Overview
Synopsis
World War II has just ended, and crude, shady scrap metal king Harry Brock heads to Washington, D.C., determined to take the town by storm and buy his way to a business-friendly Amendment. With bitter, corrupt lawyer Ed Devery and meek Senator Hedges by his side, he is confident in his ability to prevail. Harry’s only liability is the socially inappropriate behaviour and outrageously ignorant remarks of his showgirl lady friend, Billie Dawn, a beautiful woman with a deceptively simple facade. Charmed by Paul Verrall, the investigative reporter who is sent to interview him, Harry hires the upright, idealistic newspaper man to educate Billie, hoping that she will acquire enough class and social polish to prevent embarrassment. But little does Harry realize that underneath the ignorance and apathy, Billie is an intelligent woman with a vigorous sense of right and wrong, who has just been waiting for a kind and sympathetic teacher to blossom into an empowered and informed person. As Billie and Paul tiptoe towards a romance, and Billie absorbs Paul’s knowledge and ideals, she begins to question the ways Harry has been using her -- especially her position as a silent partner, who owns 160 of her own junkyards and has signed off on hundreds of documents, completely unread. In Garson Kanin’s pointed and hilarious Born Yesterday, personal and political oppression is exposed and outwitted in the intellectual rebirth of the iconic “dumb blonde”, Billie Dawn, who ultimately stands up to Harry Brock’s violent intimidation and shuts down his shady bid for governmental cooperation.
Show Information
- Book
- Garson Kanin
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1946
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- 1946, washington dc
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- professional / regional theatre, community theatre, college / university theatre, star vehicle (female), Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Late Teen, Early Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
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
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Videos
Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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