William Inge was a significant 20th century playwright whose Kansas-based origins were present in his plays. He wove personalities from his life into stories people wanted to hear—his heart always on display and his characters representing the everyday men and women. With portraits of small-town life and settings rooted in the American heartland, Inge became known as the "Playwright of the Midwest".

As a drama critic at the St. Louis Star-Times, Inge met fellow theater-lover Tennessee Williams and was inspired to start playwriting. Inge’s Broadway play The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Music Box Theatre) is dedicated to Tennessee Williams.

Other Broadway works include Bus Stop and his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Picnic (Music Box Theatre), Natural Affection and Come Back, Little Sheba (Booth Theatre), A Loss of Roses (Eugene O'Neill Theatre), Where’s Daddy? (Billy Rose Theatre), and Summer Brave (ANTA Playhouse).