Sometimes saying sorry is harder than it seems ...

Ellen Tebbits is convinced she'll die of embarrassment if any of the girls at school discover her secret. But then she meets Austine Allen, a new girl in class who's hiding the very same secret. Instantly, the two become best friends. They do everything together, from clapping erasers to riding horses. Ellen quickly learns that embarrassing secrets and pesky troublemakers like Otis Spofford aren't so bad when you have someone special to stick up for you. But then Ellen does something terrible that makes Austine stop speaking to her. Will she ever be able to prove how sorry she is?

Performed by Andrea Martin

Beverly Cleary is one of America's most beloved authors. As a child, she struggled with reading and writing. But by third grade, after spending much time in her public library in Portland, Oregon, she found her skills had greatly improved. Before long, her school librarian was saying that she should write children's books when she grew up.

Instead she became a librarian. When a young boy asked her, "Where are the books about kids like us?" she remembered her teacher's encouragement and was inspired to write the books she'd longed to read but couldn't find when she was younger. She based her funny stories on her own neighborhood experiences and the sort of children she knew. And so, the Klickitat Street gang was born!

Mrs. Cleary's books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the American Library Association's Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, presented to her in recognition of her lasting contribution to children's literature. Dear Mr. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. Her characters, including Beezus and Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph, the motorcycle-riding mouse, have delighted children for generations.

Beverly Cleary's profile page

ANDREA MARTIN was cast in the 1970 American touring company production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, in which she played Lucy. During the tour, she visited Toronto, fell in love with the city and moved there. Soon after, she was cast in the legendary Toronto production of Godspell with fellow performers Victor Garber, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Gilda Radner, Jayne Eastwood and Paul Shaffer, the musical director. Martin has appeared in numerous theatre and television productions in Canada, the most notable being Toronto’s Second City stage show, which led to the critically acclaimed SCTV. She has been honoured by Canada’s Walk of Fame and Toronto’s Women in Film & Television awards. Martin has also received four ACTRA awards, two Geminis, two Emmys, and two Tony awards, the most recent for her highly acclaimed role as Berthe in Pippin. Her film credits include Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, as well as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. In the spring of 2014, Martin opened on Broadway in the American premiere of James Lapine’s Act One, based on Moss Hart’s autobiography. Martin divides her time between New York and Toronto when she is not interfering in the lives of her grown sons, Jack and Joe, who reside in Los Angeles. Visit her at www.iamandreamartin.com and follow her on Twitter @iamandreamartin.

Andrea Martin's profile page