Act 1 Summary

Idiot's Delight is set at the Hotel Monte Gabriele, a fictional location in the Italian Alps near the borders of Switzerland and Austria in the late 1930's. The hotel is an upscale boutique-style establishment under the ownership of an Italian named Pittaluga. Pittaluga has employed an American outdoor enthusiast, Don Navadel, to provide winter sports lessons and activities for the guests.

Pittaluga is especially pleased that the hotel is refined. It is small and slightly remote, but it incorporates elegant touches such as live orchestra music and a formally dressed wait staff.

The specter of war has been looming large and the hotel has suffered from the lack of tourism in the area. Don left a secure position in America to accept this one. His talents for outdoor sports are grossly underutilized, and he is particularly disgruntled. No one could have predicted the...