Looking for a stage piece that he could perform for benefits and fundraisers, in 1959 Morse debuted Merely Players on stage for the first time in Boston, Massachusetts.
lˈʊkɪŋ fɚɹə stˈeɪdʒ pˈiːs ðæt hiː kʊd pɚfˈɔːɹm fɔːɹ bˈɛnɪfˌɪts ænd fˈʌndɹeɪzɚz, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti nˈaɪn mˈɔːɹs deɪbjˈuːd mˈɪɹli plˈeɪɚz ˌɔn stˈeɪdʒ fɚðə fˈɜːst tˈaɪm ɪn bˈɔstən, mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts.