WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange High School Drama Department’s production of “Our Town” faithfully represents the spirit of author Thornton Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, tugging at the heartstrings of the audience with humor, whimsy and pathos.
“Our Town” tells the story of the everyday lives — and deaths — of the residents of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, over a 10-year period from 1903 to 1913. Primary and secondary characters appear throughout the three acts, titled “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage” and “Death and Eternity.”
A nice touch is the short musical interludes that utilize contemporary songs like Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game,” Elvis Presley’s “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.”
The show is staged as a play-within-a-play, with the stage manager serving as the narrator. Weaving the threads of everyday life with the joy of marriage and birth and the sadness of death, the play forms the tapestry that is Grover’s Corners.
As death is explored in the third act, character Emily, who has died young giving birth notes that the living “just don’t get it.” She explains that we are so busy we never stop to appreciate our lives and the importance of those everyday moments and those around us.
“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it — every, every minute?” asks Emily as the play comes to an end.
The play runs approximately two hours and is recommended for children middle school age and above.
Remaining “Our Town” performances are Nov. 3 and 4 in the West Orange High School Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
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