PRICE TWEMTY-FIVE CENTS SOME NEW PLAYS *MOLLY BAWN, 35 cents. A comedy drama in 4 acts, by Marie Doran. 7 male, 4 female characters (or by doubling, 5 male and 3 female). 1 ime, about 2 hours. Based upon incidents from a story by ''The Duchess." 1 he story is woven about Eleanor Masserene {Molly Ba^vn), whose mother eloped with a young Irishman, which has so eml)ittered her grandfather that he disinherited her. After many years of loneliness he sends for Molly. How the coquettish heiress wins the hard, old man, is worked out in the play sometimes in a comedy setting and again in strong dramatic tenseness. $10. 00 royalty per performance by amateurs. -^UNACQUAINTED WITH WORK; or. Married la Thirty Days. 25 cents. A comedy in 5 acts, by O. E. Young. 6 male, 6 female charac- ters I interior scene. Time, 2 hours. Charles Chester, a young man of leisure, succeeds in running up several bills. At last his landlord, /« utterly confused and finally engages just what her husband has advised from the beginning. *ENCORES AND EXTRAS. 35 cents. a collection of short mono- logues suitable particularly for encores, but are available for any occasion to fill in for a few minutes ; contains black-face, Hebrew, a fond mother, a rube monologue, etc *GORGEOUS CECILE. The. 25 cents, a com.edy in 3 acts, by Beulah King. 4 male, 5 female characters, i interior. Time, 2 hours. Max, the son of a wealthy widower, notwithstanding the schemes of his father and aunts, has remained obdurate to all of their matrimonial plans. Upon his return home for a visit, he finds, as usual, a girl whom it is hoped will subjugate him, but the hopes are frustrated, as it is " The Gorgeous Cecile" to whom he turns._ The parts are all good and well contrasted, with sparkling dialogue and plenty of action. • MADAME G. WHILIKENS* BEAUTY PARLOR. 2S cents. An original entertainment in 2 acts, by Viola Gardner Brown, for 12 (or less) female characters, i interior scene. Time if played straight about 50 minutes. A very comi- cal travesty on a beauty parlor during a busy day. Introducing amon^others^ Frencbj Irish, colored, rube character, two salesladies, all Strongly contrasted. THE FOUR ADVENTURERS A COMEDY FOR GIRLS By KATHARINE KAVANAUGH Author of "A Gentle Touch,'' ''A Stormy Night,'' "The Wayfarers," "A Bachelor s Baby," "A Converted Suffragist," ''A Friendly Tip," etc. Copyright, 1922, by Fitzgerald Publishing Corporation ^S|? Fitzgerald Publishing Corporation Successor to Dick & Fitzgerald 18 Vesey Street New York p^.' J >> -^ x^ ^ ^a'j n ii20tt6 SEP 30 1922 ^^ I Note. — ^The Moving Picture and Professional Acting Rights of this play are expressly reserved by the pub- lishers, to whom theatrical managers who wish to produce it should apply. Amateur representation may be made without such application and without charge. The Four Adventurers CHARACTERS Anne Warwick I'lie artist May Stevens The writer Nina Wilcox The cook Virginia Vale The pest Time. — The present. Locality. — Anywhere. Time of Playing. — About half an hour. SYNOPSIS Nina, the cook, plans a surprise for supper, a Welsh Rarebit, which doesn't materialize; burnt toast and liquid cheese instead. Virginia tells her experiences while looking for a job ; the girls tease her about it, so to get even she raves about good things to eat. When Virginia sees how determined the girls are to stick to their careers she betrays them to the enemy, ^' their sweethearts." Then dreams come true. Careers for- gotten. Everybody happy. The Four Adventurers COSTUMES AND CHARACTERISTICS Any appropriate dresses can be worn by the girls, but not too elaborate. Nina wears a large gingham kitchen apron. Virginia wears a street costume. Anne wears a large artist's apron. Hats, wraps, etc., for other girls are to hang on the costumer. INCIDENTAL PROPERTIES Several plates and a chafing-dish for Nina. Other properties, as mentioned in scene. STAGE DIRECTIONS As seen by a performer on the stage, facing the audi- ence, R. means right hand; L. left hand; c, center of stage ; D. c, door at center ; d. l., door at left, up means toward back of stage ; down, toward footlights. The Four Adventurers SCENE. — Living-room of a flat. Afternoon. Doors