Overview

Synopsis

A landmark in American drama, Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town tells the story of a small town, Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, in order to tell us the story of every town, the whole world over. Narrated by the “Stage Manager”, we follow the Gibbs and Webb families, residents of Grover’s Corners, through twelve years of life changes -- from the mundane in Act I, “Daily Life,” to the romantic in Act II, “Love and Marriage,” to the devastating in Act III, “Death and Eternity.” Through the young lovers Emily and George, their strong and loving parents, and the many other Grover’s Corners’ locals, Wilder delivers universal truths about what it means to be human. “Oh, earth,” Emily Webb exclaims towards the play’s end, “you’re too wonderful for anyone to realize you.” With humor, wit, and exceptionally powerful storytelling, Our Town offers a unique opportunity for audience members to make precisely that realization.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1938
Genres
Drama
Settings
Period, Simple/No Set, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
grover’s corners, new hampshire, 1901 - 1913
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Large Cast, Middle School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Child, Early Teen Characters

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Stage Manager

Lead

Either Gender

Spoken

George Gibbs

Lead

Male

Spoken

Emily Webb

Lead

Female

Spoken

Dr. Gibbs

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Mrs. Gibbs

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Mr. Webb

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Mrs. Webb

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Mrs. Soames

Featured

Female

Spoken

Simon Stimson

Featured

Male

Spoken

Rebecca Gibbs

Featured

Female

Spoken

Wally Webb

Featured

Male

Spoken

Howie Newsome

Featured

Male

Spoken

Joe Crowell, Jr.

Featured

Male

Spoken

Si Crowell

Featured

Male

Spoken

Professor Willard

Featured

Male

Spoken

Constable Warren

Featured

Male

Spoken

Joe Stoddard

Featured

Male

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

    A performer strategically placed in the audience to interact or influence the scene, often used in immersive shows.

    The deliberate use of stylized, non-naturalistic elements in theatre to emphasize that the production is a constructed artistic creation.

    Innovative performance styles that challenge traditional theatre conventions.

    A form of self-referential drama where the play draws attention to its own theatricality. This device challenges the audience’s suspension of disbelief and is used in Epic Theatre and postmodern works.

    A small-scale representation of a larger concept, often used in plays to explore universal themes through confined settings.

    A theatrical style that emphasizes simplicity in staging and dialogue to focus attention on core themes and performance.

    A narrative voice that knows all thoughts, actions, and events. Omniscient narration is used in epic theatre and storytelling to provide a broad, external perspective.

    A performance style using exaggerated physical gestures and expressions rather than speech. Pantomime is a key component of Commedia dell’arte and children’s theatre.

    A member of a Protestant sect that opposed theatre in 17th-century England. Their influence contributed to the temporary closure of theatres during that era.

    A character or theme denoting impermanence, often used to explore societal change or alienation in drama.

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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