[1] What a Life is set in Central High School, with action primarily occurring in the principal's office.
The main character, Henry Aldrich, "thinks he is dumb because his father won a Phi Beta Kappa key at college.
"[2] During the play, Aldrich faces charges that he caused a disturbance in class and that he stole brass instruments from the band.
[4] George Abbott produced and directed the original Broadway production, which opened April 13, 1938 at the Biltmore Theatre and ran for 538 performances.
The production was panned in The New York Times, with reviewer Mel Gussow writing: "The play is piffle.