Our Town

#1

Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:51pm

Just wanted to see what you guys thought of this play, er... masterpiece.

I'm a college student, but I was recently given the opportunity to direct a full-scale production of it, which will play this December. I'm excited, because students don't normally get that chance. Anyways, I was reading it for the first time in months today, and I started crying.

I'm only making one major change to the show: I'm having two stage managers, one male and one female.

#2

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:54pm

That could be an interesting choice for the Stage Manager. I've done this piece a couple of times, and have never flagged in my devotion to it. Timeless and magical - and relevant to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

#3

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:56pm

As I've mentioned in earlier threads, this is my favorite play.

Somewhat off-topic: I went to the Jacquelyn Kennedy exhibit in DC a couple of years ago. A seating chart was displayed for one of the dinners hosted at the White House, and Thornton Wilder was one of the guests.

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Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#4

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:59pm

"That could be an interesting choice for the Stage Manager."

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. The two actors I chose, not only have great chemistry, but have dignity and maturity beyond their years.

Updated On: 4/14/05 at 02:59 PM

#5

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:00pm

While it would push boundaries of the time period evoked, it would be interesting to have the female read the minister's role

#6

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:00pm

I adore this play - it's my favorite.

2 stage managers? I don't think it's an improvement. I'm not saying you are, but I hate when people change things just for the sake of changing something.

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#7

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:06pm

I'm not changing it just for the hell of it. I think it's a really fascinating concept and could probably add something.

#8

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:06pm

I don't necessarily seeit as adding or subtracting anything from the piece overall - but it DOES provide one more opportunity for someone to be involved in the project, and that's not really a bad thing in an educational environment.

#9

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:07pm

True dat, DGrant.

#10

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:11pm

A production performed at The Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda, MD used Pat Carroll as the Stage Manager and she was wonderful and quite effective. It's the first time I had seen that role played by a woman, and I don't think it matters who plays it. It will be interesting to see how you incorporate the two.

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Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

Updated On: 4/14/05 at 03:11 PM

#11

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:11pm

2 stage managers is "fascinating????????????"

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#12

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:13pm

Yes. Not only is it something that you rarely (if ever) see, but there's no reason why it shouldn't work.

#13

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:18pm

No, there's no reason why it shouldn't work and no, it's not something you usually see. Does it add to the piece? No. While it certainly doesn't detract from the piece, I see it as a very amateur approach because to me, it just cries out "I'm doing this at school at more people need roles." While interesting and different, fascinating? How is it fascinating?

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#14

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:18pm

I saw a version last November that had 3 stage managers. Not because the director wanted to shake things up, but because it was a play production class and everyone had to have a role, so he split it three ways. I didn't find it distracting at all.

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http://community.livejournal.com/ltd_brands_suck/

#15

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:18pm

Where is your production taking place?

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Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#16

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:40pm

I saw a production in Nashville where the Stage Manager played the guitar...sang some lines here and there...played while he spoke...like a roving story teller or minstrel. It was a GREAT choice...made the whole evening feel very warm and welcoming. Very much a hometown feel. I loved it!

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So long status quo/ I think I just let go/ You make me want to be/ BRAVE

#17

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:52pm

This is SO strange... I was looking through my Literatie book today, and happened upon a few acts of Our Town. And, because I was curious, I hotted down Thorton Miller and Frank Craven's names. I don't know, but this is way creepy that this popped up today!


Ot, whatever their names were. Hehe.

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I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.

Updated On: 4/14/05 at 03:52 PM

#18

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:55pm

"I saw a production in Nashville where the Stage Manager played the guitar"

Which group did it in Nashville?

I'm having to agree with munk: 1 stage manager. (It should be a man).

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#19

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:02pm

Actor's Bridge in Nashville.

www.actorsbridge.org

Are you familiar with them? I took some classes with Bill Feehely and was also in their production of Trojan Women. They do a lot of interesting things.

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So long status quo/ I think I just let go/ You make me want to be/ BRAVE

#20

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:09pm

Gotham and munk- I'm not quite sure I understand you're view. It sounds to me like you are just wanting to continue the tradition and not be open to change. Maybe not, and you truly think the role HAS to be played like that, but it doesn't seem to me like you are even trying to think about it.

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"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife

#21

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:22pm

The Stage Manager functions as a narrator at times. By calling him the Stage Manager, the audience puts their trust in one person to lead them into the story. However, with more than one person, the alliances of the audience are split, it confuses them because they don't know who to "trust". If Wilder had wanted more than one person, he would have called them Chorus.

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Updated On: 4/14/05 at 04:22 PM

#22

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:24pm

Exactly. If Wilder wanted 2 stage managers, he would have written two parts. Don't mess with the masters.

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#23

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:27pm

I saw another production in DC last year where in the finale, Emily played her birthday scene in the kitchen by herself. The voice of her mother came over the loud speaker. It was a truly horrendous move on the part of the director to stage it that way and totally ruined the play.

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Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#24

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:49pm

I played Howie in this show. Nice show.

We had a different stage mananger for each act. And we had a female minister in act 2! It worked great.

#25

re: Our Town

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:54pm

A different stage manager for each act? That's awful.

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson