It’s hard to imagine any of the great American plays from the 20th century that have had more of an impact upon the art form and performance medium of theater itself than Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” – let alone upon the countless audience members who have seen the play since it was first performed in 1938.
How many times have we heard or read about this or that now-classic play having been ignored or underappreciated upon its debut? Not surprisingly, that was never the case with “Our Town,” which earned almost instantaneous, nearly universal acclaim, and was regarded as a classic, right off the bat.
A national treasure, playwright and novelist Wilder was born on April 17, 1897, and you can bet that the 125th anniversary of his birth is receiving the kind of hoopla deserving of a writer whose work has touched so many.
With its upcoming staging of “Our Town,” South Coast Repertory is the only Southern California theater to produce one of Wilder’s seminal works in recognition of this landmark year. It joins a lengthy roster of events occurring nationwide throughout the coming year to honor the occasion – some 150 worldwide productions of his plays – including the world premiere of his unfinished play “The Emporium” at Houston’s Alley Theatre – and new published editions of many of his plays.
