In the Footlight Club's "Our Town," director Katie Swimm uses the 1930s play's movement and music to tell the story through an ensemble of actors that reflect the diverse community of Jamaica Plain in 2018.
All photos are courtesy of Sacred Harbor Photography.
The Footlight Club is presenting "Our Town" in its final show for its 141st season.
Playwright Thornton Wilder penned "Our Town” in the 1930s when he was in his 30s, as a response to not being satisfied with theater of his era.
Uniquely, it is narrated by a stage manager and is performed with minimal props and sets. Wilder wanted to create something that was more direct, which led to the play’s distinctive self-awareness and breaking of the fourth wall, which was not common back then, and is a beloved aspect of the show now.
The Footlight Club's “Our Town” opens June 1st and runs for six shows through June 16.
The play follows the day-to-day lives of the citizens of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire between 1901 and 1913 through three acts. Throughout the play audiences follow the lives of the Webb and Gibbs families and their children as they go through all of life's scenarios.
There are 23 cast members in The Footlight Club's performance of "Our Town," which is being performed at Eliot Hall.
"Our Town" debuted on Broadway in 1938 and won a Pulitzer Prize for drama.
Edward Albee described "Our Town" as the greatest American play ever written.
The Footlight Club cast, 23 members strong, is led by Jeff Mitchell as The Stage Manager, and features Cara Guappone as Emily Webb and Zack Page as George Gibbs.
"Our Town" debuted in New York in 1938 with an out of town showing at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston.
The Footlight Club's “Our Town” runs for six shows through June 16. All performances are at 8 pm. Tickets are $22/$20 (for members). Click here to purchase tickets. The Footlight Club located at 7A Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain.