Our Town- Page 2

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 5:02pm

Actually it worked wonderfully. After the 1st and 2nd act the stage mananger would like pass on the duty, you would have to see it to understand.

If you didn't see it (Which you obviously haven't) Don't speak on what you didn't see.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 5:06pm

Out of respect for Thornton Wilder's wonderful contribution to theater, I think the role of the stage manager should be kept to just one person. We are talking about one of greatest plays in American history. Can you imagine Hamlet with two Hamlet's?

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 5:13pm

Did I direct my production, no?

I don't think having different stage managers affected the show in a negative way. It worked quite well.

So if you didn't see my production. Don't speak about it. thank you.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 6:11pm

Please remember that Mary Martin was supposed to play "The Narrator" in the musical version of the play called GROVER'S CORNERS by Jones and Schmidt.

Oh, and Yenta, I saw a production of HAMLET at Dowling College where 5 actors played the title role and recited the "To be or not to be" soliloquy in unison. Each actor was supposed to represent a different aspect of Hamlet's personality. It didn't work.

[DefyGravity23]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 10:42pm

First of all I love this play. We did it at my high school a few years ago (I wasn't in it because I didn't try out) and everyone hated it and said it put them to sleep, except me! I loved it, and I cried too at the end. Glad I'm not the only one who has respect for the play.

Second of all...I think the idea of two stage managers could be interesting. I remember when watching Our Town, the hardest part of watching it was to focus on what the narrarator was saying because he would just rattle on and on at parts. I mean, the guy playing him was a very good actor, but it was just a lot to take in when you've been sitting there for so long. Having two narrators would liven things up a bit for the audience. Though I truly think it could work either way.

People have changed things around with famous plays before. I've seen shakespeare done so many ways, it's crazy. Plays aren't supposed to be done exactly the same every single time, especially when they've been done so many times. Of course, if you're going to take risks, you have to be willing to deal with the people who won't like it.

Just my two cents.

[broadway86]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 10:51pm

"Having two narrators would liven things up a bit for the audience."

Thank you, DefyGravity. If I didn't think that this concept wouldn't be an intruiging storytelling choice, I wouldn't have done it. I also don't believe that it will affect the audience's view on the piece. Regardless of what you may think of it, it's an aspect that excites me and I can't wait to direct that.

"I see it as a very amateur approach because to me"

How so? I don't think that a student director would try something like that. At least, none that I know. I'm not doing it to give enough people roles. I chose the cast out of the best actors in my school's theatre department. There are two specific actors who have a maturity and dignity far beyond their years. I asked them to read certain lines together, and it worked beautifully.

"Where is your production taking place?"

In Grover's Corners. No, I'm kidding. I go to school in Long Island.