at left and in center. A table with white cloth up c. Writing-table or desk down r. An artist's easel and unfinished picture down l. A couch or large chair with several sofa pillows near c. A telephone is put wherever most convenient, up r. is a cos- tumer on which there are several hats and coats be- longing to the girls. A book-shelf with books up stage. Several plates and kitchen utensils on table c. On writing-table or desk are a number of loose sheets of paper and a typewriter. DISCOVERED — May at desk, writing; Nina is at table c, with back to the audience, engaged in getting a meal ready; she rattles the plates noisily. May looks up impatiently, then with a sigh resumes her work. Nina drops a pan and picks it up. Anne {turns nervously and looks impatiently at Nina, who throws the plates into the pan, making more noise). Oh, I say, Nina, can't you get a meal without bringing down the house? How do you expect any one to work? May. I've written the same sentence four times, and I've got my characters so mixed that I've lost the thread of my story. Nina. See here, when I took this job as cook because nobody else wanted it, I didn 't agree to be noiseless. Anne. My dear, don't worry, you are far from it. May. Neither did you agree to slam a pan every time my heroine came on the scene. Every time I feel that I 5 6 The Four Adventurers have reached a beautiful situation, or one of my charac- ters is about to sa.y something worth while, bang ! comes the rattle of a frying-pan or fhe smashing of a couple of plates. By the way, how many dishes have we left? Nina. Three plates, two cups and three saucers Anne. But if we have only two cups we can 't use the other saucer. Nina. All right, I'll break it. {Turyis up stage) Anne. No, no; you needn't mind; it will be broken in good time. By the way, what is all the racket about — what in the world are you giving us for supper ? Nina. I am not going to tell. It 's a secret. May. It must be something awful when you are afraid to tell. Nina. Who said I was afraid? That's the thanks I get for my trouble. I was going to give you a pleasant surprise. Anne. A surprise ? Oh, Nina, what is it ? May. I'm going to look. {Starts to rise) Nina. It isn't in here. I was afraid you'd smell it, so I kept it in my room. Anne. What will Jinny say to that ? Nina. Who, the pest? Oh, she won't mind. Do I complain when she makes fudge? It is my room as much as hers. May. Yes, it's a fortunate thing for Anne and me that we room together. Neither one of us cooks, thank heaven. Nina. No, but you are always ready and willing to eat when Jinny and I cook. Of course the Pest can't make anything but candy. Fni the only cook in the establishment ! Anne. And what a cook ! Nina. Well, I reckon I 'm about as good a cook as you are an artist, or May is a novelist ! I dispose of my products. That's more than either of you do. May. Well, I never! Wasn't my story, *'When Love Triumphs " simply grabbed up by the Universal Magazine ? The B;our Adventurers 7 Nina. That was three months ago, and it brought ten dollars. You haven't earned a penny since. Anne. Why, Nina, you forget the fact that May writes up all the society functions for the Morning Globe. Nina. Oh yes, I know. (Imitating) ''Mrs. Jones looked sweetly beautiful in a gown made of lavender chiffon cloth trimmed with silver." (May throws a sofa pillow at Nina, wJio ducks it) ENTER Virginia c. d. Virginia. Hello, a scrap going on and I not in it? That will never do. Anne. Hello, Jinny, where have you been all the afternoon ? Virginia. Miss Warwick, I would beg of you to re- member that my name is not Jinny. Neither is it ''the pest." Miss Virginia Vale, if you please. (May, Anne and Nina all stand and how very gravely before Vir- ginia) May. We are groveling in the dust. Miss Vale. Nina. Henceforth we shall rise in a body and salaam whenever you favor us with your august presence. Anne. After so debasing ourselves, may we ask where you have spent the afternoon ? Virginia. You all think you're funny, don't you? Well, I'm not going to tell you. Anne. Jinny — pardon me, Virginia, — you are our youngest child, and we must keep an eye on you. You have been away several