Girls, Who Knew Betty Smith Wrote A Play??????????????

                            Anyone who has never read the novel "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" should.  And whether one has or hasn't, I recommend the 1945 Elia Kazan directed movie (his first), which won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for James Dunn, and his portrayal of father Johnny Nolan, as well as a Special Juvenile Oscar for Peggy Ann Garner's portrayal of Smith's signature creation, Francie Nolan.

                            Oh, my God, the photo above is enough to bring tears to my eyes..   The scene in the

schoolroom, where Francie, about to graduate from eighth grade, sees the note and flowers on the desk that turn out to be from her now deceased father--he asked Aunt Sissy (Joan Blondell) to buy them with money he left to her--and Francie breaks down in Aunt Sissy's arms.  Tears are just welling up in me, darlings, just writing about it.

                             Readers are familiar with Francie Nolan as far as this story is concerned.  But the big surprise is that she actually made an earlier appearance, in a 1930 play, written by Smith, called "Becomes A Woman."  In the play, Francie is nineteen years old, working in the music department at a five-and-dime, in Brooklyn, of course, and living with her parents.  So, Smith actually reversed Francie's trajectory., starting with her in young adulthood, and memorializing her as a child.  Who knew?

                              Well now, under the auspices of The Mint Theater's Off-Broadway Production at New York's City Center, Smith's play, "Becomes A Woman" will be presented for the first time to a New York audience!  It runs from February 7-March 18.

                                 This may not be the event of the season, but for fans of Smith and Francie this should prove to be both interesting and revealing.  I sort of compare this to the publication, several years back, of Harper's Lee's "Go Set A Watchman."  I don't think the play will change fans' minds about how they view Francie or her story, but it is curious to note Smith first envisioned Francie as a young adult.

                                  Because, just as Scout was pretty much Harper Lee, so Francie Nolan was pretty much Betty Smith.

                                  Think about going, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!