Eugene Jerome is fifteen years old and all he thinks about is becoming a professional baseball player. He is Polish-Jewish and lives in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, New York. Growing up in the Great Depression, Eugene spends much of his early teens trying to figure out his role in his large extended family; he lives with his parents Kate and Jack, and older brother, Stanley, as well as his Aunt Blanche, and his cousins Nora and Laurie,who moved in after Eugene's Uncle's death. The new living arrangements are stressful for everyone, but nobody feels this stress more than Jack, because he has to take on a second job in order to support the entire family.
Cousin Laurie doesn't work, either inside or outside the home, because she has a heart murmur, and consequently everyone is frightened to ask her to do anything. Her presence is a constant source of annoyance to Eugene because he has to pick up her portion of the chores around the house; as soon as he gets home from school he is required to set the table, set out water glasses, and help his mother with dinner. As annoying as Eugene finds Laurie, he finds his cousin Nora entrancing. Her moving into his family's home coincides with the onset of puberty for Eugene, and throughout the play he is entranced by her, and has a huge crush on her. It is a time of sexual awakening for Eugene, who is trying desperately to find himself as he feels that he is getting more and more lost in the craziness of his house.
Eugene's older brother, Stanley, is experiencing troubles at his job. He makes the mistake of standing up to his boss, who is a tyrant, and not easily stood up to. This adds worry to the family's life because they need the financial contribution from Stanley to help them get by.
Aunt Blanche, on the other hand, is trying to move forward by starting to date again. Specifically she is interested in dating the family's next door neighbor, but Kate thinks this is a horrible idea because the man is a drunk.
The play's plot follows Eugene's adolescence which is at the same time both incredibly stressful and incredibly ordinary; it is the way in which he remembers it and shares it with the audience that makes it special.
