We move to the black desert near Bent River Junction, Arizona. Rose and Albert find the El Coyote Club, a noisy Western saloon, the site of Conrad's last gig. The bartender turns out to be Mae Peterson, Albert's longlost mother, who, true to form, insults Rose at every opportunity. Mae seems to know something about Conrad's whereabouts, so Albert leaves with her to consult "her files". Rose has a drink with the resident cowboys and explains why she puts up with Albert. After Rose does a rousing dance with the boys, Albert returns to report that Mayor C. B. Townsend might be able to help in the search. The next scene is in the office of the Mayor, a dignified, paunchy Western politician. No, he can't recall Mr. Birdie - is that the name? He is sorry to cut the interview short, but he must meet with the Citizens' Committee to so it might nominate him for the Senate. As Albert and Rose turn to leave, the Mayor burps. Albert rushes back into the office. Could it be? It is! Albert manages to convince Conrad to try a comeback. They book him to appear at a rock concert the following night at University Stadium, and manage to cram the corpulent Conrad into the old gold suit and push him onstage, where he begins one of his old numbers. But the 1981 kids boo him off the stage - they've come to hear the new punk rock group, Filth, and don't want a 1962 retread like Birdie. Conrad, hurt, runs out. Meanwhile, Rose has learned that her children are not at Cousin Alice's and is worried. Her concern deepens when she discovers that Filth's guitarist, disguised in pink hair and dark glasses, is Albert Jr. Grabbing her son and interrupting the concert, Rose angrily tells Albert that she's going to find Jenny, "who's gone off ringing bells somewhere”, reunite the family, and go home. Albert, delighted to be back in show biz, scarcely hears her, and blithely ignores threats of million-dollar lawsuits from the concert manager and an N.B.C. executive who is counting on Conrad for the Grammy Show. The first act ends with Albert in deep trouble and without Rose to help get him out of it. ACT 2 Act 2 opens on Albert, who suddenly realises the mess he's in: he's signed a contract to deliver Conrad, who has run away. He is being sued right and left. "I would've known how to handle this in 1960," he laments. "I was a tiger then!" Mae appears with a tall, beautiful young woman, "I need Rose," Albert wails. "She's the only one who can help me." "Call me Rose Number Two," says the young woman, who is a combination of lawyer, financial expert, and Wonder Woman. She quickly disperses Albert's adversaries with legal skill, fast talk, and karate. Albert, reasoning that after all, Rose has left him, starts to fall for Rose Two. Now we see the compound of Reverend Sun, where a group of spaced-out acolytes chant and sing. Rose has infiltrated them to rescue Jenny, and by dancing them into frenzy manages to grab Jenny and escape. Back in Bent River Junction, Rose Two has faked the death of Conrad to evade N.B.C.'s wrath. She fends off sceptical reporters. The "dead" Conrad sits up, drinks a beer and says he's decided to announce his passing was a mistake. But first, he's going to watch his own funeral parade. Rose Two prevents this by locking Conrad in a closet. Rose returns with Jenny to find Albert completely smitten with the gorgeous and efficient Rose Two. He tells his astonished wife he's trading her in for the newer model. Rose shows her mettle when she says, “Well, I’m not”. Albert Jr., Jenny and their young friends comment on the craziness of their elders. Albert hears this and realises that he has made a mistake. Rushing to the motel where Mae and Rose are staying, he finally stands up to his Mamma and demands to see Rose. "I was a jackass to ever waste my time with that other Rose, when there's only one Rose in the world I love, worship and adore," he tells her. "Just help me get Conrad through the Grammy Show and it's back to Forest Hills forever." Rose accepts. They kiss. "Rose," he yells, "I'm a tiger again!"
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