Kaufman and Ferber's comedy-drama takes place at the Footlights Club, a New York boarding house where a lively cross-section of young women, all aspiring actresses, share cramped rooms, thin meals, and big dreams while chasing elusive breaks on Broadway. At the center is Terry Randall, a serious, idealistic newcomer determined to succeed on the strength of genuine talent and hard work rather than by taking the easier, more compromising path to Hollywood stardom that has tempted several of her housemates. The play moves between comedy and real pathos as the women support and needle one another through auditions, heartbreak, and the occasional tragedy, painting an affectionate but clear-eyed portrait of the sacrifices and disappointments behind the glamour of a theatrical career. Terry's own arc, torn between an unexpected chance at commercial success and her stubborn artistic integrity, gives the ensemble piece its emotional throughline. Its vivid gallery of young actress characters and its backstage authenticity made it a lasting favorite, later adapted into a well-known film.

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