DownHill (The Play) - Sandra Hill

Sandra Hill reflects on her journey of seeing her life with her husband, Anderson C. Hill II, portrayed as a film and now a play. 

SYNOPSIS: Based on a true story of a successful man who gets seduced by the high life, he finds himself on the edge of losing it all, including his wife and kids.

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DownHill (The Play) premieres this May 29, 2026 – May 31, 2026, at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center in Orlando, FL.

Purchase tickets to the show: https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2026/downhilll-the-play/

For more info: https://www.rd2productions.com/downhill-theplay

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Um, my mind was saying, do you really wanna do this? I mean, do you wanna relive all of that? I'm not sure that I do, uh, because I'm I'm more of a private person, but he was ready to tell it, and he he can't tell his story without telling part of my story too. So, um, you know, I was I was a little leery about it and thinking, well, you know, he can go on and do that, and and maybe it's just something that he needs to do to uh help him through this process and continue on through his journey. You know, I I know what his purpose was for doing it uh was to try to help others uh not make the same mistakes that he made.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

This is Ronald Dills II, and I welcome you to the Ronald Dills II podcast. With degrees in theater, film, entertainment business, and creative writing, I've been extremely blessed with opportunities to produce media, digital films, commercials, music videos, and stage plays. Through these experiences, I've had the wonderful pleasure of meeting and working with some amazing talent in the entertainment industry. My goal for this show is to share their stories and experiences while learning about the challenges and obstacles they may have faced while going after their dreams and ultimately succeeding. While serving as a college professor and running my own production company, Ronald Ilster Second Productions, I'm always seeking for ways to educate, encourage, and inspire the whole entire world. Welcome to the Ronald Dils to Second Podcast. What's going on, everybody? I am super excited for this wonderful occasion. Welcome back to the Ronald Dills of Second Podcast. This podcast this year, all right, has been taken over by Downhill the Play, y'all. Downhill the play just came and took over the whole podcast, right? Rightly so, right? Today we're blessed to have a wonderful, wonderful, as I call a queen, a wonderful queen with us, the great Mrs. Sandra Hill. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 2:23

Today, how are you doing, Ronald?

SPEAKER_02 2:25

I'm doing well. I'm blessed and highly favored and especially favored to have you here with me. Well, thank you for having me. Thank you. Thank you so much. So I never forget um this story always sticks with me how you ended up in my mother's chair getting your hair done after all of this transpired with me uh meeting the great brother Hill for the first time. And uh you ended up in my mom's chair. So tell me a little bit about that story from what you remember.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Yes, well, uh I was searching for someone, and I can't I really can't remember who recommended her to me, but I needed someone to do my hair. And uh she was highly recommended to me, so I called her, not really realizing who she was at the time. And so I was just really happy once once I got there and uh in her nice setting um to do to do my hair, and we started talking and realized that our sons went to school together and all of and it was Ronald Dilt, so I already knew you, and it was just such a pleasant surprise to find out that uh I was there with your mother and and in you in your own home at that. So it uh it was quite a pleasure.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

Awesome, awesome. Yeah, I'm just like the great Lord worked that out in such a mysterious way. Um, like I always tell everyone who I tell this story to always that's a story in itself, you know, how you ended up there, how Brother Hill ended up in my um classroom that day at Robbinswood, and um giving his presentation. I'm just like, wow, Lord, that was just so that's just a story and a journey all in itself, and how we are here. Right, right, right. So I'm just I was telling him, I was like, I I God chose me for this journey, obviously. So yeah, super pumped about that. Um, so yeah, so let's go back into time a little bit. I know I said I wouldn't go back too far. But when um the great brother Hill was doing this book, okay, about his life, his testimony, how what was going through your mind in that season when he was like, I have to tell my story. After everything has passed, you you all have gotten through that, right? And now he wants to share this story with the world. What was going through your mind?

SPEAKER_00 4:58

Um, my mind was saying, Do you really want to do this? I mean, do you want to relive all of that? I'm not sure that I do, uh, because I'm I'm more of a private person, but he was ready to tell it. And he he can't tell his story without telling part of my story too. Right, right. So um, you know, I was I was a little leer about it and thinking, well, you know, he can go on and do that, and and maybe it's just uh something that he needs to do to uh help him through this process and continue on through his journey. Not thinking it was gonna get very far, but here we are now. Here we are uh about to do a stage play.

