A wealthy, widowed New York socialite, and a know-it-all preacher enter the unfamiliar world of rodeo, determined to “rescue” the widow’s wayward daughter who has fallen for a young bull rider.  But plans go comically awry.  Eventually the rodeo and unlikely romances win the day.

SYNOPSIS:

Mrs. Olivia Worthmore, (Mrs. W) a wealthy, widowed New York socialite, accompanied by the Reverend Busy, a know-it-all preacher and his nephew, Harrison, enters the “alien” world of rodeo. Their purpose? To rescue Mrs. W's daughter who has fallen for a young bull-rider “and return her to New York City, the bosom of civilization.” Despite attempts to control the situation/the place and blend in with the crowd, they are soon spotted.

A rascally rodeo clown, Coyote McGraw, suggests Mrs. W’s expensive clothing makes her a potential prey to thieves and drunkards. Mrs. W changes into a clown suit and, as a result, soon finds herself in the arena with a bull!! Fortunately, she is rescued by a handsome older cowboy, Doyle McGraw, a widower and, although she doesn't realise it, father of Cody, her daughter’s boyfriend.

Nor are things any easier for our know-it-all preacher, Rev Busy. He soon becomes the focus of Bullwhip Betty, a loud, buxom, bullwhipping woman determined to catch herself a man! And he insists that a young woman, Charlene McGraw, dressed in jeans and a loose shirt, is actually a young man, the one he and Mrs. W. seek!

Despite all the misunderstandings and high jinks, eventually all’s well that ends well and romance between the city and country is achieved.

The prompt for A Day at the Rodeo came from Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fayre (1614), a comedy in which the PLACE itself, a Fair or Rodeo, becomes a character, acting upon and being acted upon its visitors.

Toronto Comedy Film and Screenplay Festival wrote of A Day at the Rodeo: “This is a unique comedy that showcases a full day at the rodeo and successfully plays up the comedic situations the characters get into. The comedy is specific but there are universal elements to it as well. The three characters from New York City are believable as fish out of water characters that don’t understand anything about the rodeo culture.. . . Overall, this is a well-written and funny script.”