hours. I speak as a mother, where have you been? Virginia. Oh, you all make me tired. I reckon you 're going to be some surprised when I tell you ! May. Virginia, you look guilty. You haven't been doing anything you shouldn't? Virginia. I've been looking for a job. Anne. You should say you were seeking a position, little one. 8 The Four Adventurers ^, Virginia.. No, I shouldn't. I gave that up weeks ago. It was a plain job I was after, and I almost got it. Nina. You almost got it? That remnids me of a man who almost had a horse. He said to the owner, *' Mister, can I have that horse?" The owner said ''No." If he had said "Yes," the horse would have been his. (May and Anne laugh) Virginia {looks angrily at Nina). Think you're smart, don't you? Wait until the next time you want to make a Welsh Rabbit in our room. I'll throw the chafing-dish at you. May. No, not the chafing-dish, Jinny. It cost six dollars. If you must throw something, throw the coffee- pot. Anne. I object. That coffee-pot belongs to me. Nina. Oh, she's only trying to get out of telling us where she has been, and about the job she almost got. Virginia. I am going to tell you, and I hope you'll all be properly impressed. I could have made my debut as an actress. May {surprised) . On the stage? Virginia. No, dear, in a laundry. Nina. You went to a theatre this afternoon? Virginia. Yes — in the back way — the stage door they call it — just like a regular actorine. Oh, I felt so thrilly when I went in. Anne. Yes — and then? Virginia, And when I got in I was half scared to death. Oh, girls, it looks so different from what you 'd ex- pect. There was no performance going on, but the man at the box-office told me I would find the manager on the stage, so back I went. He was rehearsing a number of people for the street scene in the play to be put on next week. The stage was bare and there was very little light. I looked around, and there was nothing but bare brick walls, dingy staircases, and stacks of dusty scenery. I looked up, and over my head there was more scenery on ropes and pulleys, the kind they drop and The Four Adventurers 9 pull up. Then I looked out into the auditorium at the rows and I'ows of empty chairs, and I fancied myself going out before all those chairs filled with people and have them stare back at me Nina. The chairs, dear? Virginia. No, the people. The thought frightened me, so I turned around and walked out without asking the man for a job. Nina. Very much like my horse story, indeed. May. Except that the man did ask for the horse. Virginia (looks at them as if hurt by their teasing, and turns from them, her arm up to her face to hide the tears). You all think you're funny, don't you? Anne (goes to Virginia, puts arm around her). No, darling, we didn't mean to hurt you. Come, tell Anne all about it. We were only teasing, dearie. May. Don't cry. Honey-bee, Nina is going to give us something great for supper. Virginia {drying her eyes). I did so want to be an actress. Nina. Never mind. Jinny. It wasn't the psycho- logical moment for your appearance. Some day your name will be strung in electric lights across the front of the theatre Virginia. They don't use electric lights in the day- time. Nina. Well, I should say some night — and Anne and May and I will drive up in a limousine Anne. Whose ? Nina. I declare, you people have no more imagina- tion than a door-knob. What difference does it make whose it is, so that we drive up in it ? May. Eight-o. Why look a gift horse in the mouth ? Nina. I am only supposing a case. Anne. Please suppose something more within the realms of possibility. Even in my wildest dreams, I cannot see myself driving up anywhere in a limousine. Nina. Anne, for an artist, you exhibit a hopeless lack of imagination. 