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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

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
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

Billie Dawn

Lead

Female

Spoken

Paul Verrall

Lead

Male

Spoken

Harry Brock

Lead

Male

Spoken

Ed Devery

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Eddie Brock

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Senator Norval Hedges

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Mrs. Hedges

Featured

Female

Spoken

Helen

Featured

Female

Spoken

The Assistant Manager

Featured

Male

Spoken

A Bellhop

Featured

Male

Spoken

Another Bellhop

Featured

Male

Spoken

A Barber

Featured

Male

Spoken

A Manicurist

Featured

Female

Spoken

A Bootblack

Featured

Male

Spoken

A Waiter

Featured

Either Gender

Spoken

Songs

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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

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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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