Templeton Drama to present ‘Our Town’
Our Town explores topics of life, love, and the human spirit
– Templeton High School Theatre Arts will present Our Town, a powerful play by renowned American playwright Thornton Wilder that “uses small-town life to convey the universal truth that we take life for granted, never recognizing the importance of small moments until it’s too late.”
Performances are at the Templeton Performing Arts Center on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 4 and 5, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 6, at 4 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 13, at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through templetondrama.org or at this link. Cost is $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors and students.
Our Town is a story about the past that reveals much about our own present and future. Its focus on ordinary families, living their lives quietly in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the beginning of the 20th century, reminds us of the pleasures of the mundane moments we take for granted, but which we would give anything to have back again as we face the inevitability of our own mortality.
Grover’s Corners is a community where everybody knows everybody – for better or for worse – where love flourishes, babies are born, and people die. In fact, the dead speak eloquently – and even pityingly – about those still living who have been left behind. Our Town is a play that reminds us how precious each tiny moment of our lives is, even while those moments fade so quickly from our memory.
Templeton theatre arts instructor Catherine Kingsbury directs this timeless play with its overarching themes of mortality and the impossibility of moment-by-moment carpe diem. Kingsbury points out that although the play is somber, “it’s also full of hope. I thought it might be a good one to explore at this time” as we move forward from the pandemic.
Katelann Harms plays the Stage Manager, with Joe Lusk and Tess Ryujin as Mr. and Mrs. Webb, and Brandon Garcia and Katherine Carter as Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs. Abigail Haller plays Emily Webb, and Cole Fairchild plays George Gibbs.
The Templeton High School Theatre Program fosters skills and knowledge of theatre arts and nurtures personal growth and creativity in students through educational theatre. The program also entertains and educates its audiences with a wide variety of plays and performances from many eras and genres. THS Drama actively promotes community involvement in theatre arts as a life-long endeavor.
Kingsbury’s philosophy as a theatre teacher and director stems from being a high school educator first. It’s important to her that the students learn skills and information that will help them at the next level of their education or career training—whatever that may be. If they want to pursue a career in theatre, then they will be well prepared. If they want to pursue a career in anything else, they will also be prepared with good communication skills and work ethics, especially working in a team environment.
Please be aware of COVID-19 requirements:
• Audience members will wear masks at all times.
• Seating is limited and there will be a buffer between ticket orders of two seats on either end and one in front and back.
• All seating is assigned. No changing seats.
• No intermission or concessions.
• Show is 90 minutes long.
• Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to show time.
• Late arrivals may not be seated and will not receive refunds.
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