10 The Four Adventurers Anne. And for a cook, you exhibit a hopeless lack of food. Where is that supper f Nina. Good heavens, the supper! I forgot it. It was in the other room. Virginia. It was in the other room? Where is it now? Nina. It may be there still, but I have me doubts. [EXITS quickly d. l. Anne. I just feel as if there is a disappointment in store for us. May. I am prepared for the worst. Virginia. And I'm as hungiy a§ a bear. (Sniffs) I smell something burning, don 't you ? May. I have been smelling that for some time, but I thought it was Anne's water-colors. ENTER Nina at d. l., carrying a steaming cJiafing-dish. Nina (places chafing-disli on table witli plate under it, blows on her fingers). Merciful heaven, it was burning like a furnace! Anne, But what is it? Nina. It was a Welsh Rarebit! Anne. Why do you keep saying ''it was'*? Isn't it there now? Nina. I 'm afraid to look. Virginia (disgusted) . A Welsh Rarebit for supper! Nina. Well, you are all crazy about it, aren 't you ? Virginia. In my present state of health I would pre- fer some good corn beef and cabbage. Nina. Would you scent the whole apartment with the odor of cabbage? Virginia. Well, when it comes to that, a Welsh Rare- bit is no geranium. May. Will you girls stop chattering and give us some- thing to eat? I'm slowly dying of starvation. Virginia (takes cover from chafing-dish). Nina is chief cook and bottle washer ; I am simply the waitress ; I can only serve what she cooks, and from the looks of this dish, she has cooked you nothing. The Four Adventurers 11 May.^ 1 ^-o^^ing! Oh, Nina. Nina. My intentions were good. Virginia. But we can 't eat them. This looks as if it might once have been a perfectly good Welsh Rarebit. {The four girls gaze mournfully into chafing -dish) Anne. It looks to me like four pieces of badly burnt toast. May. With a little bit of liquid cheese still clinging to them. Virginia. You know what it reminds me of? Nina. What? Virginia. One of Anne's sunsets. May. What are we going to do with it? Virginia. Frame it as a testimonial to Nina. Anne. One Welsh Rarebit for four hungry girls ! Nina. Oh, you people are never satisfied. May. If this inward craving I have isn't soon satis- fied, I'll die on the premises. I know I will. Virginia. Oh, for a large rare porterhouse, with mushroom sauce. Anne. Jinny, stop that ! {Sits) Virginia. With a large platter of potatoes au gratin. May. You pest, if you don 't stop this minute {Sinks into chair) Virginia. Lettuce salad with mayonnaise dressing. Nina {weakly). Oh, Jinny, please. {Sinks into chair) Virginia. Home-made peach pie a la mode. Anne {dropping weakly into chair). Choke her, somebody. Virginia. Just a bit of Roquefort cheese with toasted crackers. May {sadly). She'll go on to the bitter end. Virginia. And then some coffee like mother used to make. 0-o-h! (May and Anne throiv sofa pillows at Virginia, who ducks) Nina {also throwing a sofa pillow at Virginia). You brute ! 12 The Four Adventurers Virginia. How dost thou like the picture? Anne. If it were only real! Porterhouse! Ah! Nina. Now, Anne, don 't you start it all over again ! May. No, I for one couldn't live through it. I am starving. I must eat — who or what I don't care. Anne. Who? Good gracious, May, you're not that bad, are youf Virginia (getting behind chair). She said she was very fond of me the other day. I'm going to keep out of her way. May (laughing). Don't worry, Jinny. I'm afraid you wouldn't agree with me. Virginia. Do you know what the trouble is in this flat? Nina. No. What? Virginia. We need a man. Anne. To eat? Virginia. Good heavens, no. Can't your thoughts rise above food for a moment? Anne. I feel as if neither my thoughts nor myself will ever rise again. May. Well, if we can't eat him, what good is he? Virginia. And you a novelist ! Nina. Jinny means that if there was a man here he would invite us all to the Waldorf. Anne (wearily). I should be satisfied to go to Childs' restaurant around the corner. Virginia. No, you are all wrong. I mean that our way of living is wrong. Here we are, girls with com- fortable homes, with relatives to care for us if we will let them, living here from hand to mouth as it were, and each of us getting an incurable case of indigestion, — just because we think it is Bohemian. We thought we were doing something original when we started out to make our own living. Anne was going to be a great artist ! May wants to write wondei'ful fiction, and she spends half her time wondering where the next meal is coming from ! Nina was willing to be a concert singer, and see what she has