The College Widow

College Widow, The (1904), a comedy by George Ade. [Garden Theatre, 278 perf.] Jane Witherspoon (Dorothy Tennant), the daughter of the president of Atwater College, is admired for her quick, resourceful mind. Her virtues are called into action when the best football player in the region, Billy Bolton (Frederick Truesdell), threatens to play for Atwater's archrival, Bingham College. Jane sees to it he plays for Atwater and wins his affection in the process. Walter Prichard Eaton called the play “a genre picture of triumphant skill, executed with exuberant yet loving humor,” adding, however, “But Mr. Ade has no power of dramatic development. He cannot penetrate the surface.” The comedy was made into the highly successful musical comedy LEAVE IT TO JANE (1917) by Guy Bolton (book), P. G. Wodehouse (book, lyrics), and Jerome Kern (music). Edith Hallor and Robert Pitkin played the central couple, and the tuneful show ran 167 performances at the Longacre Theatre. Notable songs: Leave It to Jane; The Siren's Song; Cleopatterer; Just You Watch My Step. A 1958 revival of the musical ran for two years Off Broadway.