Our Town
- Previews are Sep. 12-17 | Opening night Sep. 18
- By Thornton Wilder
- Directed by Rose Riordan
JUMP TO: Dates, Run Time, Playbill, & More
An irrefutable classic of the American theater, this Pulitzer Prize-winning work transports us to Grover’s Corners, a small New England town at the turn of the twentieth century whose secret desires, family conflicts, loves and losses are resoundingly familiar to us today. This beloved drama receives a fresh interpretation at PCS, inviting us to ponder what is today, and celebrating both the marvel of everyday existence and the “something way down deep that’s eternal about every human being.”
General Performance Times:
Evenings: Tuesday - Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Matinees: Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Thursdays at noon
View the season calendar.
Run Time:
Approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes; including two intermissions.
Who’s Who:
View the cast and creative team bios.
Playbill:
Explore the playbill.
Learn more about Thornton Wilder.
Our Town is recommended for ages 12+. Contains theatrical haze and may spark conversations about the meaning of life, and the sweet craziness of being in love. Children under 6 are not permitted at any PCS production.
Resource Guide:
Download resource guide (PDF)
More About This Production
“Our Town’s” Lauren Modica
The Our Town cast features Broadway vets, local favorites and new talent to our stage. We recently chatted with cast member and Portland native Lauren Modica about what Our Town means to her.
The Life of Thornton Wilder
1897 Born in Madison, Wisconsin (April 17)
1906 Moves to Hong Kong in May and to Berkeley, California in October
1906-1910 Emerson Public School in Berkeley
1910-1911 China Inland Mission School, Chefoo, China (one year)
1912-1913 Thacher School, Ojai, California (one year). First play known to be produced ...
A Journey Through “Our Town”
A Journey Through Our Townwith Production Dramaturg Mary Blair
What’s in a Name?Imagine Our Town had been called M Marries N. That’s the title Wilder considered when he scribbled out a list of play ideas on July 2, 1935. Just two weeks earlier, the ...
“Our Town” Cast and Creative Team
Our Town
By Thornton WilderDirected by Rose Riordan
Cast
Shawn Fagan*……………………………...............................Stage Manager
Paul Cosentino*…………………………...............................Dr. Gibbs
Chris Murray*................................................................Joe Crowell, Jr./Si Crowell/Mr. Carter and others
Vin Shambry*……………………………...............................Howie Newsome
Gina Daniels*……………………………................................Mrs. Gibbs
Tina Chilip*………………………………................................Mrs. Webb
Sathya Sridharan*…………………….................................George Gibbs
Hailey Kilgore……………………………..............................Rebecca Gibbs
Henry Martin.…………………………................................Wally Webb
Nikki Massoud*…………………………...............................Emily ...
What People Are Saying
Our Town has critics raving and audiences gasping!
"Intimacy and universality blend to move us deeply in Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Our Town. ... Simply put, the production is a glowing triumph for the company
"PCS’s classic opening is surprisingly fresh ... [the production] soars in the caliber of its performance. ... When the curtain rose on Act 3, the audience gasped." -Willamette Week
"There are a handful of works of art I would put on my "must see or hear" list, works that move me to the point of understanding; Beethoven's Symphony No. 9; Jamie Wyeth's The Red House
"Theaters always have a big choice to make as far as whether to produce a classic exactly as written or to give it some twist to make it their own. The twist Portland Center Stage employs is equal parts subtle and bold and is very effective. ... While the actors give us subtlety and realness, Rose Riordan's staging gives us beautiful theatricality. ... And then there's the moment when the curtain goes up on act three. I'm not going to give it away, but what I saw was stunning. The staging in this final leg of the show is beautifully haunting and worth the price of admission. -Ut Omnia Bene
"There is nothing like a great stage production of Our Town to make a person a believer. Portland Center Stage will make you one with its stunning production of the Pulitzer Prize winner ... So what makes this a great play in 2015? Let’s start with great directing. Rose Riordan nails it. Timing. Humor. The perfect innocence and honesty of the characters. She and the cast not only capture some of life’s sweetest moments, but also make them ours." - Judy Nedry
Current & Upcoming
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Adult Class : TWELFTH NIGHT, Before & After
Join veteran actor Joe Costa for a unique opportunity to take a “deep dive” into both Shakespeare’s text of Twelfth Night, and the PCS Production. Participants will read the play out loud as a group, with “intermissions” provided for lively discussion of themes and content. Interested participants will have a chance to act in selected scenes, guided by the instructor.
Improv Comedy: Love, Shakespeare
Witness the Magic of unscripted Elizabethan comedy! Step into the offbeat world of Love, Shakespeare, where seasoned Portland comedians attempt something audacious: performing a fully improvised Elizabethan play based on your suggestions!
Albina Music Trust presents A Brown Branch Christmas
Celebrate this holiday season with A Brown Branch Christmas at Portland Center Stage. Now in its fourth season, this two-night big band celebration features directors Domo Branch and Charlie Brown III guiding a heavy 15-piece lineup of regional and national musicians.
BIPOC Affinity Night DJ Party with ALoSo
Join us for a double feature BIPOC Affinity Night, featuring a live DJ set by ALoSo, plus holiday craft market vendor tables, art exhibits by Albina Music Trust Wall to Wall Sound and Jason Hill's Favorite Things, with complimentary select drinks provided by Multnomah Whiskey Library and Deschutes Brewery while supplies last.
Winter Teen Academy: Scene Work
Calling all teens! Are you looking to expand your acting skills and be the best scene partner you can be for your fellow actors? In this class, we will dig deep into scene study, character motivation, and active listening, while learning the necessary questions to ask in every rehearsal situation. You'll develop fuller characters and deeper relationships on stage by partnering in scene work — and have lots of fun too!
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
Production Sponsors
2015–2016 Season Supporting Sponsors
