Sacred Heart University’s Theater Arts Program (TAP) is debuting its first show of the year, “Our Town,” on Sept. 29. at 8 p.m. in the Little Theater. “Our Town” will be performed from Sept. 29. through Oct. 2, and Oct. 6 through Oct. 9.
“Our Town” is a three-act play by Thornton Wilder. It tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire between 1901 and 1913 through the everyday lives of its citizens.
Freshman Nolan Young, who will be playing George Gibbs, said, “It’s split into three acts–daily life, love and marriage, and death and eternity. The play is overseen by a stage manager who knows everything about everything in town, and the actual story centers around Emily and George, who are two young people in town. The audience watches them slowly fall in love and get married.”
According to the Thornton Wilder family’s official website, the play had won the Pulitzer Prize for drama and is now considered an American classic.
“I think that people should come see this play because, at its core, it delivers a message about the importance of cherishing life and appreciating moments while we’re experiencing them,” said Young. “A lot of times we take things in life for granted, and this show does a great job at portraying all of that.”
In the musical, Gibbs and Webb, who are neighbors, are examined in relation to one another as their childhood friendship develops into a deeper relationship.
“Our Town’ is a classic, and to be able to act in it has been amazing,” said senior Zack Gaiero, who is portraying George Gibb’s Father. “Having the chance to bring Dr. Gibbs to life has also been a great experience, and I’m surrounded by a fantastic cast of motivated actors. It’s a really unique piece, it’s not full of drama and suspense like most contemporary pieces. Instead, it focuses on the everyday life of normal people, and it teaches us to love life for what it is.”
Junior Sam Eaton said it was a commitment being a lead role in this show.
“Since there are only a few weeks of rehearsal time, we practice almost every day. The diligent nature of the schedule makes it the best show it can be. From studying lines to knowing the stage directions, it’s important that every actor gets accustomed to the role and the direction,” said Eaton.
TAP is putting their own spin on the play in different ways by changing the theater layout to make the show more interactive.
“This show is different in numerous ways. Firstly, this show is being done on our Little Theater stage, and this is confusing – hard to follow where usually it takes a large, intricate set, where we are condensing it, making it fit the smaller theater. Secondly, we are making the cast part of the audience, so it is a fully immersive experience,” said Eaton.
There are multiple opportunities to see “Our Town” as there are eight different show times to choose from. Visit www.edgertoncenter.org for more information.
