The protagonist of Anne Nichols' play is Abie. Abie is a Jewish-American man who falls in love with an Irish-American woman, Rosemary Murphy. The play follows the couple as they struggle to overcome the cultural and religious differences between them. Abie's father is a rabbi and his family is very traditional, while Rosemary's family is more open-minded. The play explores the difficulties of intercultural relationships and the importance of understanding and acceptance.