SPEAKER_01 5:51

Right. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

We're excited about it, but you know, I I know what his purpose was for doing it uh was to try to help others uh not make the same mistakes that he made or or something similar. You know, uh we find ourselves in various situations in life. Um, you know, it may not be the exactly the same, but we all have uh temptations and strongholds that we have to overcome. So um I was not thrilled about it initially. And it it's kind of grown on me over the years, and I have come to accept that um that I I also want to help someone because um people have some hard times in life and and we want to let them know that you can make it through it with the help of the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

Amen. And and we even me and my great queen Monique, we constantly, you know, we have great parents we look up to, but you all are we look up to as well because of all that you've been through, all that you've gone through, and all that you're doing now. It's like you're a great set. I would say parents too, you know, that we look up to, even though I call you brother and sister. But um, but yes, but y'all are just like amazing in all you do and all you pour in. Like uh, in a sense, he'll, I'll be honest, like a mentor. He's been mentoring me even in this journey, you know, whether he knows it or not. And so I'm grateful for you both and being able to be a part and share this journey with you. So so thank you. Well thank you.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

We're we're very happy to have you, you know, for it to be you who's doing this because we uh greatly admire you and your work that we've already seen in the past, and for you to uh have the tenacity to stick with this through this whole journey and now reaching this point is quite a blessing. But but we greatly admire you.

SPEAKER_02 8:01

Yeah, that's why these sessions are are so like dear to me because it all it allows me, which I learned on this journey, God allowed me to move forward and say, hey, why don't you do a podcast with the play? But it allows me to reflect over everything that we're doing now because it's such a busy season. But this is how I reflect over it. So I'm I'm grateful, grateful for it. Um so now let's get back to the films. Naturally, um, he wrote the book, of course, and thank you for allowing him to share part because we forget that it's not just about his life, it's about your life too. You said that right on it, because you all are one, so it's about both of you, you know. So, how did you feel when originally the idea came about? Like, I want to turn this into a film. How did you feel about that?

SPEAKER_00 8:47

You know, um, once again, it was really are we going there with it? But um it it uh took took a moment. I had to have a moment, but um once again with you uh and the team that we have working with the CJ and you and uh we're just we feel comfortable uh and confident in in you. So uh that helped a lot.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Yeah, thank you, thank you. I'm so glad to hear that, and that's refreshing for us. Um what was your opinion about the short film?

SPEAKER_00 9:31

Oh, I thought I thought it was great. I thought it was great. Uh it it is a little difficult seeing yourself portrayed and um you know it's I don't know. I'm I'm just a little behind the scenes kind of person and not I don't have to be out front, but uh here I am in the in the play, in the film. Um but yeah, I was and it brings back some uh hard times, you know, hard memories, but uh praise be to God, we have gotten through that, and um he's been good to us.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

Amen to that. Yes, I love that. Now we had this wonderful, amazing actress by the name of I'll call her great L. Vernay play you in the film. Um how was that? Like, uh, I know when it came to your character, Sister Hill, I had to make sure someone very special and dear to me, you know, um, and make sure she had a certain look and a certain vibe, even with the play. That was my goal. It's like, ah, how how are we gonna do this? And so how do you how did you feel about that performance, what you have seen so far through the film?

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Well, I've been greatly flattered, actually, by by your choices. And uh she I think she did a great job of of portraying me. Uh, and I I look forward to seeing it again on the screen. Uh, so I I was very happy with with your selections.

