The climbers : A play in four acts

Set against the backdrop of late‑winter New York society, this four‑act comedy‑drama follows the intertwined lives of two affluent families, the Hunters and the Sterlings. When a group of servants quietly removes rows of camp‑chairs from a sumptuous drawing‑room, the audience senses an unseen gathering that will disturb the polished veneer of their world. The play introduces a colorful cast—ambitious businessmen, a charismatic doctor, and a host of spirited young women—each poised for conflict and revelation.

As Christmas approaches, the families’ private ambitions and old rivalries surface during intimate gatherings at the Sterlings’ manor and the Hunters’ Hermitage. Conversations shift from polite pleasantries to veiled accusations, and the servants’ covert preparations hint at a surprise that could upend social expectations. Listeners will be drawn into witty repartee, lingering tension, and the delicate dance between privilege and secrecy that defines the first act of this enduring theatrical piece.