For its fall production, the Pomfret School Theater delighted audiences with George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s George Washington Slept Here. With a sizable cast and crew, Theater Director Chip Lamb selected Kaufman and Hart’s production for its opportunity to showcase a large cast in a comedic setting. Though set in the 1940s, the plot about achieving the American Dream of home ownership and a sense of belonging still resonates strongly with modern audiences.

The play centers on Newton Fuller, played by Lucas Lu ’27, and his determination to fulfill his dream of having a little place in the country to call his own. This naive New Yorker, swept up in romantic visions of rural life, impulsively buys a house in rural Pennsylvania, convinced by the legend that George Washington once slept there. But his wife, Annabelle — played by Kylie Corrigan ’25 — is blindsided by the purchase and far less enchanted with Newton’s dream than their daughter Madge, played by Jenny Huang ’27.

At every turn, things go awry. Mr. Kimber, the house’s caretaker, played by Henry Chen ’26, reveals the numerous costly repairs needed to make the house livable. There’s no working well or heat, the roof leaks, and the door barely keeps out the elements. To make matters worse, they discover that George Washington never actually slept there — though Benedict Arnold did. Adding to their woes, neighbor Mrs. Prescott, played by Mandy Wang ’27, claims she owns the only road leading to the house and makes access nearly impossible for the Fullers.

As they pour money into fixing the house, the Fullers host a colorful cast of guests, including Steve, Marge’s boyfriend, played by Andrew Riccardi ’28, and Raymond, Annabelle’s annoying nephew, played by Mirin Supokawate ’27. They dote upon Uncle Stanley — played by Lars Han ’27 — during his stays in the country in hopes of securing a sizable inheritance. They also meet their friendly neighbor Mrs. Douglas, played by Jenna Vertefeuille ’26, and summer theater actors Clayton Evans, played by Peter Tullis ’26, and Rena Leslie, played by Lydia Warren ’26. 

While the condition of the deteriorating house improves, the Fullers' lives fall apart. Newton runs out of money, the bank is ready to foreclose on the house, and Mrs. Prescott is all too eager to take over the property. When Newton asks Uncle Stanley to help him with the finances, he discovers the old man lost his fortune during the Great Depression. In a surprising turn of events, however, Mrs. Douglas finds an old map proving that the Fullers actually own the access road. Uncle Stanley then negotiates a deal with Mrs. Prescott that rescues the family from financial ruin.

The complex show required a tremendous effort from the crew, including Avery Bird ’26, Emma Galvin ’26, Charlotte Perry ’28, Sofia Vasquez ’28, and Gray Wilcox ’26, all led by Stage Manager Graham Davis ’28. They transformed the set and expertly moved props between each scene to reflect the evolving renovation of the Fullers' farmhouse. 

“I’m so proud of all of the hard work the students put into the show over these nine weeks,” says Lamb. During that time, they explored the characters' backgrounds and were invested in bringing the three-dimensional person to life. “There were a lot of moving parts. I am proud of how they worked to juggle each plot line, props, and scenery transformation to bring this comedy to life.” 

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