come to. (Holds up chafing-dish) While The Four Adventurers 13 I — ^well, I wanted to be an actress, and I was frightened by a row of empty seats! May. Even now, I don't see where the man comes in. Virginia. He can't come in, because we have forbid- den him. May, you told Jack Folsom that he must not interfere with your career, and he hasn't. Anne laid the law down to Jim Carter, who has wanted to marry her ever since she left off short dresses. Nina told Tom Norton that she was going to live for her art alone. Nina. And you? Virginia. And I gave poor Guy the shake because I wanted to go on the stage. Anne. Jinny. What abominable slang! The shake! Virginia. Well, that's what Guy called it. And now we've all got to go back and admit that we have failed. * Anne. Never. I, for one, will die first. What? Let Jim Carter have the laugh on me? Virginia. He won't laugh, Anne; he'll only be too glad to get you back. We have held out now much longer than any of them expected. May. Well, you may all go back on your agreement to stick, but I'll stay on if you all leave. Nina. I'll eat my own cooking before I 11 acknowl- edge Tom Norton was right and I wrong. Virginia. You are all determined to stick ? ^^^ ] {standing together). Yes, all for one. One Anne V ^^^^ ^y[. In union there is strength. Nina ) , -, -^^ Virginia. Well, that settles it. I can't be a quitter. I'm with YOU. But it is only fair to tell you that I have called up* Guy this morning and told him the situation. I wouldn 't be surprised ( 'Phone hell rings, hiris pause and listen) Nina. Who can it be at this hour? Anne {looks at her luatch) . Exactly six p. m. Virginia {goes to 'phone). Hello. Yes. {Pause) Oh, hello, Guy. May. Guy ! The enemy are upon us ! Virginia. What's that? Dinner? 14 The Four Adventurers Anne. Don't weaken, girls. Virginia {speaking into 'phone). Wait, I'll see. {Puts hand over receive?^ and turns to girls) It's Guy! Jack Folsom, Jim Carter and Tom Norton are with him. They want us to go to dinner and then to the the- atre. May. Jinny, you have betrayed us into the hands of the enemy. Virginia. But we'll be treated royally as prisoners of war. And, oh, girls, / am hungry. Anne. I haven't seen poor Jim for a month. Nina {delighted). Tom was always such a dear fel- low. May. I 'm just dying to see Jack Folsom. Virginia. Then you accept? Anne \ May ,^ {together). We do. Nina j Virginia. Hurrah! {Speaks irito 'phone) It's all right, Guy. We'll meet you at the door. {Pause) What? A limousine? {Hangs up receiver and turns to girls) Oh, girls, this is more than I can bear. They are going to call for us in an auto. Nina {clasping her hands). My dream come true! Anne {taking off her apron). Oh, mercy! I've for- gotten how to enter an auto. Virginia {gets Nina's hat from costumer). You back in, dear, like a horse. Here's your hat. {Throws hat to Anne, who catches it. Nina puts on Virginia's hat in the excitement of getting ready) May {hastily putting on her hat). I don't believe I have a pair of clean gloves. Virginia. I'll lend you a pair of Nina's. (Nina is wearing Virginia's hat) Nina, you've got my hat on. Here's yours. {Exchange hats. Girls move around lively while getting ready) Nina. Are we coming back here any more? Virginia. No, after the play we are all going home. Anne. What shall we do with the flat ? The Four Adventurers 16 Virginia. Turn it over to the landlady. She'll be glad to get rid of us. , May. We can send for our things to-morrow. Nina. So our Bohemian days are over. Virginia. Yes, get together for the last farewell. (Girls stand close together, their arms over each other's shoulders, and sing) "Good-bye forever — Good-bye forever — Good" — {or any other appropriate farewell song. This is a good opportunity for the girls to intro- duce some pretty song which they can almost finish, the interruption being made near the end. Telephone hell rings and interrupts the song. Virginia runs to 'phone) Hello. . . .Yes, in a few minutes! {Hangs up receiver) The boys are at the door! (Girls turn up stage, one behind the other, Virginia leading, their hands on each other's shoulders. Virginia sings) Follow me — follow me — I don't know where I'm going, but follow me. A \ {singing with Virginia). We don't care Nina \ where you're going, we'll follow you. {All Girls EXIT c. d. singing) QUICK CURTAIN *COMMODORE, THE. 25 cents, a comedy in 3 acts, by Emabtvu Osgood. 