By now you’ve probably heard the lesson that screen time is killing us. It makes us communicate less with each other, get distracted more easily, and use all kinds of apps, maps, texts, tweets, posts, pokes, likes, loves, GIFs, and memes that aren’t real, live human beings. , now relies on emojis. face.
Television shows, movies, and plays have long propagated these themes through a plethora of content, but when the world stopped in 2020, storylines incorporating these themes of disconnection became even more powerful and pervasive. . Looks like Babs was right. People in need are the luckiest people in the world.
But whether it’s the media of the past 25 years, a global pandemic, or even our favorite diva Barbra Streisand, we’ve been reminded of the need for a precious interwoven humanity. There wasn’t any. Long before they came along, there was playwright and novelist Thornton Wilder.
In 1938, his play our city It premiered in Boston, then on Broadway, where it won the Pulitzer Prize. Since then, numerous revivals have been staged on Broadway and it has become a popular option in schools, universities, and community theaters around the world.
Now, Kenny Leon and his talented creative team are breathing new life into this timeless story of small-town America in a Broadway revival starring Jim Parsons and an all-star cast. .
Not much happens in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, a small New Hampshire enclave “just over the Massachusetts border.” Parsons plays a nameless, ubiquitous stage director who serves as a town guide. Before introducing Dr. Webb (Billy Eugene Jones), his wife (Michelle Wilson), newspaper editor Mr. Webb (Richard Thomas), his wife (Katie Holmes), and their two families, he showed me the layout of Grover’s Center. Corners finished his explanation with, “It’s a lovely city, you know what I mean?” As far as we know, not a single person of great note has come out of it. ”
As Wilder intended, Parsons breaks the fourth wall and speaks to both the audience and the village’s residents. According to Professor Willard (Shila Leffner), the population is only 2,640, so it’s no surprise that everyone knows each other. (It’s a surprisingly small space, but our city At 27 people, the cast currently boasts one of the largest ensembles in a Broadway play.
The three acts are our city: It talks about “everyday life,” “love and marriage,” and “death and the afterlife,” as well as when these activities begin and end. We are constantly reminded of the fact that we are watching a play, as if Wilder had taken a page from Shakespeare’s concept that “all the world is a stage, and men and women are but players.” It seems like.
In this production, as in other productions, the sets are minimal and there are few props. Wilder’s original intention was to “restore the importance of the small details of life by stripping away the scenery. The audience uses their imagination to imagine the action, recreating it in their own heads.” In the healthiest of times, the theater has always shown the least amount of scenery.”
Although sparse, Beowulf Boritt’s set sets the tone for the entire show, with its rustic walls and vintage hanging lanterns gently lighting the theater, creating a calm, meditative atmosphere. It’s a gentle, humbling reminder that Grover’s Corners is just like our own microcosmic community. An important but subtle thing beneath a sea of stars.
our city It’s truly an ensemble piece. There’s a quiet restraint in the actions of all the cast, a stoic demeanor that suggests they can weather any storm life throws at them. And although the story is said to be set in 1901, Leon inserts modern-day songs and opens the show with a scene in which several cast members take selfies of themselves. He also diversified the small town. These elements provide a modernity that forces us to look at our lives and communities.
our city is not the most dramatic work ever written, and neither is this one. That can’t be true. Instead, it reflects ordinary people going about their ordinary activities, living their lives to the best of their abilities, and facing challenges with sobering reality.
Towards the end, Emily Webb (Zoey Deutch) says: Have humans ever experienced life while they were alive? – Every minute? ”
Perhaps that recognition is often ignored or lost. Fully realized without being lost is this wonderful production that, if we could only look up from our phones, would be grateful for the live theater and the gifts of those we cherish most. .
Our city (★★★★★) It runs at Broadway’s Barrymore Theater (243 West 47th St) through January 19, 2025. Tickets range from $74 to $321. visit www.ourtownbroadway.com.
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Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
