In 1938, Thornton Wilder won the Pulitzer Prize for his play “Our Town” which tells the simple story of two families and the twisting and turning screws that are the everyday occurrences of life and death in their small town, the fictitious Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire.
For residents of this area who have seen or read the play, you’ll know that setting seems quite familiar indeed as Wilder, such is believed, based the play in part on life he observed in Peterborough while staying at the MacDowell Colony.
For those who haven’t seen or read the play, an opportunity does present itself this week at ConVal High School with the drama department’s production of “Our Town”, directed by ConVal junior Abby Theberge.
Last week, as a lead up to the production, students in the cast and crew met over video call with Tappan Wilder, Thornton Wilder’s nephew. There, they discussed the play and the playwright and the experience as a whole as well as received valuable feedback and advice as Tappan Wilder not only is of relation to the playwright, but acted in the play as well. As “Our Town” is a play based in subtlety rather than outright truth, it’s undoubtedly important to receive multiple perspectives.
“Our Town has a plot,” says Theberge, “but it’s not necessarily the main focus.”
True enough, it is remarkably easy to dismiss “Our Town” as a somewhat surreal exploration of small-town life, and while that stands on its own, that’s not what’s given the play it’s true staying power.
What continues to draw audiences to “Our Town” after all these years is how it conveys the universality of being human and for Theberge the ephemeral nature of life.
“I’m only sixteen, but still the thought that life is fleeting –especially as I get closer to college — I think really resonates,” Theberge said.
As this production is put on by high school students, many of which are freshman, that resonation of youth and the passage of time quite visibly beat on to a fervent drumline.
ConVal’s production of “Our Town” features Amy Braby, Jack Craig, Katherine Craig, Theo Cross, Alissa Cutting, Nicole Davison, Brianna Decker, Raven Fleck, Aria Frehner, Margot Kratzenberg, Hadi Lancaric, Zoe Nevers-Hiers, Grace Phillips, Natalie Preble, Haley Serafine, Connor Simmons, Stuart Stone, Caroline Stulz, Greta Topping, and Elianna Williams. Shows are Nov. 14-16 at 7 p.m. in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre at ConVal. Tickets are available at cvlht.com
Additionally, ConVal’s relation to Thornton Wilder does not end with this performance, as the plans for the performing arts center which will bear his name continue. The Thornton Wilder Center For The Arts, previously known as the Fill The Void project, seeks to provide a state of the art performance space for the community and school alike, something that is extremely different to provide right now given the limited venues at ConVal. More information on the project is available at www.thorntonwildercenterforthearts.org.