Stage Door

Terry Randall moves into the Footlights Club, a theatrical boarding house in New York. Her polished manners and expensive clothes mark her as an outsider among the aspiring actresses, especially her roommate Jean Maitland. Jean quickly suspects that Terry's wealth comes from a sugar daddy, and the other residents begin to size her up based on her photograph of her elderly grandfather.

When Powell sees Jean dancing, he decides to dump Linda and uses his influence to have Jean and her partner Annie hired for the floor show of a nightclub he partly owns. He then starts dating Jean, setting up a volatile triangle among the residents.

Kay Hamilton, once acclaimed, now has little work and dwindling funds. She is canceled on for a leading role in Powell's Enchanted April and faints in the reception area from malnutrition and disappointment. This moment exposes the fragility of even popular actors and raises the stakes at the Footlights Club.

Seeing Kay's faint, Terry barges into Powell's private office and berates him for his callous treatment of artists. Her bold protest shifts the other residents' opinions toward her, warming them to the newcomer she has become.

Terry's father secretly finances Enchanted April on the condition that Terry receives the starring role, hoping she will fail and return home. The arrangement reveals the pressures from family money behind the theatre world and foreshadows the ruthless competition Terry faces.

Powell invites Terry to his penthouse to break the news about the Enchanted April deal. Jean shows up unannounced, and Terry pretends that Powell is trying to seduce her. The ruse buys time for Jean but makes the boarding house atmosphere tense and uneasy.

Terry lands the plum part, shattering Kay's long-held hope of securing it. The loss fuels jealousy and deepens the emotional rift among the residents.

During rehearsals, Terry is wooden and inexperienced, prompting Powell to consider backing out of his contract with Terry's father Henry Sims. The tension between ambition and ability underlines the precariousness of the production.

On opening night, Kay is discovered to have committed suicide, a devastating blow that tests everyone's resolve. Anne Luther urges Terry to press on, reminding her that the show must go on for Kay's memory.

Terry gives a heartfelt performance, and the play proves a hit despite the early doubts. Her success alarms her father in the audience, but she proves herself and the company thrives.

During the curtain call, Terry pays tribute to Kay, honoring her friend who inspired the show. She and Jean reconcile, signaling a fragile peace among the Footlights Club residents.

Months pass and the Footlights Club production continues to draw audiences, marking the show's ongoing success. A newcomer arrives looking for a room, signaling that the cycle of aspiring performers will begin anew.