Our Town - The Beauty of the Mundane

Note, the play of Our Town uses common names, to help clarify, within this article as we introduce the performers and characters, we will be italicizing all character names and bolding all of the full names of the performers. 

Our Town is considered a classic American play. The play's first performance was January 22, 1938 in Princeton, New Jersey. It played on Broadway as well, opening February 4, 1938, and it was then that the author Thornton Wilder received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Over the next several decades, Broadway saw multiple revivals of the show, and these revivals were often nominated for or received awards. The show has seen many variations as well including a radio play, a couple of different musical adaptations, television adaptations, a ballet, an opera, and, can be seen in Season 2 of "The Big Door Prize" on Apple TV+ where the students at the local high school turn it into a WWE (wrestling) performance. Our patrons may be familiar with it as a common staple of high school dramatic literature as it’s commonly produced by high school students all around the country. 

For those unfamiliar with the story, it may feel complex at the start, but the themes and plot are, at their core, straightforward. The play is always set in the actual theatre where it is being performed, so, in our case, The Lofte Community Theatre. The date is May 7, 1901. It follows the residents of a small fictional town called Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The Stage Manager is a character in the play and introduces the “play-within-a-play” style of the production. However, while our Stage Manager may serve as a narrator, and explain parts of the play, the heart and soul of the story focus on two young people who grow up together in the town, and fall in love. Our Town addresses how fleeting our lives are and how important it is to find joy in every moment. But also a bit of hope and forgiveness - you will not appreciate every moment - but maybe you can get a few of them!

Gregory Stoj, who is playing Mr. Carter, explains it well. “Our Town has a thought provoking message about living wrapped up in a snapshot of life.”

Bill Bossman, a performer who is playing Professor Willard, mentioned a time where he appreciated the moment, and recalls one of those ‘life snapshots.’ Bill says, “I remember standing next to my mother at our old kitchen sink and drying dishes with an old cotton dish towel as she handed each dish to me. I hated that chore. The plates were scalding hot, and I would do anything to get out of it. Looking back, I would give nearly anything to be able to stand there with her and do it once more.” 

Jeanne Saddi, who is playing Mrs. Gibbs, speaks of the first time saw Our Town as a teenager, and how it resonated with her. “All of our big milestones are made up of small, routine moments that push us in the direction we are meant to go.” Jeanne recalls enjoying sitting on the patio of a house in New Braunfels, Texas, listening to the birds and the nearby river. “The challenge,” Jeanne mentions, “is to be aware and appreciate even the seemingly unimportant choices and every day interactions to truly see the wonder and beauty of the relationships that we create with nature and each other.” 

Evan Dunker, who plays a Baseball Player, noted that as he has worked on this play and reflected on its meaning, he has learned “to appreciate all of the seemingly insignificant moments of my life. Not just the big moments like birthdays.” 

Simon Stimpson is played by Scott Pope. Scott reflects on the enduring nature of the play written so long ago. “It still relates to society today. As you proceed through the show you will recognize each person in your life. You can relate the characters to people you know today.” Scott also recounts trying to be present, even when his work had him traveling. “I had a mentor tell me ‘stop and enjoy. Always call home when on the road, and when you are home, be present, be home.’ That’s easier said than done, but it’s something I have always tried to do.”

Randy Wallace plays Constable Warren. Randy has had the fortunate opportunity to perform in It’s a Wonderful Life recently, and he noted some similarities between the stories. In It’s a Wonderful Life, the small things we do are proven to be quite significant to other people, while in Our Town, the small things we do should also be significant to us. “Our lives are really just a series of small decisions and moments, and it is these that we remember - these are the things that shape our existence.” 

Performer Stan Tracey, who plays Charles Webb, observed, “One can view the play and come away from it thinking that there really isn’t much to the story.” As we mentioned, the story is simple, one of growing up and falling in love - the story of life. “But,” Stan continues, “in experiencing Our Town, in actively listening to the story and reflecting on the universality of the ideas presented, it really asks the viewer to kind of pause and appreciate all of the things make us who we are and connect us to other as we go through our day.” 

Actress Rebecca M. Krause, who plays a woman in the balcony and the choir, looks forward to sharing this message with others. “To be honest,” Rebecca says, “I leaned the lessons that Our Town teaches already. A few years ago I had a severe health crisis that really forced me to reconsider my path in life.” As a result, Rebecca started to work for a nonprofit and became more involved with community theatres. Her past experiences have helped her walk in the shoes of the citizens of Grover’s Corners. “Any time I go kayaking, I have to set my paddle down and truly breathe in the lake air, watch the wildlife, and empty my mind. It’s a good life, all of it, and I’m grateful to be living it.”

Wyatt Baker plays George Gibbs, one of the young members of the town who grows up there, falls in love with someone there, and works to live his life there. Wyatt has some things of his own he has learned through this process. He says, “George remarks in a scene that ‘new people aren’t any better than old ones.’” For Wyatt, his take away has been the people in his life, and finding how each one is important. “Whether you’ve known an individual for years, or they’re a close acquaintance who only had a small chance of meeting you… value them. Through the importance of the mundane would be my second takeaway. Not valuing or treasuring it necessarily, but just how necessary it is. They all realize that the intense or exciting experiences happening away from their home, these different opportunities, are not what matters most. These are not the things that are happening to them, it’s not their day-to-day. The characters in Our Town don’t place an emphasis on trying to “break free,” so to speak. Even when things were the same, and not necessarily exciting, it didn’t matter, because he was happy.”

George Gibbs falls in love with a young girl called Emily Webb, who, in our production is played by Hanaa Tatby. Hanaa also agrees that the importance of the mundane is a strong take away here. “Each moment… similar to breath, it comes and goes without most of us ever noticing it at all. Until you do. And that becomes a practice.” Hanaa adds, “Each day is a gift. And how lucky am I to live it all. Every, every minute…”

The entire cast and crew would like to invite you to join us at the Lofte Community Theatre for a performance of Our Town. Patrons can purchase tickets at lofte.org/tickets or by calling the box office at 402-234-2553. Performances are May 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, & 11. Shows start at 7:00 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 2:00 on Sundays. The concession stand will open 1 hour before the show begins, and the house will be open for seating at this time as well.