Our Town
at St. Andrew's Episcopal School

Reviewed on November 2, 2019

Colleen McGuire
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

The whistling of a train bustling over the tracks impedes the blissful silence of a town at rest. The cock crows, and it is May 17, 1901. The town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, prepares for a typical day. But unlike the citizens' seemingly predictable lives, nothing is typical about this showing of Our Town. St. Andrew's production of the Thornton Wilder classic demonstrated the complexity of small-town life with charismatic characters and consistent energy that left the audience on the edge of their seats through even the most mundane of daily events.

Wilder's fourth-wall breaking portrait of American life has been a staple in theaters all over the world since its debut in 1938. The story follows young couple George Gibbs and Emily Webb as their love progresses, bringing the audience through the key moments of their lives together. With the Stage Manager acting as the play's narrator, the intended effect of a "play within a play" is apparent upon first glimpse. With its absence of props, productions all over the world have been forced to rely on emotion and line delivery to convey the heartbreaking story. St. Andrew's delivered upon Wilder's intended effect with skilled performances, allowing the audience to see themselves in the lives of the townspeople.

A mostly bare set with lighting instruments strategically placed on the stage itself contributed to the concept of a play within a play, effectively expressing the non-traditional concept of the show. Even without any props, none of the story was lost among the audience, with various dramatic effects to showcase the actions of the characters at various points throughout the show. Notably, actors snapping their fingers to portray the breaking of peas and skillfully pantomiming daily actions. Parker Dymond's portrayal of the stage manager was another facet in the audience's understanding of the plot, providing necessary context and a narrative of life in Grover's Corners. Dymond maintained energy and the audience's attention through lengthy monologues of seemingly mundane actions, demonstrating the culture of the small town.

George Gibbs (David Stevenson) and Emily Webb (Olivia Kindfuller) touched the hearts of the audience, their chemistry evolving into their love. They painted an all-too-real picture of awkward teenage relationships with their nervous flirtations and fear of rejection. The emotional intensity of the pair grew throughout the play, with George's growing vulnerability and love for Emily ultimately culminating in Stevenson's poignant display of anguish as George visits the grave of his wife.

The symmetry between the Gibbs and Webb families allowed for a deeper understanding of life in Grover's Corners, providing a look into the average American household at that time. Mrs. Gibbs (Caroline Milne) exemplified a stern, yet caring, mother, her at-times worrisome personality demonstrating a reality for most parents. The comedic timing of Rebbeca Gibbs (Charlotte Lobring) and Mr. Webb (Oliver Bush) brought some relief to the heavy topics in the play, with Rebecca and George's playful brother-sister relationship being brought to life by Lobring and Stevenson.

Aided by the dramatic effects and energetic storytelling, St. Andrew's effectively accomplished Thornton Wilder's vision of an intimate exhibit of small-town life. The passionate displays of emotion captivated the audience, telling a story of love, hate, bliss, and despair that transcends time period.

Bella Fisken
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Although life may seem uneventfully simple in a small town, diving into the lives of its people unearths a whole new understanding of what it means to savor every moment of life. In St. Andrew's Episcopal School's production of Our Town, a tale of trials and tribulations presents itself through all phases of life, love, and death.

Written by Thornton Wilder in 1938, Our Town transports audiences to the fictional town of Grover's Corner. The Stage Manager causes the story to unfold by bridging the gap between reality and fiction, clarifying the plot, and engulfing the audience into this charming and timeless town. As the tragic love story of Emily Webb and George Gibbs plays out, the production depicts the lives of the unique townspeople and tells the tale of love, loyalty, and lost time.

The show is undoubtedly a hefty challenge; however, it is a challenge that St. Andrew's Episcopal School rose to admirably. The cast and crew's portrayal of Grover's Corner was immensely successful. The minimal technical elements meant that it was up to the actors themselves to create much of the world in which their characters lived. The commitment required by miming their props and defining their own spaces served to ground the actors in the world of Grover's Corner.

At the heart of the production were the sweet lovebirds themselves: Emily Webb (Olivia Kindfuller) and George Gibbs (David Stevenson). The two actors seamlessly portrayed their challenging transition from wonderful, adolescent awkwardness to a refreshing story of love and loss in an utterly convincing manner. Further driving this relationship along was the witty, well-spoken Stage Manager (Parker Dymond). Dymond was responsible for narrating details the audience couldn't experience throughout the twelve years, and he did so with humor and liveliness that flawlessly tied together every piece of the characters' puzzling life.

Each supporting character brought a unique perspective to the stage. Most notable was Mrs. Gibbs (Caroline Milne) who portrayed the weariness and compassion of an overworked mother with eloquence and grace. Other memorable performances included Mr. Webb (Oliver Bush) who created a delightfully humorous atmosphere, as well as Rebecca Gibbs (Charlotte Lobring) who lovingly played the nagging younger sister figure every audience found endearing.

The aesthetics of the performance were true to Thornton Wilder's original vision of Our Town: a minimalist show with nothing but ladders, tables, and benches on stage. Instead of props, the cast convincingly pantomimed such actions as walking a horse and preparing string beans for the winter. Sound effects were executed seamlessly, delivering them in perfect sync with the actors' motions while being unobtrusive to the action taking place.

Our Town is meant to examine the importance of companionship and living "two-by-two," and St. Andrew's Episcopal School did not disappoint. The cast showed dedication to their roles and reinforced the importance of living even the most typical of days to the fullest.

Elise Tsao
Independence High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Boredom is all in the eye of the beholder, postulated Thornton Wilder in his 1938 play, "Our Town." After all, even in a town mundane as Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, with ordinary people, living relatively pedestrian lives, a story worth telling unfolds.

