ELLEN DEAN PRICE
When Clara Rutherford is hired to mold nouveau riche bachelor Eli Boyd into a true gentleman, spats ensue and sparks fly. But will the elite Four Hundred ever accept him, or will all of the chaos she’s stirred up in his household - and his heart - be for naught?
You’re cordially invited to Newport, RI for the Season – a whirl of high society events to determine who’s “in” and who’s “out” – at the height of America’s Gilded Age. A Pygmalion story with a twist, The Social Secretary features eclectic characters from both upstairs and downstairs, a lively “screwball” romance and lots of laughs.
From the audience:
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"We haven't laughed so hard in ages, laughed to tears. And enjoyed it so much we wished we'd seen it earlier so as to be able to see it again."
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"Incredibly witty and sweetly tender"
"I loved the story line, I was grinning like crazy!”
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"Romantic and charming all the way through!"
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“We enjoyed the delightful refined and light hearted work. It put a spring in our step and a smile in our hearts.”
Development History
Reading, at the playwright’s home, January 2018
Reading, Sterling Playmakers, February 2018
Staged reading, City of Fairfax Theatre Company, November 2019
Virtual Play Reading, Sterling Playmakers, March 2020
COVID cancelled production, Sterling Playmakers October 2020
Fully staged production, Sterling Playmakers, October 2021
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For information about the new musical version, click below
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