The Will Rogers Follies - Synopsis

Synopsis

Act I

Rogers frequently speaks directly to the audience and to Florenz Ziegfeld himself, who often interjects to question the progress of the show and to give some directorial advice. After introducing the audience to his friends and family, Rogers discusses leaving home at 19 to become a cowboy in Argentina. Ziegfeld tells Rogers that he must "meet the girl". Although Rogers met Betty Blake at a train station, Ziegfeld creates a more "theatrical" meeting by having her lowered romantically from the moon.

Because Betty is eager to marry Rogers, the show moves forward several years to a time when Rogers is playing in a small Wild West revue. The couple is about to be married, but Ziegfeld interrupts, saying that the wedding has to be delayed, because it must occur in the first act finale. So, as Rogers' success continues to grow, he and Betty travel around the country performing and produce four children. Rogers gets his big break when he is invited to join the Ziegfeld Follies and, by the early 1910s, he is a big vaudeville and radio star. He is about to leave for Hollywood to start a career in film, when it is at last time for the finale and the wedding.

Act II

Rogers is at the zenith of his popularity, the country's biggest and highest paid star of every medium of his time– stage, screen, radio, newspapers, and public appearances– and is even asked to run for president. This doesn't leave him much time for Betty, and she begins to feel neglected and starts singing the blues. Rogers comes home with "a treasury of precious jewels," and all is forgiven. The good mood doesn't last long, however, as bill collectors and creditors come knocking at the door. Ziegfeld has lost his fortune, and the Great Depression is in full swing. Herbert Hoover asks Rogers to give a speech to the nation, and everyone is inspired. Rogers also reconciles with his estranged father. The show ends with the tragic plane ride in Alaska that he shares with Wiley Post, a character whose cheerful invitation, "Let's go flyin' Will!" is heard throughout the show.