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Posted on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 : 12:49 a.m.

University of Michigan offers beautifully realized "Our Town"

By Jenn McKee

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Joey Richter as the Stage Manager, Casey Hanley as George Gibbs, and Carrie Fisk as Emily Webb in U-M's production of "Our Town," opening on Thursday.

Photo by Peter Smith Photography

Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” — one of the most produced plays in America — often gets a bum rap by virtue of its canonical status, its aura of nostalgia, and its ubiquity. Theatergoers take it for granted that no single production is necessarily worth seeking out, since another opportunity to see “Our Town” is surely just around the corner.

And while that last part is certainly true — Chelsea’s Purple Rose Theatre Company will stage its take on Wilder’s masterpiece in April, as a matter of fact — you might want to make a point of catching the University of Michigan’s production, anyway.

Why? Because while I’ve seen a lot of “Our Town” productions during my tenure, none have previously done complete justice to the script’s subtle complexities and intrinsic humanity quite like this one.

“Our Town,” of course, focuses on the fictional New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners at the beginning of the 20th century. Love blossoms between young neighbors George Gibbs (Casey Hanley) and Emily Webb (Carrie Fisk), leading the two into marriage and, eventually, tragedy.

Director Jerry Schwiebert and his talented student cast have mined Wilder’s script for comedic potential, finding humor in refreshingly surprising places. For example, a section that features a professor (Max Artsis) relating the history of the area is too often a dull invitation to daydreaming; but Artsis, by way of fussy mannerisms and satiric delivery, imbues the scene with a charming sense of whimsy.

Similarly, stage manager Joey Richter’s quick, self-conscious transformation into (and back out of) an old lady character gets played for a laugh, as does an “audience member”’s politically strident question about the town. And the palpable awkwardness of a father talking to his young daughter’s fiancée on the morning of the wedding is expertly conveyed, with poignancy and humor, by Hanley and the spot-on John Samela.

The actors are two of many that shine in this fine production. Though George can easily be played as a lovable but not-too-bright jock, Hanley grounds the character with a sense of dignity, youthful warmth, and trusting sincerity. Fisk, meanwhile, does really good work juggling Emily’s shifting adolescent emotions while also, in the show’s final act, not veering into melodrama, providing instead a clear-eyed remove that feels far more true and on-target for the material.

In a featured role, Myles Mershman, as troubled choir director Simon Stimson, completely won the opening night crowd over while caustically chastising his singers; and Richter, perhaps more than any performer, sets the bar high for the show, strolling through his monologues with a pace mirrors life in Grover’s Corners. Rather than bogging things down, however, this approach opened up several segments of the text that are often glossed over, making them newly resonant and profound; and Richter’s charismatic stage presence and confident, engaging delivery gives you the sense that he’s speaking to you personally. Andres Holder’s lighting design nicely complements the tone Schwiebert establishes, and Christianne Myers’ costumes, in terms of palette and style, hit just the right notes. My one qualm with the staging involves the crew setting up a drugstore counter downstage center, just before a scene plays out upstage center between George and Emily. For many of us, the counter visually intruded on the scene; and while the production draws attention to the artificial nature of its enterprise regularly, this particular choice goes too far.

But this is one small misstep in an otherwise beautifully realized production (run time just shy of two and a half hours). So even though you’ll surely get many chances in your lifetime to see “Our Town,” I recommend that you go ahead and cash in on this one.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.