WITHIN THE LAW
Sept. 17 - Oct. 12 at 8:00pm (Wed. – Sat.)
Except no show on Wed. Oct. 8 and an added show on Sun. Oct. 12 at 7:30
This Broadway sensation had the enviable record of being the most popular and financially successful play to hit New York in ten years. Part of its charm lies in the fact that it’s a drama, comedy, romance, and mystery all rolled into one hit. Opening in September, 1912 at the Eltinge Theatre, it ran for two years (a long run in those days), receiving praise from critics, social workers, city officials, and audiences alike. The plot involves Mary Turner, a sales clerk in a big Manhattan department store, being falsely accused of shoplifting. Her pleas for justice solicit a sneer from the store owner, but she warns him that, although she is no thief, if he doesn’t pay his employees a decent wage, there will be more thefts. After her prison term, Mary learns how to fight society and wealth with their own weapons, so she can seek revenge on those who wronged her by staying just “within the law.” This was familiar territory for playwright Bayard Veiller, who grew up poor in Brooklyn and spent many years as a police reporter before becoming a successful playwright. Within the Law was adapted into three successful films and a teleplay in the 1950s. It was last on Broadway as a limited run in 1928: part of a revived-play series. The photo is from the 1916 silent film that was destroyed in 1920.
