The musical premiered Off-Broadway at the Theatre De Lys on September 26, 1967 and closed on January 16, 1968.

[1] The school board for the Bloomdale, Indiana, high school is convinced Mike Butler (David Cryer), the new English teacher, is a brash freethinker who is willing to teach students in unconventional ways and give them too much freedom for the board's liking.

Sarah Larkin (Sally Niven), music teacher and church choir leader, is another of Albert's foundlings.

Mike tries to change her personality to suit his desires, and Sarah disapproves, but they enjoy their time together.

But Sarah has an enemy, her own sister, Eugenie Seldin (Judy Frank), a lively and outspoken waitress at the local truck-stop eatery.

The brightest kid in class, Tommy (Steve Skiles) is the son of the athletic coach, Herbert Heller (Art Wallace), who doesn't like English teachers to begin with because their drama classes mess up his gym floor.

When he finds out that Mike is encouraging young Tommy to read Thoreau and think for himself, well, he can spot a Commie pretty far off.

This year, as Mike and Sarah stand listening to Christmas carolers and enjoy being together, he comes upon them, carrying a shotgun in one hand, and Old Glory in the other.

By now, Sarah is enchanted with Mike, thought resisting him ("I'm not going to be a challenge to you and have you have the satisfaction of seeing me develop!")

And by now young Tom Heller is actively practicing civil disobedience, though in a kind of tentative way.

With some effort he manages to get himself jailed for the night, though Mike explains that this isn't strictly necessary.

He offers a real wedding, in Civil War costume, horse-drawn vehicles, a shivaree, and then a simple life thereafter.

When he speaks to defend himself, Mike finds himself in a kind of kangaroo court, surrounded by his peers.

Herbert Heller sees his boy Tommy embraced by this "Commie queer" and he gets his shotgun and fires it right at him.

The show was directed by Word Baker, set by Holly Haas, costumes by Jeanne Button, lighting by Carol Rubinstein, musical direction by Stephen J. Lawrence and the album produced by Edward Kleban.

The cast included Sally Niven (a pseudonym for Gretchen Cryer), [2] Judy Frank, David Cryer, Donna Curtis, David Sabin, Margot Hanson, Regina Lynn, Art Wallace, John Bennett Perry, Murray Olson, Anne Kaye, and Steve Skiles.