FSU Theater Program presents Our Town by Thornton Wilder

FSU Theater Program presents Our Town by Thornton Wilder

Nov 1, 2016

Framingham State University’s new Theatre Program in the department of Communication Arts presents OUR TOWN, by Thornton Wilder, winner of the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Playwright Edward Albee hailed OUR TOWN as “the finest play ever written by an American.” It is a play that is performed at least once a day somewhere around the world and for three nights it will be coming to Framingham State University.

Performances are scheduled for November 17th, 18th, and 19th at 7:30 p.m. in the Dwight Hall Performing Arts Center. Tickets are free for students, faculty and staff and $15 for the general public. Reserve your seat at www.showtix4u.com.

A beautiful play about the simple things that enrich our lives and make it meaningful, OUR TOWN explores the very universal themes of love, family, friends, loss and community.  When experienced, audiences are often surprised at how timely the play is and always will be.  It has to do with human beings struggling in the massive chaotic context of the universe – is there anything more timely than that?   If you think this brilliantly crafted play is merely one that feels comfortable, “like home,” and non-threatening you will be surprised to find that it can be, at times, unsettling and ironic. Wilder is dealing with humankind’s larger questions and the feeling that every living person has that – once we reach adulthood - life is going by too fast and we don’t have time to open our eyes , see it and experience it.

Young George Gibbs (Kyle Hicks) and Emily Webb (Tiffany Santiago) are full of dreams and desires.  They fall in love, marry and live out their lives in a small New England town - Grover’s Corner, NH - a microcosm of the magnificence of everyday life.  The audience is welcomed into the lives of George and Emily and the diverse people of Grover’s Corners by an omniscient Stage Manager (Brandon Bledsoe) who warmly guides them on a complex journey of discovery.

Director Kate Caffrey says “it is a very timeless play about the things in life that matter the most.  Mindfulness is a term that permeates contemporary society. Some think of mindfulness as a new concept, something that we are becoming more aware of – and yearn for – today because our lives are so full, busy and seemingly overloaded with tasks and digital information.  In OUR TOWN, Wilder explores the concept of mindfulness and one of the constant struggles that people have always faced - being present ‘in the moment.’  This seemingly simple play written almost eighty years ago is actually quite deep and rich. It has been fun for the students at Framingham State to explore and discover the many layers in the play.  Like all great plays, the message touches the human heart. The struggles the characters face are so universal that everyone can find some of their own experience in the production. “

Cast and crew includes: Brandon Bledsoe (MARLBOROUGH), Ben McNally (LANCASTERr), Gina Iacoviello (NORTH ANDOVER), Kyle Bunker, Dani Umanita (ROWLEY), Marielle Sciore (NATICK), Kyle Hicks (BOSTON), Madison Nannery (MARLBOROUGH), Tiffany Santiago (WEST SPRINGFIELD), Ashley Herbert (BOSTON), Michael Terra (SEEKONK), Anthony Gabrielle (Wilbraham), Tori Riley (FRAMINGHAM), Brittany Yates (MEDWAY), Bethany Norman (DEDHAM), Brittany Caswell (PEPPERELL),  Tim McDonnell (ABINGTON), Victor Palencia (MARLBOROUGH), Elaria Loia (UXBRIDGE), Kate Caffrey (BELMONT), Erik Fox (SOMERVILLE)

About Framingham State University

Framingham State University was founded in 1839 as the nation’s first public university for the education of teachers. Since that time, it has evolved into a vibrant, comprehensive liberal arts institution offering small, personalized classes on a beautiful New England campus. Today, the University enrolls more than 6,000 students with 58 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences and professional fields. As a State College and University (SCU), Framingham State prides itself on quality academic programs, affordability, and commitment to access for all qualified students.