Butler Little Theatre's 'Our Town' worthwhile
Nostalgic with a punch describes the Butler Little Theatre version of Thornton Wilder's “Our Town” opening this weekend at the theater at One Howard St.
This folksy glimpse into the life of Grover's Corners, a fictional town in New Hampshire, is best summarized by the stage manager, who calls it “the way we were in our growing up and in our marrying and in our living and in our dying.”
Wilder's staging with minimal sets and props was, in his day, an experiment and it was a bit off-putting as the play began. Once the characters started acting, that fell away and total focus was on the drama unfolding.
John C.R. Silbert as the stage manager was part grandpa and part God as he introduced the audience to the town and the people. His slow and easy manner made the stories he told engaging.
Emily Webb, the precocious and wide-eyed girl next door, was played by Taryn Pfeifer, who captured Emily's innocence and playful spirit as well as her mournful one. Her journey to awareness in the third act was moving and extremely well-acted.
Her parents, played by Ariana O'Donnell and Daniel O. Scheller, shared some tender moments with young Emily. Scheller was delightful in the morning before the wedding scene with the groom-to-be. O'Donnell was believable as the mother of the bride, struggling to embrace the changes in the family dynamic.
Luke Pfeifer played George Gibbs, the gangly baseball player of a boy next door. Reminiscent of a young Jimmy Stewart, Pfeifer captured the essence of George, coming of age and stepping into the role of husband.
His parents, played by Kevin Pritts and Danielle Jacobson, were a compassionate pair and delightful to watch as they interacted with each other.
Several cameos compelled the audience into bursts of laughter: Susan Sontum's portrayal of Mrs. Soames and Rodney Gasch as Professor Willard were noteworthy. Bob Meals, as always, was memorable as Howie Newsome, the town milk man.
Directed by Jeff Carey and produced by Danyle Verzinskie, the classic “Our Town,” which even at 80 years old continues to exude a timelessness asking the age-old question about merely existing or being fully alive and aware of the opportunities life brings.
If you've never seen “Our Town,” it's worth seeing in our town. The show runs through May 18.
