A young man, Jack Keene, invents a portable house, expecting to make his fortune, but fails in the attempt.
[2] The musical was mounted by producer George M. Cohan on Broadway at the Knickerbocker Theatre where it opened on October 18, 1920.
It starred Janet Velie as Mary Howells, Jack McGowan as Jack Keene, Frederic Graham as Huggins, James Marlowe as Mr. Goddard, Florrie Millership as Madeline Francis, Georgia Caine as Mrs. Keene, Charles Judels as Gaston Marceau, Helen Kling as Toddling Tessie, Lou Lockett as Two-Step Tom, Si Layman as Whirlwind Willie, and Edna Pierre as Waltzing Winnie.
[2] Mary was staged in London's West End at the Queen's Theatre the following year where it ran for a total of 93 performances from April 27, 1921, through July 9, 1921.
The West End production was directed by William J. Wilson and starred Evelyn Laye as Mary Howells, Alec Regan as Jack Keene, Percy Parsons as Huggins, Ambrose Manning as Mr. Goddard, Mabel Sealby as Madeline Francis, Maidie Hope as Mrs. Keene, Margaret Lawrence as Smith, Decima McLean as Toddling Tessie, Guy Magley as Two-step Tom, Bernard Granville as Boyde, Ralph Lynn as Gaston Marceau, Clive Leslie as Deakon, Eddie McLean as Whirlwind Willie, and Maggie Dickinson as Waltzing Winnie.