly, help us!

MILLY (furious)

Adam, what in God's name did you do? This was your idea, wasn't it?

ADAM:

Aw, Milly, it was your idea. Got from that book about the sobbin' women you like so much.

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