Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” may take place in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire in the early 1900s, but even today it still goes right to the heart of the human condition.
It is often described as the story of the courtship and marriage between two young lovers George and Emily. But Curt Columbus’ sensitive staging of this Pulitzer Prize-winner by Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Arts Exchange Program for young audiences reveals that it is so much more. It is not a sentimental story, but a thought-provoking drama. It portrays the numerous townspeople as they go about their humdrum everyday lives with meals eaten too fast, dreams unfulfilled, feelings barely expressed and little time to snatch moments of simple pleasure or to enjoy culture or to struggle for social justice.
Columbus follows Wilder’s instructions and keeps the scenery and the props to a minimum. Scot Cooper’s set includes some tables and chairs, a few old doors and windows that allow juxtoposition of past and present. The early setting of the play and contemporary life also come together in the talented multicultural cast, which illustrates that the town in the play could be our own neighborhood.
The actors provide the subtle sounds, whether it be spoons clinking together, the tinkle of a bell or a bird’s song, until the audience is immersed in the ambiance of the town. Du Shon Monique Brown as the stage manager whose narration moves the story along, jump-starts the imagination with her description of the visual aspects of the place. Columbus’ staging proves that simplicity, sincerity and vitality can be just as moving as any spectacular special effects. He has an obvious love for all of the characters in spite of their flaws, and the actors inhabit their roles as if they were tailor-made for them, creating a palpable sense of community. It makes the ending in the cemetery all the more poignant as people look back at their lives and realize they had only skimmed over the surface and failed to stop to appreciate the wonders of the world.
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“Our Town”
When: Through Nov. 21
Where: Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted
Phone: 312-335-1650