SPEAKER_02 11:13

Super awesome, super awesome. Yeah. Um L, of course, she's out of state, so she wasn't able to come down to be in the play, so we had to go a different direction. Um, now we have an amazing, wonderful actress by the name of Diane Grant, who's portraying you for the stage play. So we're we're up for another treat, you know, with her performers as well. So I'm super excited to see what you're gonna think about that. Um that goes into play a lot when it comes to doing because this is the first time I've done a real um a play or a production that's based on real people, right? You know, the people that are dear to me, you know, just not any people, but you know, and so when we're trying to choose these actors, is you know, a lot of things go into play, you know, making sure the actors um can portray you the best possible that you can possibly be portrayed on screen or on stage. And so um, so yeah, so that was always important. So when I found out that L couldn't be down here, I actually went on the search to fill that role. It was just like, I'm not even I'm I'm I'm gonna try to find someone. I was praying about this too. Um, and then of course, lo and behold, I came across this wonderful amazing sister. I did not know her personally, but her look was exactly what I was seeking, you know, for your character. And so uh, of course, I reached out and you know, had her read some lines when she agreed and and uh was able to get her on. So yes, I was just like, okay, all right, we'll see. Now we got to see how well she works with Brother CJ, you know. So a lot of great elements go in the play with that. But uh, but yeah, it's it's going it's been going really well with the play.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

Looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

Yes, yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am. Um so um let me see. So, how do you feel now that we've we've kind of discussed this too? We're taking this show to the stage. Originally, this idea came about because I was inviting you all out to see some of the shows I've done. And I was like, that's this idea. It was like a seed from from the Lord, right? That's where it comes from. And um I mentioned this to, of course, brother Hill and Brother CJ, about taking the show to the stage, and they just they just went crazy, like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They were so excited about it. And I was like, uh-oh, what did I do? What did I do to myself? So, but it was exciting because it was, you know, this is basically me being able to um bring both of my worlds together, film and and theater. And so, uh, but what was your your expression? How did Brother Hill tell you about that? That would be interesting to know too.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

We're gonna do a play. Um what a play. What a play. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:02

And and we love going to Dr. Phillips. We we go there uh quite often for various uh events that they have there. So we love going there. I uh just never thought that this would come to pass. And uh three nights.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Um three nights, right.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

So uh we're we're excited. The excitement has grown over the time, and uh there are so many people that are excited about it. So we're we're looking forward to it, and uh you with all of your expertise, um and we've been there to see you in plays before, so it's um we we felt comfortable again with you uh being at the helm.

SPEAKER_02 14:54

Wow, wow, thank you so much. Thank you so much. I'm not worthy of all this, but thank you so much. I appreciate that. Um, so how I mean you kind of spoke about this a little bit, but um, you can kind of go in a little more detail. How's everything been up to your expectations? You know, being a little, you know, as we all are nervous to share our testimony, being a little nervous to share this part of your life, um, has it been up to your expectations um so far?

SPEAKER_00 15:21

It it has been. It it actually has probably exceeded my expectations, but uh I'm still a little nervous, you know. Um I'm still a little nervous about it, but um I I'm just putting it in God's hands.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 15:42

And you know, I know that the purpose of it. That's that's the forefront of what I'm trying to keep in mind about because I I had heard this recently. God will convert pain into purpose and power. And that's exactly what we want this play and the film, all of this to do, convert our pain from the past into purpose, which is for others to seek the Lord throughout their whole life, not just when things go bad, but even when they're good. Seek him then, and uh he'll be with you the whole way through it all. Uh, I know sometimes it feels like you're alone in this, but if you uh uh have a relationship with Jesus, uh it it just makes everything okay. You just have to be patient. I know the way the world is today, it seems like a ball of confusion. And you know, we never know what's gonna happen from day to day, but we know that God is in control and that he's able to to make everything all right. We just we just keep trusting and and be patient.

SPEAKER_02 17:03

Amen. Thank you so much. Yes, I love that. Amen. Amen. Amen. Bring it, mama. Bring it. Yes, ma'am. I'm like, you just answer like four of my questions all in one. You did that, you did that. Um now I'm gonna try to come back a little bit here. Um now I know um the great brother Hill, you know, we had discussions about this too, you know. Like it was a struggle for him, you know, to kind of see all of this playing out, you know, like through the film, especially. Um, and now through the play, we probably saw it more through the film, but even with the play, you can tell he's getting a little nervous too, you know, because you're seeing everybody's trying to come out to see it. And um so it's one of those things, you know, like um, you know, how do you all? I mean, you kind of talked about that too, but what makes you push forward, you know, um, despite, you know, that because that's really hard for someone to tell their testimony, um, to have kind of the guts to to do something, such a thing, you know what I'm saying? Um, how can you encourage someone to kind of just like you all are doing, tell their testimony?

