The Lily Theater

The Lily is the theater in midtown Manhattan that Aunt Peg and Billy Buell own and operate. It is the centerpiece of the novel, as the plot revolves largely around Vivian's time living at the Lily after she befriends the showgirls who perform there. The Lily is rundown and caters to a relatively low-brow audience, something that Olive and Peg are used to but that Billy wishes to change with the production of City of Girls. The Lily is also more than a theater: Aunt Peg lives above and provides Vivian with her own apartment. Celia also lives in the back room but shares Vivian's apartment for most of the novel. When Edna Parker Watson and Arthur Watson arrive, they too live at the Lily and contribute to the production City of Girls. In a way, the Lily itself is a microcosm for New York City...