evergreenplayers.org

Our Town

By Thornton Wilder [G]

Directed by Craig Bond.

Change comes slowly to a small New Hampshire town in the early 20th century. People grow up, get married, live, and die. Milk and the newspaper get delivered every morning, and nobody locks their front doors. First produced and published in 1938, this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of life in the small village of Grover's Corners has become an American classic and is Thornton Wilder's most renowned and most frequently performed play.

Director's Notes

Thornton Wilder wrote the play to be a realistic time capsule for the early 1900s in an upper east coast small town. The play unfolds as realistic slices of the lives for the characters that appear, and yet the beauty of the piece is that Wilder wanted to challenge the audience by deliberately having the action pantomimed. Why? Why would he strip away all props and scenic furnishings forcing us to focus on the slow moving pace of this town with realistic timing and expression in the acting? You may find your own answer after watching it, but to me his message is that sometimes in life we as human beings get caught up too much on the physical demands of the day to day living, and forget that to simply be alive is a wonderful thing. That each day is a tremendous opportunity for us all to value and appreciate our time on earth.

Something else for us all to think about is the character of the Stage Manager in this play. Why does Thornton Wilder give us the Stage Manager role at all? Why would he write a timeless character that can move in and out of scenes and breaks the realism that he has created? Is she a mere guide, the playwright's voice, or something much deeper? If you want to share your thoughts please do.

In this fast paced, cell phone ridden, no costumer service, technology driven society that we all live in; the message of the play still can ring clear - that in life, human beings miss some of the most marvelous things that happen to us each day, because we are too self aware or overwhelmed with the day to day tasks of living. Shouldn't we all just slow down and think about what is important to us in our interactions each day - as we really stop and look at one another. If so, perhaps watching this play tonight will be the first steps for each of us to slow down and strip away the layers in our own play to see was is truly happening in our lives.

I am so proud of this play and the Evergreen Players Board for presenting it. Especially, when you consider that most theatrical producers believe that plays have to be high spectacle and cutting edge themed pieces to be relevant to their audiences. Our Town is a masterful look at life through a quietly paced small town before technology and modern society hits it. Can we still find value in a stage play that depicts a town from over one hundred years ago about a simpler life? Well I hope you can, and that is the reason that I wanted to direct it and thank you for seeing it. --- Craig A. Bond

Cast

Richard Arnold Prof. Williard, Samuel Craig

Rich Arnold has been involved with the Evergreen Players as an actor, stage manager and sound technician since 1996. Rich most recently portrayed Linus Larrabee Sr. in the Evergreen Players production of "Sabrina Fair". Rich is employed by the National Park Service in the Information Technology profession. Rich and wife Pamela have lived in Evergreen 11 years and have thoroughly enjoyed working and playing with the Evergreen Players.

Cheryl Atkins Dead Woman 2/Choir, Wedding/Funeral

Cheryl Atkins is excited to make her debut with the Evergreen Players in her second production ever, as one of the dead women. Her stage debut was as enchanted architecture in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. She is loving every moment in this new world of enchanted columns and animated dead people - long live theater.

Whitney M. Ayers Emily Webb

Whitney is please to be walking the boards again with the Players. She lives and works in Littleton, and her favorite roles include Babe in "Crimes of the Heart" and Brooke in "Noises Off". She has enjoyed working with the cast and crew of "Our Town" immensely. She would like to thank her friends and family for always being there to support her! Sindo, you're still the one who makes my heart race!

Craig Bond Director

Craig is thrilled to be back in the directors seat for the third time with the Evergreen Players. His last two projects were Marvin's Room and the Last Night of Ballyhoo. He is the Artistic Director of Vintage Theatre Productions in Denver. He would like to thank Debbie and David for their support, Roni and Robert for their dedication, and Jon Bon for his ability to teeth and rehearse at the same time. To the cast and crew thank you for your participation in this crazy thing called theatre!

Katy Brackeen Mrs. Soames

Katy is thrilled to be making her first appearance with the Evergreen Players. This is her first show in over twenty years. It has been a great privilege to work with so many talented people.

Peter Burghart Howie Newsome, Understudy Male

Peter is thrilled to be back on stage with the Evergreen Players. He was recently seen in the Victorian's production of Barefoot in the Park. He has also been seen in the White Liars and An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein. He would like like to thank his friends and family for their love and support.

