MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance students are proud to present “Our Town,” a play that presents the story of the fictional American town in the early 1900s through the ordinary daily lives of its citizens.

“Our Town” runs Thursday, Feb. 27, through Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday, March 2, at 2 p.m. at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre at 615 Champion Way.  

Tickets are $10 for general admission, $7 for seniors and $5 for students K-12. They can be purchased online at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php or the Tucker Theatre box office before each performance.

MTSU students, faculty and staff can attend for free by presenting their current university ID at the box office. No late entry will be permitted after the box office closes.

Directed by assistant professor Lauren Shouse, “Our Town” was written by Thornton Wilder and was first performed in Princeton, New Jersey, on Jan. 22, 1938. The three-act play was later successful on Broadway and earned the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

“Our audience can expect to see a new take on ‘Our Town’ as we approach this timeless story with a focus on community,” Shouse said. “The play asks whether living in the present in every moment is possible. While that is challenging in our daily lives, we hope the play can be a wakeup call to pay more attention to the things that make life worth living.”

About “Our Town”

“Our Town” is an exploration of the fictional town Grover’s Corners, following different events and moments in the lives of the people who live there between 1901 and 1913. It begins by looking at childhood and adolescence, then marriage into death.

The stage manager narrates these events and moments throughout, frequently speaking directly to the audience. The play is mostly performed without a set on a bare stage.

MTSU Cast

The 25-student cast members and crew began working on the production in late November.

“The students have devised the movement in the show, and we embrace the celebration of ensemble storytelling throughout the show to highlight the emotional resonances of the every day,” Shouse said.

Shouse said that working on the production of “Our Town ” allowed them to develop different techniques for approaching a play.

“They got to work with movement co-director Julia Grace Kelley as we explored physical theatre devising techniques that would allow the students to develop material from physical impulse first. Then, we added the more traditional character analysis and scene work to shape the story as a whole. It has been a unique way of working, and for many of our students, it has been an exciting introduction to a new way to do work,” she explained.

The cast includes:

• Moira Cagle, a theatre major from Murfreesboro, is the stage manager.
• Norah Younger, a theatre major from Oak Ridge, plays Emily Webb.
• Patrick Jones, a journalism major from New Market, plays George Gibbs.
• Katelyn Austin, a theatre major from Lafayette, plays Mrs. Gibbs.
• Kyra Siciliano, a theatre major from Hendersonville, plays Mrs. Webb.
• Michael Spurgeon, a theatre major from Knoxville, plays Dr. Gibbs.
• Cameron Miller, a theatre major from Nolensville, as Mr. Webb.
• Bailey Dorflinger-Slee, a theatre major from Franklin, as Mrs. Soames.
• Seth Pratt, a theatre major from Jackson, as Simon Stimson.
• Courtney Kennedy, a theatre major from Knoxville, as Rebecca Gibbs/Ensemble.
• Julia Peasall, a dance major from Cottontown, as Wally Webb/Ensemble.
• Malana Harris, a theatre major from Rockvale, as Joe Crowell/Ensemble.
• Crystal Carrasco, a theatre major from College Grove, as Si Crowell/Ensemble.
• Luke Gentry, a theatre major from Murfreesboro, as Howie Newsome/Ensemble.
• Maye Hansen, a theatre major from Manchester, as Professor Willard/Ensemble.
• MJ Learned, a theatre major from Germantown, as Constable Warren/Ensemble.
• Eli Mayberry as Sam Craig/Ensemble.
• Emma Groves, a theatre major from Watertown, as Joe Stoddard/Ensemble.

Solely ensemble cast members include Emma Dolberry, a theatre major from Thompson’s Station; Zane Johnson, a theatre major from Murfreesboro; Naomi Laurent, a theatre major from LaVergne; Nastashia Lewis, a psychology major from Knoxville; Brandi Lokey, a nursing major from Crossville; Fiona MacIsaac, a theatre major from Knoxville; and Cyanna Williams, an integrated studies major from Clarksville.

Additional details about the production, including a digital program and a full cast and crew listing, are available at https://audienceaccess.co/show/MTSU-10890.

For more details on MTSU Theatre and Dance productions, visit www.mtsu.edu/theatreanddance/currentseason.php.

For more information about MTSU’s Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts, visit www.mtsu.edu/theatreanddance. For details on MTSU Arts events and supporting its student programs in the Patrons Society, visit https://mtsu.edu/mtsuarts.

— DeAnn Hays (deann.hays@mtsu.edu)