Cheerful—By Request

"Cheerful—By Request" by Edna Ferber is a story that looks at the life of Josie Fifer, who once dreamed of being a star. Now, she works with old costumes in a theater warehouse. The story shows how tough life can be, especially in the theater world, but it also shares a wish for something more positive after difficult times. This story is set in a New York theater warehouse where Josie takes care of costumes from shows that didn't do so well. She is shown as smart and a bit worn down by her experiences. She reflects on how she wanted to be more and the struggles she has gone through. We meet Sid Hahn, a well-known manager, and hear about the wish for a story filled with happiness, which hints at Josie’s longing for acknowledgment and a more optimistic story among all the sad ones she is a part of.

Edna Ferber was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big (1924), Show Boat, Cimarron, Giant and Ice Palace (1958), which also received a film adaptation in 1960. She helped adapt her short story "Old Man Minick", published in 1922, into a play (Minick) and it was thrice adapted to film, in 1925 as the silent film Welcome Home, in 1932 as The Expert, and in 1939 as No Place to Go.