Deanna Gale Dead Woman 1, Choir/Socialist in Audience

Deanna Gale is excited to join Evergreen Players in her first production since college. She is thrilled to be back on stage after taking a brief hiatus to explore "real life." Not being all it's cracked up to be, she is enjoying every minute of performing in Our Town.

Maria Giovanetti Flower Girl/School Group, Dead Girl 1

Maria is a 10-year old aspiring, young singer and actor with a passion for musical theatre. She sings with the Colorado Children's Chorale and plays the violin as part of a youth orchestra. She is very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Our Town production.

Jeffrey Haas George Gibbs

Jeffrey Haas is proud to be involved for the first time with the Evergreen Players. Since Jeff started doing theater, he has found that the people are the best part of the theater, this show has been no different. Everyone involved has been great. Jeff would like to thank everyone for making this such a great experience.

Samantha Hansen Samantha Gibbs

Samantha is a 3rd grader at Wilmot Elementary. Our Town represents Samantha's first full length non-student production. Previously, she was a member of StageDoor Theatre's production of James and the Giant Peach and three Evergreen Players drama camps at Center/Stage. Samantha also enjoys playing the piano and Harry Potter books.

Mary Hatfield Lady in the Box, Dead Woman 2 - Understudy

Like many actors, Mary first appeared on the stage in The King and I when she was in third grade. Later performances included playing Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion and Phoebe in As You Like It in 1969 and 1970. Mary is grateful to have the opportunity to appear on the stage once again.

Susan Hickey Wedding, Abagail Craig

Susy Hickey has been with the Players for six years and has appeared in several of their productions. This fall, her short play, If This Had Been A Real Emergency was produced by the Theatre Company of Lafayette. Susy also presents training workshops to organizations through her company, Laughter Allowed.

Rob Holmes Dr. Gibbs

Rob Holmes, a local Innkeeper, has, with great excitment, volenteered here for his very first stage production, in his support of the Evergreen art community. He is active in both the Conifer and Evergreen Area Chambers of Commerce and working with many other communiy services in the foothills.

Addie Hubert Friend of Emily - Lois, Choir/Funeral/Dead Woman 2

Addie is very excited about Our Town. She would like to thank her parents for encouraging her when she needed it and her brother, Jack, for being her reason for life because, he is such an amazing person! She would like to thank best friend, Taylor, for being an inspiration and thank Craig for directing this fantastic show!

Haley Johnson Stage Manager

Upon concluding a summer of smash hits starring in Spotlight Theatre Company's "Run For Your Wife" and "Caught In The Net," Haley is thrilled to return to the Evergreen stage. Past shows with the Players include "Wait Until Dark" (Best Actress in a Drama - Colorado Backstage Spotlight Award), the award-winning "Independence" and this past spring's well-received "Moon Over Buffalo."

Robert Kramer Assistant Director

Robert is delighted to be back with the Evergreen Players. An accomplished actor and director, Robert is perhaps best known to Denver audiences for his performance as George in Chapter Two at Miners Alley Playhouse foe which he received the Spotlight Award for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy in 2005.

Ellen Leslie Friend of Emily, Choir/Funeral

Although this is Ellen's first show with the Evergreen Players, she is active in Clear Creek High School's theatre department. Her favorite role was Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, and she will portray Elaine in CCHS's fall production of Night Watch. She thanks her friends and family for their support.

Scott Leslie Si Crowell, Joe Crowell/ Si Crowell/Baseball/Young Professor

Scott Leslie has been active in theater since his eighth grade year in school. Since then he has preformed in many plays including West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, and Beauty and the Beast. Scott plans to continue his acting at CU boulder after graduating from Clear Creek High School.

Willie Leslie Simon Stimpson

Although his children have played major and leading roles in several other productions, this is Mr. Leslie's first-ever stage appearance. He hopes you enjoy this timeless and poignant production. He thanks his wife, Andrea, and children (also in the play) for their encouragement, and certain other actors for dragging him into it.

McKinley MacGregor Ring Bearer/School Group, Funeral

This is McKinley MacGregor's debut to the theater. She has been involved in various informal theater-related activities with the Christian Youth Theater and King's Way Christian School in Vancouver, Washington. She is home-schooled and is active in dance and voice lessons, Girl Scouts and volunteering with Evergreen Animal Protection League.

Sean Maslow Constable Warren

Sean is an Evergreen resident and Colorado native. His wife, Paige, and sons, Landon and Xander, eagerly await his stage debut in "Our Town." Sean was last heard in Rabbit Hole Radio's Mythologica Series.

