Sadie McKee

Sadie is a hardworking young woman employed as a maid for a wealthy family. When she overhears her mother's employer, Michael, publicly criticizing her working-class family, Sadie is deeply hurt. Shortly afterward, she learns her beloved boyfriend, Tommy, is the target of Michael’s disparaging remarks and witnesses Tommy being unfairly dismissed from his job. Determined to take control of her life, Sadie angrily severs ties with her employers and leaves with Tommy to start anew in New York City, full of hope for their future together despite their lack of resources.

Struggling to find work in the city, Sadie and Tommy’s relationship faces immediate strain. Tommy, caught up in the excitement and temptations of city nightlife, drifts away from Sadie, causing heartbreak and forcing her into independence. Alone and desperate for work, Sadie finds a job as a dancer in a club where she meets Jack, a charming but troubled patron. Simultaneously, Sadie’s path crosses again with Michael, who has begun to see her in a new light. As Sadie navigates complicated feelings for both men—and tries to secure a better life for herself—she is pulled in conflicting directions by love, loyalty, and her own desires for respect and security. Her choices pave the way for dramatic changes in her future.