the story of Loveless Texas
The story begins in Jazz Age Texas oil country in 1929, just before the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression. We meet Berowne Navarre, a young Texas playboy, and his partners-in-partying Duke Dumaine, a tennis pro, and Kyle “Bubba” Longaville, a young lawyer. They are enjoying an international high life (This Party Will Never End), often being bailed out of trouble by Berowne’s older brother King Navarre, who has taken over the responsibilities of the family oil and ranching business after the tragic death of their parents in an oil rig explosion.
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King is negotiating to sell a piece of land to his business associate LeRoi Beausoleil; because LeRoi is ailing, he has sent as his representative Duke’s aunt Gwen Dumaine Soileau. King and Gwen try to outwit each other as to the oil-producing potential of the property (Strictly Business). King believes there’s no oil to be had, while Gwen has had inside information that there’s actually rich reserves of oil there, waiting to be tapped.
Back in Louisiana, Gwen is joined by LeRoi’s daughter LaReine Beausoleil, and her friends Kathy Bridge, Maria Broussard and Rosaline Aucoine, as they sing about the difficulties and strategies around meeting eligible and worthy sweethearts (I’ll Chase Him Till He Catches Me).
With the collapse of the financial markets, and their party lifestyle ended, Berowne and his buddies are forced to turn to King for the possibility of employment. King has taken in an itinerant hobo, Joe Don Armado, who is passing as a preacher, and has become a spiritual advisor to King. King and Joe Don devise a proposal whereby King will offer them employment on the condition that they sign a “clean living” contract, which prohibits partying, drinking, smoking, cursing, and (most painfully) contact with women on the ranch premises for a period of three years. The final condition is that King will employ Duke and Bubba only if Berowne signs the contract, as well. Their backs against the wall, they all sign the contract (Thank Ya Kindly, No).
A new addition to the Loveless Ranch scene appears in the arrival of Duke’s little sister Jacquenetta Dumaine, a lively Cajun girl out to find a marriageable man. The two square off over her wild and independent ways, as he attempts to exert control over her (You Don’t Run Me). Complicating his efforts, Jacquenetta has been seen in the company of Berowne’s old college rival (and King’s new chauffeur), Randy Costard.
Due to his failing health, LeRoi cannot seal the land deal with King, who is then forced to do business with LaReine. Because of his own prohibition against women on the ranch, he makes arrangements to meet her in the nearby town of Eden, Texas. King travels with Berowne, Joe Don, Bubba and Duke, and they are met by Gwen and LaReine and their own entourage, comprised of Kathy, Maria and Rosaline. Berowne recognizes Rosaline from an earlier encounter at Mardi Gras the previous year, and attempts to strike up a conversation, while she teases him by claiming no memory of having met him (Delta Moon). Love blossoms as the young people pair up and, most surprisingly, an attraction arises between King and LaReine. For his part, Joe Don finds himself smitten with the frisky Jaquenetta.
Faced with the conflict of his growing attraction to LaReine and the need to deceive her into signing the land deal, King decides to buy some time by hosting a picnic in the bluebonnet fields adjacent to the Navarre ranch (In the Bluebonnet Field). By the end of the afternoon, there is still no deal in place, and the ladies retire to their lodgings at the Paradise Inn, planning on attending a dance the following day, and awaiting King’s final decision. That night, in the solitude of his office, King wrestles with his conscience (Words/Git It Down).
Berowne, Randy and Bubba, forbidden by their agreement to meet the ladies openly at the dance, conspire to infiltrate the event, unconvincingly disguised as stereotypical Texas cowboys (If Ladies Was Friendly Like Horses). The ladies easily see through their subterfuge, and begin to socialize with them, when they are surprised by King, who’s been tipped off to the plot by Joe Don. A furious King throws Duke and Bubba out of his employ, while ordering Berowne back to take over the day-to-day affairs on the ranch; Gwen offers her Bubba and her nephew Duke employment in the Beausoleil business. The day ends with King throwing out any hope of a contract with LaReine, and all parties retreating to their corners. King, Berowne, Rosaline and LaReine vent their fury and frustration in an emotional quartet (Draw the Line), to end Act One.
As Act Two opens, Gwen, Rosaline, Kathy and Maria are comforting LaReine by explaining the plan hatched by Rosaline and Bubba (now working as Gwen’s attorney) to sue King over the sale of the property (Move A Mountain/A Lawyer, a Letter and a Spy). They’re hoping to bring pressure to bear on Berowne to stand up to King and persuade him to relent on the deal.
Back on the Navarre Ranch, Randy Costard delivers the news of the lawsuit to Berowne, along with the news that Duke Dumaine and Kathy Bridge have announced their plans to marry. Berowne begins to formulate a compromise plan whereby King and LaReine would divide the land and its proceeds in an even split. As Randy ducks out of the office he encounters Joe Don, whom he pressures to influence King to accept the deal, threatening to expose Joe Don’s covert involvement with Jaquenetta. As the two compare the difficulties that life has shown each of them, they form an alliance to step in and help LaReine out (This Time).
King, infuriated by Joe Don’s suggestion of accepting the compromise deal, exiles him from the ranch. As Joe Don leaves, Berowne enters to try his hand at persuading King, pointing out how happy King seemed to be in LaReine’s presence, and urging him to open his heart. The brothers sing together of the values of home, friends and family (Home to Your Own).
At their wedding, Duke and Kathy pledge their futures to each other (You’re My One), and the guests celebrate their union in a traditional Cajun fais-do-do dance party (Wedding Song/This is the Good Life). The festivities are startlingly interrupted by the appearance of King, who offers LaReine the deed to the disputed land, free and clear; LaReine, refusing his offer as unwanted charity, vows to pay back the value of the land over time. Following the custom of pulling ribbons from the wedding cake to predict the future, Bubba and Maria pledge themselves to each other, as do Joe Don and Jaquenetta. As the party trails off to enjoy the feast, King and LaReine are left alone. They find common ground in the adversities they’ve each had to conquer, and express their love for one another (It All Blows Away).
At the raucous shivaree celebrating the married couple the day after the wedding, Bubba and Maria announce their intention to stay on at Gwen’s place, while Duke and Kathy express their interest in coming back to the Navarre Ranch. Rosaline has not forgiven Berowne for his reticence in dealing with King, and rejects his attempt at rapprochement. Left alone, Berowne is seen observing the others as time passes, and they create new lives and futures for themselves; he sings an introspective soliloquy expressing his isolation and regret at some of his poor choices in life (Anywhere But Here).
A year later, Berowne has found his place working for King, but is upset by the rumors that Rosaline has a new beau, and is planning on marrying. At a Friday night poker game, Berowne and all the couples are present, though Rosaline is not in attendance. The game is interrupted by a masked, gun-toting young woman, seemingly the Cowgirl Bandit who’s been terrorizing the area. She orders Berowne outside with her as the others strike a conspiratorial tone. Berowne attempts to persuade her to rob him and leave the others alone (You Can’t Rob a Man Who Has Nothing); the Cowgirl Bandit reveals herself to be Rosaline, offering him forgiveness and another chance at her hand. They proclaim their enduring love for each other in a duet (I Nearly Missed It), which leads into a rousing finale involving the entire company (Alone No More).