SPEAKER_00 18:17

I know uh when we had um had a book book uh discussion previously, um, and people read the book and someone said to me, You don't look like what you've been through. And uh that's that's just all to the glory of God. Um you know, we just um and and Anderson this was not his original intent when he wrote the book. He never thought this would go this far into uh, you know, play and stage. Um but um he has accepted it and now we're we're all excited about it. Our our family is um so it's and he's he's you know he's the driving force in our family. He he is the head of our family. And I I do realize he was a little hesitant and uh about it initially and just wants it to be what it was meant to be for. So if that involves uh showing some of your worst side, you know, well it may help somebody else know that wow, all of my secrets that I've been keeping, um I if I were to tell someone, it might help somebody. So um, or or if I have all of these issues and I don't know how to deal with them, I do have hope that the Lord can help me make some changes in my life to make my life more acceptable and pleasing in his sight.

SPEAKER_02 20:19

Amen. Amen. Yeah, I know um even just working on this journey um and learning the story and really just become, you know, learning these characters and everything that transpired, um, even on my own, you know, what Monique and I have been through, it inspired me to want to come up with something as well. So um so it is inspiring, you know, um sharing that journey, you know, with the world. And um my motto for my business is um we produce, you know, films and plays or productions that change lives, and this is definitely one that's gonna change a lot of lives, I will say. So, so yes, ma'am. So, what are you looking forward to the most with Downhill the Play and also the screening for Rock Hill, the film?

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Well, I am I'm I'm really excited to just see see how it comes out, how how it's portrayed, uh particularly on stage. I think that will be very uh exciting to see all of the other elements, uh I don't know all the terminology, but just everything that will be put together to make this play. We're we're just really looking forward to that. And um yeah, it's just it's exciting. It's very exciting and uh we've uh told our church about it and uh you know a lot of people who know us as Deacon and Deaconess Hill are gonna get to see something a little different about. Uh oh.

SPEAKER_02 22:01

Yes. Yes, ma'am. Now that's gonna be something else. They're gonna be talking about this for a while. Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:13

We're putting it out there. We're putting it out there.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

So yes. Now if it had to be one, I mean you've told me this already too, but I'm coming back to some of these just so we can go even further. What would you want the audience to leave, you know, uh with after this show?

SPEAKER_00 22:31

Well, just really that I know it's gonna be like, wow, that was a lot. I mean, somebody may have been through something similar, and they will feel like, oh, okay, so they're kind of like us. Uh, and then there will be those who uh maybe a little more judgmental, uh, but the thing is to see what God has done in our lives since that time. And everybody may it may not they may not get it immediately, but at some point in time, I hope it comes to them that yes, people can mess up and people can get up. You know, we fall down, but we get up. And and when we get up, we get up better and trying to uh in this case use ourselves and an as an example so that you see that you can do the same thing through whatever you go through.

SPEAKER_02 23:46

Amen. Amen. Thank you so much, my great sister Sandra Hill. I really appreciate this wonderful time you've given us. Um, in closing, though, we do want to remind everyone to check out Downhill the Play going up May 29th to 31st. Make sure I get my dates right at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center here in Orlando, Florida. Please come out. Please come out. Now, Sister Sandra, you gonna be at all the shows? Uh which which show are you coming to? There we go. There we go. All right, all right. I know who I need to talk to right after the show. I know, right? All right, thank you so much. Any any final thoughts? Any final words? You good?

SPEAKER_00 24:31

I'm good. I'm good, thank you. Um I I just want everybody to know that we all might have to wait for our change to come, but just keep the faith and God will work it out.

SPEAKER_02 24:43

Amen. Amen to that. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Great session, great session, and we hope to see you all at the stage. Take care and be blessed. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of the Ronald Dilster Second Podcast. I hope this episode blessed, inspired, and encouraged you on your career journey. We have so many great episodes in store. So make sure you stay tuned. In the meantime, I pray that God blesses your career. May He bless the work of your hands and all He has for your future. Take care and be blessed.