Pheasant Run Playhouse, St. Charles, Illinois (13-19 September 1964)

Appearing as Donald Gresham

A comedy in three acts by F. Hugh Herbert.

Synopsis by curator@jmdigitalscrapbook.com:

This light-hearted, romantic comedy opens on the observation deck of the Empire State Building, where Patty O'Neill and Donald Gresham are meeting for the first time.

Patty is an adorable, outspoken, charmingly scatter-brained girl of 21. Don is a sensible, 28-year-old architect, his own man, and intrigued by Patty's on-again/off-again appeal.

Before they know it, the two are in Don's apartment, having a drink and learning more about each other. They'd originally planned dinner out, but the weather doesn't cooperate, and Patty claims to be a terrific cook, so Don soon finds himself heading off to the market for the ingredients Patty needs to fix them a nice supper.

While he's out, David Slater arrives on the scene. A suave, sophisticated man-about-town, David also happens to be both Don's neighbor and the father of Cynthia, the girl to whom Don had been affianced until just that morning.

An outrageous scenario of verbal sparring, misunderstood intentions, and on-the-surface compromising situations follows, capped by the appearance of Patty's father, Michael, a tough old Irish cop who takes one look at things and knocks Don out cold with a single punch.

The next afternoon, Don and Patty once again encounter each other on the observation deck, and after clearing up their various misconceptions, confess their love for each other agree to marry. As Don puts it, their kind of love affair only happens "once in a blue moon," to which a very happy Patty wholeheartedly agrees.

Cast

Patty O'Neill: Margaret O'Brien
Donald Gresham: James MacArthur
David Slater: William Morey
Michael O'Neill: John Grotberg