Theatre People, or The Angel Next Door
by Paul Slade Smith

Theatre People, or The Angel Next Door Cover

Theatre People, or The Angel Next Door Book Cover — Theatre People, or The Angel Next Door Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

105 mins 1940s/WWII Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes Comedy

Synopsis

In this rollicking comedy, young Oliver Adams is on the brink of a major success.

His novel The Angel Next Door is set to be published, and famed Broadway playwrights (and married couple) Charlotte and Arthur Sanders have already adapted his book for what is sure to be a huge stage hit.

And who do they have their eye on as the leading lady?

Margot Bell, of course, the very person Oliver adores and about whom he has written his novel (though he hasn’t told her yet).

When they all converge for a weekend in Newport, Rhode Island, the thin walls of the well-appointed mansion reveal that the angel may not be angelic, and only the power of theatre can save the play, Oliver’s novel and perhaps most importantly, his heart.

Adapted from Ferenc Molnár’s Play at the Castle .

Press Reviews

"The Angel Next Door is a glittering, effervescent hit romantic comedy. It’s an elegant, sweet-dry glass of champagne, bubbling over with non-stop laughs, merriment, glamor, and high-spirited hijinks. It’s hard to think of more fun you could have at the theatre right now, or really, more fun anywhere."
— BroadwayWorld

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Oliver Adams A young novelist. Naive, sincere; a romantic, with both the brilliant mind and unwary heart of a poet. Male, early to mid-twenties	male	—	A young novelist. Naive, sincere; a romantic, with both the brilliant mind and unwary heart of a poet. Male, early to mid-twenties
Arthur Sanders Charlotte’s husband and co-playwright. A pessimist to her optimist who delights in being her foil; a skilled writer of quips, both on the page and in life. Male – Fifties to early seventies	female	—	Charlotte’s husband and co-playwright. A pessimist to her optimist who delights in being her foil; a skilled writer of quips, both on the page and in life. Male – Fifties to early seventies
Olga The housekeeper. A nebulous Eastern European accent from the Old Country; a proudly uncaring, unhelpful servant; intimidating, if not frightening. Female, forties to seventies.	female	—	The housekeeper. A nebulous Eastern European accent from the Old Country; a proudly uncaring, unhelpful servant; intimidating, if not frightening. Female, forties to seventies.
Margot Bell A Broadway singer and actress. Easily cast as the sweet and beautiful ingenue, but realizing she’s wiser and stronger than the characters she plays. Female, mid-twenties to early thirties.	female	—	A Broadway singer and actress. Easily cast as the sweet and beautiful ingenue, but realizing she’s wiser and stronger than the characters she plays. Female, mid-twenties to early thirties.
Victor Pratt A Broadway leading man – and an idiot. Impressively self-involved; the handsomest, sexiest, manliest man on Broadway, according to him; always a beat behind. Male, mid-thirties to forties.	male	—	A Broadway leading man – and an idiot. Impressively self-involved; the handsomest, sexiest, manliest man on Broadway, according to him; always a beat behind. Male, mid-thirties to forties.
Charlotte Sanders A successful Broadway playwright. Quick-witted, resourceful, optimistic, the engine of our play. Female, fifties to early seventies	female	—	A successful Broadway playwright. Quick-witted, resourceful, optimistic, the engine of our play. Female, fifties to early seventies