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Overview
Synopsis
Wealthy, self-important businessman John is a bully towards his conventional wife, Lucy, and everyone else who crosses his path. His younger sister, Helen, is a modern woman and John is constantly scandalized by her behavior, especially when she decides to pursue an education and a career in science. John is even more shocked when Helen begins to work at night, alone and unchaperoned, in her laboratory with her boss, the young scientist Ernest. As John realizes Helen and Ernest are secretly in love, John tries to prevent their marriage, believing that scientists are ill-paid and of a lower class. But when the pair threaten to leave for Paris to work on a scientific project, John is determined to force them into a marriage to preserve Helen’s respectability. An examination of love, marriage, commitment, and money in the dawn of the new century, Why Marry is the first ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Show Information
- Book
- Jesse Lynch Williams
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1914
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- A weekend at a country house, USA, 1915
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
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Lead |
Female |
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Lead |
Male |
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Lead |
Male |
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Lead |
Female |
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Supporting |
Female |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Works not protected by copyright and available for free use or adaptation. Many classical plays, including Shakespeare's, fall into the public domain.
A prestigious U.S. award for achievements in journalism, literature, and drama. Many modern plays that reflect social and political themes have received this honor.
A theatrical movement that strives to depict everyday life and authentic behavior on stage. It often focuses on domestic settings and psychological depth.
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Guide Written By:
Emma Houlahan
Canadian vocalist and actor now based in London.