"Our Town" is a play in three acts, told by a disaffected, omnipresent narrator known merely as the Stage Manager. In introducing the play, the Stage Manager offers many an expository soliloquy, functioning to explain the little quirks of the residents of Grover's Corners. It becomes apparent that the Gibbs family and the Webb family are the forefront of the story; acts two and three follow the marriage, life, and death of the Gibbs' family son, George, and the Webb's family daughter, Emily. Throughout, the Stage Manager serves to observe and comment — sometimes dry, sometimes somber, but always with an air of clinical detachment — on the procession of events.

Hands in pockets as he sauntered across the stage, Parker Dymond perfectly captured the nonchalance of the Stage Manager, watching people's lives of the past play out. As a lead actor, he accomplished the frankly impressive feat of building up a relationship directly with the audience — the droll wit of the character combined with the characterization of the Stage Manager made for a very winsome performance. From his wry comments to his delivery of the longer, philosophical interludes, Dymond cultivated an excellent physicality that fit the Stage Manager well. Olivia Kindfuller also exemplified the shy, naive character of Emily Webb strongly. Kindfuller showed the desperation of Emily to relive her life, and her rude awakening in the face of that experience. It is, after all, through Emily that the audience sees the anguish of death, and it is she who shows that, ultimately, death is what sweetens every minute of life left.

Family plays a key role in the foundation of the entire play, and few more so than the mothers of both families. The audience, in the introduction, is treated to a distinct parallel between the Webb and Gibbs families in the morning chaos. Apart, it is clear that both mothers provide the backbone of their respective households; together, the dynamic between Mrs. Gibbs (Caroline Milne) and Mrs. Webb (Michaela James-Thrower) is almost sisterly. This pairing helped develop the simple atmosphere of small, American town, from their good-natured gossip to debilitating pre-wedding panic as their children are married.

Props, tech, and lighting in this production were in keeping with the minimalist writing and setting. In the case of the first, props were not used at all — everything was mimed, from eating cereal to mowing a lawn. Lighting was simplistic, and complemented the tones of each scene well; the set consisted of two tables, two arbors , a door, and a number of chairs. All doubled as something else; not one was wasted. The lack of props meant creative interpretation of the script and good acting; in one scene with the mothers stringing beans, the actresses snapped their fingers to emulate the action and sound of snapping string beans.


Fundamentally, "Our Town" demonstrates that a good production has no real need of props or special effects; similarly, a story has no real need of a dramatic backdrop to render a profoundly human experience. Although "Our Town" centers around the everyday, the cast and crew of St. Andrew's Episcopal school for the show was anything, but ordinary.

Margarita Gamarnik
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theater Guide

Perhaps considered to be one of Thornton Wilder's most evocative works, Our Town at St. Andrew's Episcopal School posed the question: "does anybody ever realize life as they live it?" This play, written in 1938 and set over the course of several years in the early 20th century town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, follows an unorthodox structure, complete with three acts and using metaphysical devices as well as a minimal material set. With its many curious quirks, pantomime and breaking of the fourth wall to name a few, Our Town has garnered a popular following, being one of the most commonly produced American plays.

The action of the play is driven by Parker Dymond as the Stage Manager, who so smoothly transitions from narrating the sunrise of the early morning to interacting with the characters within the show. With a pleasant, rhythmic voice and motivated movements, Dymond was a master storyteller, sticking with the audience through times of joy and sorrow, and everything in between.

George Gibbs and Emily Webb, played by David Stevenson and Olivia Kindfuller, respectively, expertly portrayed the development of their tender relationship, from the earliest stages of innocent homework help. Kindfuller immediately established Emily's girlish characteristics while also leaning into her confident persona, delivering outspoken monologues and unapologetic remarks. Stevenson possessed a gentle demeanor that complemented Kindfuller's excitability, a genuine bond blossoming between them. The sweet awkwardness, a sensation familiar to most who have embarked into a new relationship, was tangible and sincere throughout the first act when the lovebirds were just beginning to realize their feelings for each other. A shift in the second act took George and Emily's puppy love to a deeper level, which Stevenson and Kindfuller successfully reflected. A particularly memorable scene in which Stevenson and Kindfuller's masterful chemistry was highlighted was the ice cream soda shop. Marked by stolen glances, flirtatious hand movements, and expressive body language, this moment of theatre was executed with unparalleled honesty and commitment, a testament to the thoughtful character work of Stevenson and Kindfuller.

Even when playing apart, the connection between the two leading actors was powerful. In the tragic third act, Kindfuller strayed from the self-assured character of Emily she established earlier, delivering a heart-wrenching monologue before Stevenson broke down sobbing at her feet. Both actors demonstrated significant emotional maturity throughout the show which peaked in intensity in the final act. Telling a love story as complex as George and Emily's could not have been easy, and Stevenson and Kindfuller not only fulfilled this task but did so with flying colors.

The Gibbs and Webb family boasted mothers and fathers that supported their subsequent children as well as shone individually. Caroline Milne as Mrs. Gibbs displayed physical maternal instincts and possessed a soft yet stern personality that was absolutely believable. As Mr. Webb, Oliver Bush's protective father front was weakened after his adorably lighthearted interaction with Stevenson's George on his and Emily's wedding day.

Charlotte Lobring as George's sister, Rebecca Gibbs, brought a youthful edge to the otherwise mature show with crisply delivered lines and buouyant physicality. Lobring's childlike vocal inflection contrasted with her brother's steady tone, creating a realistic sibling dynamic. With quick quips and exaggerated gestures, Lobring showed off her comedic chops. Another standout was Jonas Blum as Simon Stimson, proving not only his comic knack as he helplessly conducted the church choir but also his capabilities as a dramatic actor through assertive diction and strong stillness in the graveyard scene.

The residents of Grover's Corners enjoy the simple pleasures, with St. Andrew's lovely production proving no exception.