About the Play:

The Beverly Hillbillies is a full-length comedy adapted for the stage by David Rogers from the first two episodes of the television sitcom of the same name by Paul Henning. When oil is discovered on his land, Jed becomes an overnight millionaire, and the lovable Clampett family moves to "Californy." Follows all the favourites from the 1960s TV comedy as they ride onto the stage and bring an unsophisticated, shameless, backwoods style of living to the snobby, self-centred lives of the residents of Beverly Hills.

The Beverly Hillbillies centres around Jed Clampett, a simple widowed mountaineer, and the lovable Clampett Family, living in the rural Ozarks region. Starting in the Clampett's mountain cabin (a small set placed inside the larger set), the play follows the nouveau-riche Clampett family, the Californy-hatin' Granny, son-in-law Uncle Jed, the critter-huggin' Elly May, and Cousin Jethro Bodine, through the discovery of oil, their improbable invasion of hi-falutin' Beverly Hills society and the absurd adventures and ridiculous romances they encounter there. Jed Clampett remains unruffled because he knows that, in the end, a country boy's always quicker than a city slicker. With a hilarious script by Tony-Nominee David Rogers, they and the people they meet in "Californy," including bank prez Milburn Drysdale, next-door neighbour Margaret Drysdale, and Miss Jane Hathaway, provide challenging characterizations for your cast. Packed full of hillbilly jargon and playfully choreographed stupidity, this downhome, boot-stompin' extravaganza will send your audience home happier than a boll weevil in a cotton field. Y'all come back now, for this one!

The Beverly Hillbillies was written in 1968, at a time when the "The Beverly Hillbillies" television show, was riding a six-year wave in the Nielsen ratings. Created by Paul Henning, the sitcom ran for nine seasons on CBS, from 1963 to 1971. It was among the top ranked shows for eight of its nine seasons. The play is regularly performed in regional repertory, middle school, high school, college, and community theatre productions.

Cast: 12 female and 9 male (cast can be made smaller by doubling 1 female and 2 male)

What people say:

"It's a fun-filled, fast-paced comedy that brings you into the world of the lovable Clampett family for an evening of hillbilly hilarity ... Youngsters will enjoy the silly puns and slapstick comedy while their parents and grandparents will relish reconnecting with these familiar friends from television's golden age." — Star News (Wisconsin)

"Just like on the TV show every week, everything in the stage version turns out fine as frog's hair in the end, with the four main characters waving 'Y'all come back now, heah?' to the audience from the mansion's front door." — Dallas Observer

"Let's be honest about this. The Beverly Hillbillies is critic proof. Writing a serious review ... is equivalent to writing a thesis on the intellectual acuity of the Kardashian Family. In other words, it's a hopeless enterprise. So leave your IQ at the door, and relinquish yourself to the Clampett Family, the undisputed masters of low-brow humor." — Telegram & Gazette (Massachusetts)

About the Playwright:

David Rogers (1928-2013) was an American playwright who wrote in all entertainment media from Broadway to Hollywood, from night clubs to grand opera as well as five novels and many short stories. He is the author of over 40 plays (some written under the pseudonym D.D. Brooke). Of his six Broadway shows, he was best known for his 1981 Tony-nominated musical Charlie and Algernon, for which he wrote the book and lyrics.