Our Town is one of the greatest plays of it’s time. “Our Town is not offered as a story of life in a New Hampshire village or as a speculation of life after death but as an attempt to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” as Wilder stated in his preface to Three Plays. This drama was performed on November eighth and ninth 2001, by the West Seneca East Senior High Drama Club and directed by Kathryn Chesley.
Our Town is a simple play trying to express the importance of taking joy in things that often are overlooked. This is mainly done through the two main characters, George Gibbs and Emily Webb, two young friends who fall in love and get married. The play consists of three acts. The first act is the introduction of some of the major characters. The play is told and narrated the Stage Manager who acts as tour guide, disseminating information and data and introducing the characters, typical people in a typical small town. George’s father, Doc Gibbs is the town’s doctor. His wife and George’s mother is Mrs. Gibbs. George also has an older sister, Rebecca. On the other side Emily’s father, Editor Webb, is Editor of the town paper and is married to Mrs. Webb, Emily’s mother. Emily has a younger brother named Wally Webb. The plot seems rather odd at first with the only common bond between acts being the development of George and Emily’s love. Other then that each act is a progression of years showing bits of everyday life. In act one it seems as though George is interested in only baseball, while Emily tries to find out whether any one will ever like her and if she is pretty or not.
The Essay on Our Town George And Emily
... together and Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb go to choir practice together. Act I is when George and Emily meet and get to know ... clever. (Phelps 2881). He brought small town life in America to theatres with his play Our Town. Wilder expressed many values in his ... of many other works. (Miller 3974) Our Town is a play that represents typical American small town life in the 1900 s. The ...
When the second act rolls around George becomes more interested in Emily and they end up having a shake together. By the end of the second act there are a Mr. and Mrs. George Gibbs. The whole third act takes place in a cemetery. The beginning is a funeral precession for Emily and as she is in the graveyard she and the rest of the people who have died since the beginning of the story talk. It is expressed that every little thing in life should be cherished and you won’t know exactly how much you will miss it. Emily tries to go back but cant stand the pain of re-living her life. Throughout the play comic relief is added by secondary characters like Simon Stimpson, the choir leader and town drunk along with background characters like Howie Newsome a farmer and milkman.
The scenery was very simple. The stage was set up with a road and two houses. While either house tops or a church steeple hung from the ceiling. No props were used instead characters used pantomime and acted out their actions as if they actually had props.
The acting was great. An amazing performance was put on by Pat Williams who played the role of Stage Manager. His performance was very convincing, his speech and actions seemed as though he fit right in with the time period. Another great performance was put on by both Rich Hernandez and Kelly Greiner, playing the roles of George Gibbs and Emily Webb.
