Play - You can't take it with you.. what's it about?

Question:And also what are some minor female characters?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: And also what are some minor female characters?

Alice Sycamore has to introduce the family of her fiance, Tony Kirby, to her own family. The Kirby's are wealthy, stuffy family of great self- importance, while the Sycamore's are a collection of good-hearted lunatics. When the two families come together, lifestyle and philosophy collide head-on.
There's a DVD of the 1938 movie based on the play--see if any of the rental stores in your area have it.

idk

THE STORY: At first the Sycamores seem mad, but it is not long before we realize that if they are mad, the rest of the world is madder. In contrast to these delightful people are the unhappy Kirbys. The plot shows how Tony, attractive young son of the Kirbys, falls in love with Alice Sycamore and brings his parents to dine at the Sycamore home on the wrong evening. The shock sustained by the Kirbys, who are invited to eat cheap food, shows Alice that marriage with Tony is out of the question. The Sycamores, however, though sympathetic to Alice, find it hard to realize her point of view. Meantime, Tony, who knows the Sycamores are right and his own people wrong, will not give her up, and in the end Mr. Kirby is converted to the happy madness of the Sycamores, particularly since he happens in during a visit by an ex-Grand Duchess, earning her living as a waitress. No mention has as yet been made of the strange activities of certain members of the household engaged in the manufacture of fireworks; nor of the printing press set up in the parlor; nor of Rheba the maid and her friend Donald; nor of Grandpa's interview with the tax collector when he tells him he doesn't believe in the income tax.

Characters

In order of appearance

* Penelope Sycamore
o Mother of Essie and Alice, wife of Paul, and daughter of Martin. She writes plays and paints as hobbies but is terrible at both. She never finishes any job she starts.
* Essie Carmichael
o Wife of Ed, daughter of Penelope and Paul Sycamore, Granddaughter of Martin, sister of Alice. She is childish. As a hobby she makes candy that Ed sells. Essie dreams of being a ballerina. She has spent 8 years studying with Boris Kolenkhov but in reality is terrible at dancing.
* Rheba
o The black maid and cook to the Sycamore family. She is dating Donald. In the words of Mrs. Sycamore, "The two of them are really cute together, something like Porgy and Bess."
* Paul Sycamore
o Father of Essie and Alice, husband of Penelope, Son-in-law of Martin. He is a tinkerer who manufactures fireworks in the basement with the help of his assistant Mr. De Pinna. His hobby is playing with erector sets.
* Mr. DePinna
o The ice man who came inside to speak to Paul and never left. He helps Mr. Sycamore build fireworks, and moonlights as a model in Mrs. Sycamore's paintings.
* Ed Carmichael
o Husband of Essie, son-in-law of Paul and Penelope. He is a xylophone player, and helps distribute Essie's candies. Ed is an amateur printer who prints anything that sounds good to him. He prints up dinner menus for his family and little quotes that he places in the boxes of Essie's candy. Those quotes get the whole family in big trouble.
* Donald
o The black boyfriend of Rheba. In the words of Mrs. Sycamore, "The two of them are really cute together, something like Porgy and Bess." He loves cornflakes.
* Martin Vanderhof
o Referred to mostly as Grandpa in the play. Father-in-law to Paul, father of Penelope, grandfather of Alice and Essie. He is an eccentric old man who hunts snakes and has never paid his income tax because he doesn't believe in it. He lives his life by the philosophy, don't do anything that you're not going to enjoy doing.
* Alice Sycamore
o Fiancee of Tony Kirby, daughter of Paul and Penelope, Granddaughter of Martin, sister of Essie. She the only "normal" family member. She has an office job, and is rather embarrassed by the eccentricities of her family, yet deep down, she still loves them.
* Henderson
o An employee of the IRS. He comes to collect the tax money owed by Martin, and can't understand why Martin won't pay income tax.
* Tony Kirby
o Fiancé of Alice, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Kirby. He sees how even though the Sycamores appear odd, they are really the perfect family because they love and care about each other. His own family is very proper and has many issues none of them will admit. He tries to show his parents how the Sycamores are a good family.
* Boris Kolenkhov
o A Russian who escaped to America shortly before the revolution. He is very concerned with world politics, and the deterioration of Russia. He is friends with many ex Russian leaders including the Grand Duchess Olga Katrina. He is the ballet instructor of Essie, he knows she's not good at dancing, but knows that she enjoys dancing so he keeps working with her. He has a very renaissance attitude, meaning he likes the Greeks and the Romans, questions society, and is interested in world affairs.
* Gay Wellington
o An actress who Mrs. Sycamore meets on a bus and invites home to read one of her plays. She is very drunk and passes out shortly after arriving at the Sycamore's home.
* Anthony Kirby
o Husband of Mrs. Kirby, father of Tony. He is a very stuck up man who works at Wall Street and secretly despises his job. His hobby is raising expensive orchids.
* Miriam Kirby
o Wife of Mr. Kirby, mother of Tony. She is a very prim and proper woman. She stays up with the fads of the times. Her hobby is spiritualism.
* FBI Agent 1
o One of three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the communist things he prints up.
* FBI Agent 2 (Jim)
o One of three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the communist things he prints up.
* FBI Agent 3 (Mac)
o One of three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the communist things he prints up.
* The Grand Duchess Olga Katrina
o She was the Grand Duchess of Russia before the revolution. Since then she has been forced to flee to America where she has found work as a waitress. The rest of her family has had a similar fate. She loves to cook for a hobby.