Act I:

It’s 1948, Monroe, Wisconsin, early in the morning at MacDonald’s Hardware Store. We see that Henry Stubbs, the manager of the store, has again fallen asleep at the cracker barrel in his store overnight. Getting up happily, he sweeps his store floor as Annie Baker enters to start work. Stanley Piper, his apprentice, also comes into work. Henry is excited because this is the day that he gets his important letter from the bank that tells him whether or not he gets his loan to finally purchase and own the store. Stanley comes out in his new apron that states “Henry’s Hardware Store.” In his excitement, Henry gives a tour of the store to Annie and Stanley. (“I Love My Hardware Store”)

Annie tells Henry that she is worried about him and his infatuation with this store. She feels he is lonely and in need of a relationship, much to Henry’s disagreement. To make her point, Annie pulls out a newspaper and opens it to the Obituaries. She asks him what his would say, especially under “surviving family.”

A mover comes into the store wanting a rope pulley to haul a piano from the sidewalk outside the store, up through a second story window above the store. Henry tells him where to find it, and at the same time, ignores Annie and her ramblings by fetching and bringing out his new Henry’s Hardware Store sign. At that moment, Jonathan Burns, Life Insurance agent and long-time bully to Henry, comes into the store with the bank letter. Jonathan is on the bank board, and so he brought it over to him. Henry takes it and sends Jonathan out, leaving him to watch from outside the window. Henry opens the letter and finds out his loan was denied. Jonathan walks away savoring the moment.

Disappointed, Henry takes the letter outside with him to get some air, and stands underneath the now halfway hoisted-up piano. Suddenly, the mover sneezes, lets go of the rope, and the piano falls down right over poor Henry.

We hear music, (“Sweeping”) and Henry appears in Middle World. He is welcomed by Amanda, keeper of this purgatory world that allows people who have died, one final view of their lives, by reading their obituary. Henry doesn’t want to read his obit, and Amanda presumes that this is due to the fact that he didn’t live the life he was hoping for. Henry insists that he did live a busy social life outside of his work at the store. (“There’s More To Me Than Nuts and Bolts”) Amanda doesn’t buy it and finally gets Henry to read his obit. The obit upsets him because it reminded him that Henry never got to own the store. Amanda asks why this happened. Henry admits that Jonathan, being the life-long adversary of Henry, made sure he didn’t get his store. After asking whether Henry would have confronted Jonathan this time around, Henry truthfully admits that he’s not sure. Knowing that people shouldn’t die with such important questions unanswered, Amanda resets Henry’s day and time of death to one week later, at noon. This gives Henry one last chance to confront this ongoing problem and realize his ultimate dream of owning MacDonald’s Hardware Store. She then sends him back. (“Sweeping-Reprise 1”)

Henry wakes up underneath the rubble of broken piano parts. Annie and Stanley are frantic and worried about him, but he feels fine. Susan Amberson then enters the store to pick up her parents’ knife set that needed sharpening. Henry finds out she’s a lawyer living in Chicago, and he is really impressed with that. As Susan is paying for the bill, her purse strap snaps and Henry says that he’ll fix it for her by the afternoon. She thanks him and leaves, while Henry studies her departure. On the side, Annie notices that Henry has a bit of interest in Susan. As Annie and Stanley get back to work, Henry notices his letter from the bank. He folds it up and puts it under the tray of the cash register, admitting to himself, “Who was I kidding.”

Amanda then pops out of the cardboard hardware store woman sign and immediately asks Henry if he’s giving up. Henry had thought their encounter was just a dream. Amanda points out that it shouldn’t matter considering that we all die at some point. She tells him that he should give himself some credit and then do what he needs to do. She then walks back to the cardboard hardware store woman and disappears. Henry thinks for a moment, gets his letter from the register, and then heads out of the store on a mission.

