A few days later, Uncle Chris is getting ready to return home to his ranch. He finds out that Trina's undertaker is not only Swedish but is a Methodist. He restates his opposition to the alliance and again refuses his permission for a marriage to take place. Papa has still not found a job and the landlord is insisting on the payment of outstanding rents by July or the family will be evicted. Papa receives a letter offering him a job in Norway. He says he will go, find a house and then send for Mama and the children. The children don't want him to go but Mama says that she and the children will stay in America. We move forward in time to spring 1911. Papa is gone and Mama has to work harder than ever to make ends meet. Katrin has tried, unsuccessfully to sell one of her stories in order to help with the family finances. Aunt Jenny comes over to give Mama some advice: "take the children and go to Norway to be with Papa." Mama will not go. She is still angry and feels that it was wrong of Papa to leave the family. Katrin sees in the newspaper that a famous writer, Dame Sybil Fitzgibbons, is making an appearance at the Fairmont Hotel. Mama comes up with the idea that Dame Sybil could read and appraise Katrin's stories and duly takes Katrin down to the hotel to meet with the writer. Mama convinces Dame Sybil to read the stories and returns with a a piece of advice for Katrin - write about what you know, not what you have read in other books. Uncle Chris is dying and the family assembles at his ranch. As he has been secretly married for years, the Aunts won't inherit anything but before he dies, he gives Trina permission to marry the undertaker. He tells Mama to go to Norway to be with Papa - she is tempted. Mama eventually decides that she will take the children and go to Norway. Katrin wants to stay in San Francisco and lead her own life. She is now 17 - the same age as Mama was when she married Papa. Suddenly Mama realises how much time as passed and that her little girl has suddenly become a woman. As the family begins packing for the journey to Norway Papa reappears. He couldn't bear to be any longer without his family and realises that America is the place for them all. A letter comes for Katrin from Colliers Magazine with a payment of $500 - for the publication of her first story. She has taken Dame Sybil's advice and written about her family. Everyone is together again, and gathers around Katrin to hear her read the story: "For as long as I could remember, the house on Steiner Street had been home ... all of my earliest memories are of my family and of that house on Steiner Street. I remember, with love, all who lived there, but best, and most of all, I remember Mama." CAST: - 4 men, 5 women, 1 boy, 4 girls, chorus Katrine Mama Papa Uncle Chris Mr. McGuire Aunt Sigrid Nurse Christine Aunt Trina Dame Sybil Fitzgibbons Dagmar Lucie Doctor Anderson Mr. Thorkelson Johanna Aunt Jenny Nils Steiner Street neighbours INSTRUMENTATION: 2 flutes (2nd db. piccolo), oboe db. cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bassoon db bass clarinet, 3 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 2 percussion, harp, piano db. celeste, strings
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