6 males, 4 females. 2 interiors. Time, 2 hours, A very noTcl plot, worked out in an original manner involving the transfer of a large block of mining steck in which transaction the commodore assumes the role of a protecting genius. The dia- logue is particularly bright, flows naturally and leads up to an unexpected climax, the suspense being sustained until final curtain. Amateur performances free. Professional acting rights upon application. •MORE MONEY THAN BRAINS. 25 cents, a comedy in 2 acts, by Percival P. Hall. 7 male, 2 female characters, i interior. Time, about 50 minutes. Pierre, a struggling artist, short in money but "long" in debts is induced by his friend Harry to have his wealthy but "close" uncle informed of his sudden death ; Harry hoping by this ruse to extract some funds from uncle. The funds were found but not where Harry expected. Introduces a typical street urchin; an Irish boarding-house landlady, a second hand clothier of the Hebrew type, etc. •POOR DEAR UNCLE JAMES. 25 cents. a farce-comedy in 3 acts, by Beulah King. 3 male, 6 female characters, i interior. Time, i^ hours. An exceedingly bright and breezy comedy showing what influence passed-away Poor Dear Uncle fames had upon the marital fortunes of Frances and Brice. Introduces among others, a girl of 15 and a youngster of 12. The dialogue is very bright and the jiction continuous. Highly recommended. *BAD BEGINNING, A. 2S cents, a comedy in I act, by^ Ernest Grant White. 4 male, 2 female characters. i interior. Time, i hour. Stephtn, a Nevada ranchman, cornes to New York expecting to marry a society girl but is "turned down cold." While preparing to return West immediately, his suite is entered by, Ann: he assumes her to be a thief and engages her in conversation while deciding what disposition to make of her, and becoming interested loses his heart on the re- bound. How it results shows that frequently at least "A Bad Beginning makes a good ending." A particularly effective sketch, and not "over the heads of beginners," is highly recommended to amateurs of some experience. •DR. UMPS. 25 cents. A farcical prescription in i dose, by Erastus Osgood. 2 male, 2 female characters. 1 interior. Time, about 40 minutes. John has become a fault-finding and irritable husband. In order to reform him, Marjory his wife, by means of suggestion makes him believe he is near a nervous break-down' Under the assumed name of J)r. Umps, she calls in her school pal, Mrs. Small. The routine through which Dr. Umps puts/aAn is screamingly funny, and is so successful ia its results that Marjory is absolutely satisfied with her attempted reformation. ' PHARAOH'S KNOB, 2S cents. A comedy in x act, by Edith J. Crainb. 1 male, 12 females. Time i hour. Lieut. Kingston^ in love with Elizabeth /ones, is repulsed by her mother, who does not approve of penniless soldiers. Th» Lieutenant finds an iridescent knob and is seen by a credulous bell-hop, and for fun h» tells her a fake story as to its value. This story travels rapidly among the hoUl guests and as soon as it reaches Mrs. Jones' ears, her antipathy to the ofUcer disa|K pears. Eventually it becomes known that the knob belongs to an antique cabinet, but before this discovery is made, the Lieutenant and Elizabeth have been married; w ^i^\ -JV"^ \^'^ *° approve. Introduces a clever girl bell-hop and hotel clcrk, a fcnud* Sherloek Holmes and her admirer, besides other hotel guests. * WHOSE WIDOW? 25 cents. A comedy in i act, by Helen C. Clif- ford. 5 males, 4 females, i interior. Plays about 50 minutes. Marcella, a young Western girl, arrives at her aunt's wearing a widow's gown, much to everyone's sur- prise this she did to gam more freedom, She assumes the name of Mrs. Loney and to her horror IS soon made acquainted with persons of that name, presumably relatives ofheral eged husband. The husband appears in the shape of an impostor and de- mands blackmail, but his plan is foiled, and after many comical incidents if/ar