Our Town by The Mugford Street Players Opens Friday at MLT!

The Mugford Street Players production of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning OUR TOWN opens this Friday, March 2nd with a 7:30 p.m. performance at the Marblehead Little Theatre, School Street, Marblehead, MA.

Legendary playwright Edward Albee described OUR TOWN as “the finest play ever written by an American.” Winner of the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the play is remarkably fresh and timely. In an era dominated by Eugene O’Neil and Kaufman & Hart, Thornton Wilder was a playwright way ahead of his time. Striping away lavish scenery and theatrical effects, playwright Wilder dares to put a woman at the center of his play. The character of Emily Webb - one of the “plum roles” for any young actress in American theatre - is played by Tina Barry of Billerica, who was recently seen in FROM SILENCE at Marblehead Little Theatre. A graduate of Salem State University drama department, Tina has appeared in Romeo & Juliet for MLT and as the lead character in Sophie Treadwell’s classic Machinal for SSU Theatre, for which she was nominated as Best Actress. [See attached photo #1].

Playing opposite Tina is actor Daniel Alvarado of Salem as George Gibbs - first the boyfriend, then the husband of Emily. A graduate of Gordon College, Daniel is an actor/singer/dancer with lead roles in plays by Shakespeare, Brian Friel, and Jean Giraudoux as well as musicals. Emily and George’s scene of courtship at the soda fountain in the Grover’s Corner’s drug store is perhaps the best-loved “first date” scene ever staged. [See photo #2 & #3]

Among its cast of 22 performers, OUR TOWN features actors from Marblehead, Swampscott, Salem, Beverly and Billerica, and includes four young actors who are making their community theatre debut – Charlie Brenneman, Toby Faeskorn, Harrison Larkin and Kirk Clingen – all from Marblehead.

Other cast members include Salem’s Brian Casey, Daniel Alvarado and Timothy Kenslea of Salem, Marblehead residents Ron Amon, Charlie Brenneman, Martin and Sue Brother, Kirk Clingan, Janet Dauray, Michelle Gatta, Hazel Grenham, Harrison Larkins, Toby Faeskorn and Eleanor Mancusi-Ungaro, and Swampscott residents Jeremiah Poope and Trudi Olivetti.

Supporting the production are costume designer Elvira Schoenthal, sound designer Thomas Saltsman and lighting designer Greg Mancusi-Ungaro. Mr. Mancusi-Ungaro produces the production, through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

OUR TOWN plays Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 3:00 through March 18th and Marblehead’s Little Theatre, located at 12 School Street in downtown Marblehead. Tickets are available at www.mltlive.com and Arnould Gallery. For more information call 781-962-0409.