If you don't know anything about Our Town, it is a simple tale about a fictional small town named Grover's Corners in New Hampshire starting in 1901. The first act (Daily Life) shows us daily life as represented by two families - the Gibbs, and the Webbs. These two families are neighbors, and the show starts with us seeing a somewhat regular day in their lives, and in the life of the townsfolk - milk being delivered, choir practice at the church, the policeman doing a nightly walk, etc. All of this action is helped along by the Stage Manager (Jeremy Stanbary) who introduces the audience to the town, the characters, sets the scene and sometimes interrupts a scene so that the story can move forward. At times the Stage Manager even becomes a character in the scene when needed. The key to this show is that it is metatheatrical - meaning it is constantly clear that we are in a theatre, watching performers play the script, and we are reminded of that. There are no props, everyone mimes making dinner, drinking coffee, carrying books, etc. The set pieces are simply some tables, chairs, a bench, and some ladders. All of this is again a reminder that this is a fiction we the audience is watching. This is how Wilder wanted the show to be, and to be performed simply, without sentiment, yet sincerely.
The second act (Love and Marriage) takes a closer look at two of the characters, and their relationship. Emily Webb (played by Jillian Ehlke) and George Gibbs (played by Jonah Smith) have been neighbors and friends since youth. We are shown the day (the actual date really, in the soda shop) where they realize that they are in love, and act two ends with their marriage. These two actors really carry the second act and it is a joy to watch them. Both play their characters fully, and it is so clear that the relationship between the characters has changed and grown since we first saw them in act one.
Act three is titled Death and Eternity, and it is exactly what you may think. Nine years have passed since the wedding at the end of Act Two, and now we get to experience the perspective of characters who have passed, and watch them welcome a new member to the deceased. It is in this act where we find the point of the play - how so much of life is missed while we live it. It seemed that the goal of taking away all the props, and set, and scenery is to focus the audience on the small aspects of life - and that is where real life is, in the small things. When the play was first performed in 1938 America was nearing the end of the Great Depression, and while life was very tough for a lot of people - perhaps the aspect of drawing focus to the small things in daily life, and receiving joy and satisfaction from those was an important message. The play has been performed around the world and so there is clearly a universality to the message. It is a good reminder that often it is the small gestures of kindness, the small moments of stillness in a busy day are the moments of joy and satisfaction. Or maybe that is how I see things.
If you have not seen a production of Our Town, or even if you have, this production at Open Window is fantastic. Directed by Kari Steinbach, everyone is invested and owns their time on stage - not drawing attention to themselves, but truly inhabiting their character and just being. Craig Johnson, Katie Kaufmann (as Mr & Mrs. Gibbs), and Peter Colburn and Katherine Kupiecki (as Mr & Mrs. Webb) are wonderful to watch. Their interactions ring so true to the time period, and also to the universal quality of relationships. The remainder of the cast is a true ensemble, playing various parts yet being so true to each and every character they play. It really is a wonderful cast, and wonderful production.
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