Thornton Wilder

A Play in Three Acts (Perennial Classics)

Our Town

Sarah Sammis

Our Town by Thornton Wilder is one of those American plays that you're just supposed to know. For whatever reason we didn't read it at our junior or senior high schools. I wasn't assigned it in college either. So it just sort of slipped by. And yet I knew it was a classic that I should have read; it's referenced all the time. It seems that whenever a play is shown in a film or television show, it's either Romeo & Juliet or Our Town.

The stupidest thing about me not reading it until now is that I love reading plays. My father did a lot of theater in high school and college and has these massive collections of plays. I can remember reading his books in front of the camp fire when others were toasting marshmallows for smores (and I love smores). So how I missed Our Town, I don't know. Shame on me!

One of my current reading goals is to stop compiling a wishlist without actually doing anything about it. If I want to read these books, I should make the effort to actually read them. That includes plays and the first play I chose was Our Town.

As soon as I started reading it and realized it was metatheater I was instantly and madly in love with the play. I tore through the play in one sitting and then went back and re-read my favorite parts.

Set in Grover's Corners, the play takes place on three different days in three different years. The Stage Director sets the stage for each of these eras, bringing the artifice of the play to the forefront and at least for me, inspiring self reflection and introspection on how fleeting time is and how artificial our lives sometimes are.

Best of all, I finally completely got "As the Day Runs Down." I had realized it was an homage to another story of some sort but I didn't recognize it. In my review I compared it to The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald but Our Town is the obvious fit. If I still had that issue of FSF around I would have re-read the story to compare it more closely with Our Town.

Jaclyn

Read this for my English class, very different play with a great message!

Teaghan Grayson

Considering he lived in my town for much of his life, I'm finally trying to get around to Thornton Wilder this year. I loved the play and hope I'll have the opportunity to see it live one day. The introduction by Donald Margulies is excellent, but much of the rest of the book, while containing some insights, feels much more like filler that was needed to stretch this very simple play into a 160 page book.

Kayla

The theatre program at my high school performed "Our Town" this year, and I had the pleasure of portraying Mrs. Julia Gibbs, mother of the male lead. Over these past few months, I have grown quite attached to Julia, and often find myself wondering about her motives, why she says the words she says or acts the way she acts. The first time we read over the script, we all laughed and joked and asked questions and cried a lot more than any of us would care to admit. The story is simple yet compelling. It made me think of things I've never thought of before. The plot is deep and complex but simple enough for all ages to understand. I highly recommend watching a version of this play (there are some great adaptations online if you look hard enough) or reading the novel script.

Drama of life in the small village of Grover's Corners.

Kate

I might knock this down a star just cause it's real sad and I didn't want to be sad right now

Jeni Enjaian

Review from my old blog ... 

When I placed this play on my reading list I did not know anything about it. Actually, I thought it was a book. Imagine my surprise when I picked it up from the library and saw written on the cover of the diminutive book "three-act play".

I opened the book and almost immediately became enraptured with the small New Hampshire town. I tried to recall as much as I could from my Creative Writing class nearly four months ago (now 6 years ;D). Some of the plays I read there (student works) were barely tolerable.

Wilder cleverly reveals information about the town and the characters a piece here and a piece there. Even though the stage manager simply states seemingly random information, Wilder has a purpose. Coming off of several Gilbert Morris books this sort of plot/character/and etc this was definitely refreshing.

An example of something that struck me and lured me deeper into the play was the Stage Manager's aside about a character whose name escapes me at the moment. This young newspaper-delivering boy would grow up get a great eduacation but just when he was poised to do great things in the world he dies in France in WWI. By so abruptly introducing this information Wilder jerked my heartstrings and lured me deeper into his profoundly moving play.

Once I reached then end I wanted to go back to the days of innocence just like Emily as and after she revisited her twelfth birthday.

A Quiet Little Library

4.5
I love plays that are so deeply rooted in reality and the day to day. There is nothing exceptional about what happens during the course of the play, but that is exactly what makes it exceptional. It is very cozy and homey, and is a glimpse into the life of a small town in the most simple and true ways. 

Rating may be higher once I have had more time to think.

 American novel and I agree. This was my second time reading it and was able to appreciate it in new ways. Relatable to most people, lots of existential pondering. Experimental in format that helps push the theme of the story. Going to make this a yearly read. 

Abigail F

Q&D- the preface said this might be the American novel and I agree. This was my second time reading it and was able to appreciate it in new ways. Relatable to most people, lots of existential pondering. Experimental in format that helps push the theme of the story. Going to make this a yearly read. 

Our Town A Play in Three Acts (Perennial Classics)

Reviews