Our Town: A Synopsis


Thornton Wilder as the Stage Manager in a 1940 production of "Our Town"


Our Town is set in Grover's Corners, NH, during the early days of the Twentieth Century. In the play, The Stage Manager, a narrator-like character, leads the audience through Grover's Corners and into the lives of its citizens.

The audience meets George Gibbs and Emily Webb, their families and friends, and experiences first-hand the simplicity -- and complexity -- of small town life during this time of innocence.

This play is an exploration of what it means to be an American and the role we have made for ourselves in the universe.

Our Town was adapted to the screen in 1940 with a screenplay written by Thornton Wilder, Frank Craven and Harry Chandlee. (It's interesting to note that Frank Craven played the role of "Stage Manager" in the original Broadway production of Our Town in 1938) The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and renowned composer Aaron Copeland's music was nominated for Best Score.

Our Homepage Our Author:
A Biography
Our Play:
A Synopsis
Our Production:
A Gallery