By Michael Buzzelli
The Stage Manager (Cecilia Staggers) welcomes us to the burgeoning burg of Grover’s Corners at the turn of the century in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.”
The omniscient and omnipresent Stage Manager acts as the god (small g) of Grover’s Corners, citing facts and statistics, and even gathering local experts, Professor Willard (Nathan LeSane, III) and Editor Webb (Gabriel Hammesfahr), to pinch-hit with historical and anthropological data.
The aforementioned Stage Manager introduces us to two local families, the Webb family and the Gibbs family.
Mrs. Gibbs (Emilee Edick) is having trouble with her son, George (Rayhan Khimji), who has been playing baseball and ignoring his chores. George also has a crush on the neighbor girl, Emily Webb (Emma Delaware).
Even though “Our Town” follows many of its citizens, George and Emily’s romance is the centrifugal force around which the play rotates. The audience is invited to their most significant interactions, including their hesitant courtship, first date, and wedding day.
On the wedding day, Mrs. Gibbs is reluctant to let George go. She’s afraid he won’t be able to get on without his mother at his side. Later that same morning, Mr. Webb has an excruciatingly awkward chat with George.
Things move along happily for George and Emily, but “Our Town” has three distinct acts:
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- Daily Life
- Love & Marriage
- Death & Eternity
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Suffice to say, life has a bad habit of ending.
The cast is enormous, but there is no weak link. Each player seems to have an integral part to play in the small-town life of Grover’s Corners.
Because Director Ricardo Vila-Roger lets the actors lean into the humor, he lets Thornton get wilder.
Staggers (no stranger to Pittsburgh stages) is, much like her character, a force of nature. She is a warm, inviting host, filled with the gravitas of the role. She also manages to deliver humor with a wry smile or a subtle gesture.
Khimji is a breakout here. He is charismatic and charming in every scene, playing a younger George very differently from the older George (even though the age is only a few years apart). Young George is earnest and innocent. Older George stands up for his convictions and is passionate about his interests, especially his betrothed.
Delaware’s Emily also grows up between acts one and two, but learns the most during act three (even though the play is nearly a century old, there will be no spoilers here). Delaware has to hold Act Three together nearly by herself, but she does it with aplomb.
Hammesfahr figuratively and literally, leans in hard. The actor matches the kinetic and comedic spirit of a young David Hyde-Pierce. He is magnetic to watch. Each line is delivered with his own remarkable style.
Edick’s Mrs. Gibbs is a sympathetic character. She and Chang have a heartfelt scene together, shelling invisible peas. It’s superb acting from both actors.
Other standouts include – but are not limited to – Ocean Chang’s Mrs. Webb, Devin Claudio’s Howie Newsome, Kennedy Hawthorne’s Rebecca (“I love money) GIbbs, LeSane’s bespectacled Professor Williard, and Allie Wahl’s Mrs. “I love a wedding” Soames.
Damian Dominguez’s costumes are Abner Doubleday meets Edwardian elegance. Stiff collars and long dresses, perfect for the era.
There isn’t much to the set until a third-act reveal, which is a stunning work by Scenic Designer Johnmichael Bohach.
When the play starts, it’s dawn in Grover’s Corners, and Lighting Designer Piper Steffek brilliantly illustrates that morning light.
One note of improvement: Actors need to get a little better with their space work, the placing and replacing of imaginary objects. An actor sets down an imaginary cup of coffee on a table, and then glides his hand right through the space where the cup was last placed. If it were a real mug of coffee, it would have splattered all over the floor.
This is not your father’s “Our Town.” It bursts with energy. Because it’s so alive with humor, the third act’s impact is devastating. If you’ve seen “Our Town” and didn’t like it, now is the time to give it another try. And if you love the show, you must go!
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“Our Town” runs through April 12 at the Highmark Theatre, inside the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 350 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets or more information, click here.
