March 2022 Issue 4
‘Our Town’ at Our School As the Harvey community entered the winter term, a new surge of Omicron swept through the nation and the school, infecting many people. But even amid such darkness, there were still signs of light, including a return to Harvey Performing Arts Department’s annual Upper School winter play. This year, the play was Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” directed by The Pulse’s faculty advisor Ms. Virginia Holmes. Not only that, but the play featured our editor-in-chief, Amanda Mohamad, as Mrs. Webb.
Featured in this issue: •
OP-ED
•
Faculty Features
•
Reports
•
Sports News
•
Reviews
It was an excellent way for the play to explain why it showcased what it did during the first two acts: because those dayto-day routines are what is worth preserving.
Now, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I’m not the biggest fan of live theater. However, I enjoyed “Our Town” quite a lot. What made the play especially interesting was the nature of how it played with its three-act structure. Each act took place at a slightly different time, which allowed the audience to observe the development of the characters and the change in the town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, between 1901 and 1913. We see stores close, new inventions arrive, and people grow and die. By the end, the town the audience sees is almost unrecognizable from the one we were introduced to at the onset of the play. The overall narrative focussed on two teengaer, Emily Webb (played by Aleah Ford-Sussman) and George Gibbs (played by Ted Clement), as they journey together through life and beyond. In the first act, we are introduced to them in high school, and through their eyes, we learn about the town of Grover’s Corners. We see their dreams and desires, and we see how they interconnect with each other and bond together. The second act takes place three years later, focusing on the marriage between Emily and George. What makes this act especially interesting is how it diverges from more classic “true love” narratives.
The Harvey School 260 Jay Street Katonah, NY 10536
By Spencer Elkind
The cast of “Our Town” during the curtain call. Photo courtesy of John Brooks.
Emily and George are barely adults by this point, so, of course, they would have some doubts about getting married. However, they also realize that it is worth a shot, and that they won’t know unless they try. This added detail makes any adaptation of the aforementioned trope seem less realistic. Finally, the third act takes place an additional nine years later, and both the town and its inhabitants are very different. Most of the locations from the first two acts are gone, and many characters have died. Even Emily died in childbirth, which serves as a good subversion of the classic happy ending. I was incredibly surprised by how out of left field the third act was. The first two acts told a small, almost anthology-like story about this town, yet the third act was profound. It explored the idea of eternity, the value of memory, and the idea that we should treasure the small things in life.
The real highlight of the play was, of course, the performances of the cast. It’s no secret that since I know and I am friends with some of the people in the cast, I would, under most circumstances, restrain myself from criticizing their performances. However, I am glad to say that is not going to be necessary this time around. The cast all did a fantastic job and embodied their characters very well. Within this amazing group, there were some standouts, especially seniors Julia Nelson and Leo Saperstein as the Stage Managers. Despite their parts mainly relying on exposition, they served an integral role in introducing us to the world and characters we would follow over the rest of the play. They both did an excellent job in tackling this important responsibility. The Harvey adaptation of “Our Town” was an amazing play with great performances and a deep overall message. With productions like this one, Harvey theater will continue to prosper for a long time, producing plays like “Our Town” and beyond.