Erin McManis Friend of Emily - Helen, Choir/Funeral/Emily Understudy

Erin McManis is in the second decade of her saga called life. She has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and is currently flipping a house with her brother. He's teaching her all she'll need to know to survive her crazy cat-lady days of the future. She's gonna be rich.

Gary Muse Constable

Gary is pleased to be appearing in his first Evergreen Players production. He is no stranger to Center Stage, though, having appeared in five productions for the Evergreen Chorale, including his favorite roles (so far) as the Baker in "Into the Woods" and Charlie Brown in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."

Beanie O'Malley Young Emily, Friend of Emily/Choir

Beanie an 8th grader at Evergreen Middle School, enjoys playing clarinet in band and singing in choir. She was seen last in the EMS production of High School Musical. Our Town is her 1st show with the Evergreen Players. She thanks her mother for being so supportive and Jenn Langhus for being so inspiring in theater, and being the best voice teacher in the world!

Madeline Olson Wally Webb

Madeline is excited to be part of her first Evergreen Players production. She is in 7th grade and in Evergreen Children's Chorale. She has been in Prelude Chorale and countless school and church performances. At age 12 she takes the role of Wally Web and enjoys the experience of working with a local theater.

Nathaniel Ridder Baseball/People of the Town, Joe Stoddard

Nathaniel Ridder is thrilled to be a part of Our Town, his first theatrical performance.

Diane Rising Dead Woman 2

Diane Rising, of Rising Graphics & Printing and president-elect of the Rotary Club of Evergreen is pleased and excited to accept the role of a lifetime as a dead body in Our Town. She has studied for many years to be able to perform this challenging and difficult role, her first on stage. Much love and thanks to my bird Tico, who appeared at Center/Stage in Sabrina Fair, for paving the way for this role and to my husband Lyle for his unwavering support for this endeavor.

Danielle Samler Flower Girl/School Group, Dead Girl 1

Danielle attends Marshdale Elementary school in Evergreen. She is delighted to work again with Craig Bond, following his direction last spring of Vintage Theatre's production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dixie). Other credits include Gypsy(Baby June), Little Women-The Musical, The Miracle Worker, and the Sound of Music.

Kathryn Senft Woman in Balcony, Mrs. Concoran/Wedding/Funeral

Kathryn is thrilled to be part of the cast of Our Town. It is her first appearance on stage. She has always been behind the scenes constructing stage sets and working on the tech crew. Kathryn lives in Denver with her husband, Pat and two sons, Ian and Sean.

Olivia Rae Shaw Friend of Emily - Ernestine, Wedding/Funeral/Choir

Olivia is delighted to be performing with Evergreen Players for the first time. She is so grateful to her friends, who are always there for her. She wants to give endless thanks to her family for supporting her many ambitions and putting up with her frequent sing-a-longs to the radio!

Madeline (Maddy) Shipley Rebecca

This is Maddy's first performance with the Evergreen Players, and she is having a blast while learning lots. Maddy enjoys singing, dancing and acting. She performed in 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' at the Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre with the Evergreen Children's CHorale in 2006.

Cat Smith Mrs. Webb

Cat is very excited to be part of this production, she sends love and thanks to her family, friends and the audience for supporting live theater. Recent stage credits include Elaine, Arsenic and Old Lace & Sissy, Piece of My Heart (Spotlight Theater Co.), Elsie, What I Did Last Summer (The E-Project), and Evalyn, Rimers of Eldridge (Macklenburg Playhouse).

Bill Thompson Mr. Webb

Bill Thompson has written several plays, including Maxwell Edison and Walk Right In. He acted The Great Immortals in the olio for The Haunted Mine at Lonesome Place at the Red Rocks Community Theatre.

Donna Worley Mrs. Gibbs

Donna is thrilled and honored to work with Craig and Robert and this beautiful cast and crew. With love to Scott Gibson.

Production Crew

Images from Our Town

Photography by Ellen Nelson and other volunteers.

Emily Webb (Whitney Nuchols) and George Gibbs (Jeffrey Haas), watched disapprovingly by Mr & Mrs Webb (Bill Thompson and Cat Smith)

Mrs Gibbs (Donna Worley) comforts her son George (Jeffrey Haas)

The Stage Manager (Haley Johnson) guides Emily Webb (Whitney Nuchols)

"I always say: Happiness - that's the great thing. The important thing is to be happy."

"Myrtle Webb, he offered me three hundred and fifty dollars for Grandmother Wentworth's highboy, as I'm sitting here!"