Meanwhile, Jonathan is in his Life Insurance office, reminiscing on the fact that no one in the town can or will survive without having some type of life insurance policy with him. He controls the town. (“Life Without Life”) Henry slams into the office to confront Jonathan that it was his vote on the board that caused Henry his bank loan refusal. Jonathan defends his position by stating that Henry is a lousy credit risk and talks Henry right into a corner where he no longer can defend himself. Jonathan states that Henry will never own that hardware store, and then kicks him out of his office, in spite of Henry’s pleading. (“Life Without Life-Reprise 1”) Once Henry is gone, Jonathan gets on the phone and buys the hardware store behind Henry’s back.

Henry, feeling dejected, is sweeping his floor. Susan enters and notices how down and out Henry is acting. He tells her it’s just some store problems. She tells him in rather upfront terms what she does when she has a bad day. This again catches Henry off-guard, but truth be told, he kind of likes that about her. Susan purchases some tennis racket tape and as she’s leaving, tells Henry to call her for some great legal if he needs it.

Annie and Stanley run in devastated. Annie tells Henry that she just heard that Jonathan has bought the store and is going to have everything moved out this evening. His plan is to demolish the store tomorrow at noon in order to expand his company. Annie and Stanley leave dejected. Henry leans against the counter feeling totally defeated. He begins to dream.

The late Mr. MacDonald enters and sits down at the chessboard. (“The Conversation”) He calls for Pawnie (the pet name Mr. MacDonald gave to Henry) to sit down at the chessboard and play with him. He notices Henry feeling terrible and asks Henry to tell him what is wrong. Henry explains that he feels now that he’s let down Mr. MacDonald by not being able to own the store or save it. Mr. MacDonald points to the game. Henry realizes that in their chess game, even though he is now in check, he still can win the game by moving his pawn. Checkmate. Mr. MacDonald takes the pawn, gives it to Henry, and teaches him that there is always power in the little guy. The dream is over, and Henry, in his new found confidence, decides that he’s going to get some good legal advice.

Henry is at Susan’s parents’ house, and they are trying to figure out a way to stop Jonathan’s plan. They take a break to get something to eat. It’s 1948, Monroe, Wisconsin, early in the morning at MacDonald’s Hardware Store. We see that Henry Stubbs, the manager of the store, has again fallen asleep at the cracker barrel in his store overnight. Getting up happily, he sweeps his store floor as Annie Baker enters to start work. Stanley Piper, his apprentice, also comes into work. Henry is excited because this is the day that he gets his important letter from the bank that tells him whether or not he gets his loan to finally purchase and own the store. Stanley comes out in his new apron that states “Henry’s Hardware Store.” In his excitement, Henry gives a tour of the store to Annie and Stanley. (“I Love My Hardware Store”)

Susan shares to Henry how special a person he is. (“What’s Special to Me”) Henry feels the same way about her. Henry shares how terrible he feels that he’s losing Mr. MacDonald’s store, especially since the MacDonald family had owned it for generations. This gives Susan an idea, and they quickly leave for the Public Library.

It’s the next morning and the movers are taking out the final big furnishings of the store. Annie and Stanley are upset that Henry hasn’t bothered to even show up on this final day. (“The Confrontation”) Jonathan enters to gloat on their misery, and is a bit miffed that Henry’s not there to watch the store tumble down. Right when the wrecking ball is about to destroy the store, Henry and Susan arrive to stop the destruction of the store. Henry confidently confronts Jonathan. He explains to Jonathan that the Wisconsin Historical Society has declared the store a State Landmark because as it turns out, Abraham Lincoln had visited the store to purchase supplies during the Blackhawk War. And, that Jonathan’s purchase contract is null and void due to the fact that he would only purchase the store if he could demolish it. With a very satisfying “Buzz off, Jonny,” Henry sends the furious Jonathan away, and Henry, Annie, Stanley, and Susan celebrate. (“I Love My Hardware Store-Reprise 1) In the middle of the song, they all freeze and Amanda enters to talk with Henry. She asks him how he feels and Henry celebrates that his life is now fulfilled. Henry states that he’s now ready to die, but Amanda says that he still has 3 days to “live to the end, whatever that end might be.” She then again, disappears, leaving Henry confused while Annie, Stanley, and Susan finish the song in celebration.