A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

About the show

The musical opens on a Saturday morning when the community is getting the week's pay (Payday). Hildy is waiting with her friend Katie for her boyfriend Johnny Nolan. While they wait they switch hats. Johnny arrives (Mine Till Monday) and thinks Katie is Hildy as Katie is wearing Hildy's hat and kisses her. Hildy angrily leaves. Meanwhile, Cissy, Katie's sister, hopes to marry Oscar, who would be her tenth husband, all of who she calls Harry after her first who left when he had to go back to his other wife. Oscar agrees to marry her if she can produce a baby. Katie and Johnny decide to marry (Make the Man Love Me) and Johnny resolves to quit drinking and spending money at saloons (I'm Like a New Broom). Johnny gets drunk anyway and doesn't have enough money to pay for their first piece of furniture, a bed. Katie pays for it, giving up having a grand wedding in church (Looks who Dancing). Meanwhile, Hildy has ended up marrying Aloysius (Mine Next Monday). Cissy pretends she is pregnant and has Johnny and Katie smuggle in an adopted baby while she sends Oscar away repeatedly to fetch food (Love is the Reason). Katie has had to get a job as a janitress to support herself, Johnny, and their daughter Francie. Johnny, who disappeared for two days, reappears during a rooftop party (If You Haven't Got A Sweetheart). Johnny tells Katie he got a job as a piano player and that sings will be better for them (I'll Buy You A Star). As the curtain rises on Act Two an old clothes man passes through an alley (That's How it Goes). Francie Nolan is teased by the other children until Katie comes to her defense. Cissy is excited to meet her first husband after his other wife has died, and narrates his qualities to Francie (He Had Refinement). Johnny is hoping to win a raffle at his job for a piano, which he hopes to give to Francie. He comforts Francie when she realizes that she no longer wants to make believe (Growing Pains). Cissy and her first Harry meet and are disgusted by each other and Cissy's beloved Oscar walks in on the scene, suspects the worst, and abandons Cissy (Is That My Prince?). At the raffle, Johnny wins, but is refused the prize as the rules forbid employees receiving the prize and he is thrown out. A surreal ballet chronicles his resulting downfall. Johnny leaves Katie and Francie to find work in the city (Don't Be Afraid of Anything). Cissy and Oscar reconcile and Cissy reveals that she pregnant with Oscar's child. Katie receives news that Johnny has been killed. She uses the money he left for her to buy flowers for Francie's graduation, making Francie the first person in the family to graduate (Finale).