By JESSICA NEU

Walking into the Playhouse theater for their current production of Thornton Wilder’s classic play, Our Town, you are greeted with a barren stage immersed in three-quarters-in-the-round seating, with various light fixtures perched above the stage. As the cast takes the stage, we are immediately transported to the fictitious, but now somewhat iconic, town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20th century. 

Director Ricardo Vila-Roger’s production of this timely and timeless play runs through April 12th at Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse. The poised cast approached the classic play with a profound stoicism that was both captivating and engaging. The play’s simplicity offers a much-needed “pause button” in our current fast-paced digital world. This production is a welcome slice of Americana that allows us to sit in on the everyday pleasantries and the mundanities of ordinary folks nearly 120 years ago as they make breakfast, go to school, attend choir practice, and tend to their bean crops. What makes Our Town profound, however, is the rich character development that occurs in everyday life. 

The first of three acts introduces us to the townspeople. With a collective deep inhale and exhale, the Stage Manager (Cecilia Staggers) serves as the stoic narrator, leading us through each act. She is calm and direct, but gentle, ever-present, seemingly all-knowing, and occasionally breaks the fourth wall by directly addressing the audience, thereby adding to the already high level of audience engagement. Act one takes us through daily life around the town. We meet Mrs. Gibbs (Emilee Edick), her husband Doc Gibbs (Benjamin Kucharski), their children George (Rayhan Khimji) and Rebecca Gibbs (Kennedy Hawthorne), Mrs. Webb (Ocean Chang), Mr. Webb (Gabriel Hammesfahr), and their daughter Emily Webb (Emma Delaware). We see a strikingly relatable life, despite the story taking place at the turn of the 20th century. Both the Gibbs and the Webbs wrangle their children down to the breakfast table to get them ready for school. Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb work tirelessly to prepare three meals a day while keeping the house tidy, and Mrs. Gibbs revels in the delight of taking her time to gossip with the girls on the way home from choir practice. 

Scenic designer Johnmichael Bohach’s sparse but effective set allows ensemble members to move about the space with ease and offers the actors the opportunity to pantomime many actions – opening and closing doors, eating, preparing meals, washing dishes, etc. This physical acting further engages audience members, making them feel immersed in the town. While the ensemble is perfectly in tune with one another, weaving through the drama and hilarity of life, the Gibbs and Webb families, along with the Stage Manager, largely carry the show’s plot.

Edick and Chang are superb matriarchs – poised multitaskers who are exhausted, but full of love and wisdom. Both have a commanding stage presence that opens Wilder’s script to expose the brilliance in exploring the minutiae of daily life. Kucharski and Hammesfahr are delightfully aloof, but dedicated to both their families and their craft. The children’s relationship is wonderfully endearing and also provides the catalyst for much of the plot development. Both Khimji’s and Hawthorne’s performances grow as the show progresses, culminating in a powerful and emotional third act. 

Part of what makes Our Town regarded as one of the greatest plays of all time is the tender, timeless moments the characters share. There is a poignant scene between Emily and Mrs. Webb, in which Emily questions her physical beauty. A coming-of-age moment between George and Emily at the ice cream shop that is sure to evoke memories of your first love. A heartfelt, honest conversation between the future father and son-in-law in Act Two brings humor and relatability to many audience members. Questions of injustice and the preservation of present memories for future generations remain true today. The well-known “used furniture salesman” scene between Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb shows the inner yearnings of the traditional housewife. The wedding scene is a cornucopia of emotions that prompt us to ponder time, age, and life’s fleeting moments. And the short, but impactful “chopping wood” scene certainly speaks to the former teenager in all of us who fought to avoid adult-like responsibility. 

Together, the townsfolk and audience unite in Wilder’s words. We are reminded that life is precious, mortality is inevitable, and that both pain and beauty can coexist in our communities and in our daily lives. Relatable characters punctuate Wilder’s poetic words, transporting us back to a slower, but perhaps not simpler, time. When asked about his play in 1938, Wilder stated, “Our Town is an attempt to find a value above price for the smallest events in our daily life.” Our Town indeed offers a gentle reminder to slow down. One day, life will suddenly not be as it once was. There is a finality to everything. For now, may our days be as fluid as the train that rolls in and out of Grover’s Corner, and may we appreciate the duplicity of the wonders and hardships that comprise our everyday lives. 

TICKETS AND DETAILS

Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Company’s production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town at the Pittsburgh Playhouse Highmark Theatre in Downtown Pittsburgh has performances April 8 – 12, 2026.Tickets at: https://playhouse.culturaldistrict.org/production/101118

Categories: Arts and Ideas

Tags: Pittsburgh Playhouse Conservatory Theater, Point Park University, Ricardo Vila-Roger, Thornton Wilders 'Our Town'