Rediscover Our Town in this groundbreaking new production of the iconic play, co-produced with Tony-winning Deaf West Theatre, performed in both American Sign Language and spoken English. Come together to experience this timeless classic as powerful today as when it won the1938 Pulitzer Prize.
OUR TOWN
Reviews
Aside from the fact that it is performed simultaneously in two languages, nothing else in the staging felt particularly innovative or different...in a world that feels more fractured and more damaged by the day, the reminder about the importance of appreciating every minute and living life to the fullest is perhaps more crucial than ever.
This co-production by the Pasadena Playhouse and Deaf West moves slowly, taking plenty of time to show us just how beautiful, and how awful, life can be. - RECOMMENDED
Deaf West's presentation of Our Town is a beautiful tribute to this American Classic. Especially today, October 3, 2017, it's time to remember the basics: Family, Love, Friendship.
Constructed so simply, it's hard to grasp just from the text its many intertwined layers. And director Sheryl Keller seems to unearth even more, utilizing Deaf West's pioneering style of combining American Sign Language with spoken English to underscore the deep universality of Thorton Wilder's most famous work. Voices sometimes come from the actor who is speaking, sometimes from another actor; and signing can come from the actor who is speaking or from another actor. The gender and ethnic diversity of the casting adds to the sense of shared feeling. So much is communicated, it overwhelms the senses, mesmerizing us as the community of souls come alive, even in death.
The journey Wilder takes us on through the cycle of life in an ordinary American town is too emotionally pure to resist. The playwright doesn't say anything we don't already know, but the playful way he says it helps us to take in a wisdom that no technological breakthrough will ever render obsolete. Best of all, this production of “Our Town” really seems like our town.
No matter how many times you've seen Thornton Wilder's most enduring classic (and no matter if one too many school and/or community theater productions has had you swearing off any more), Pasadena Playhouse and Deaf West Theatre's Our Town is absolutely, under no circumstances, to be missed.
This co-production by Deaf West Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse is distinct in that it accomplishes the daunting task of telling a familiar story in a new way without betraying the playwright's original intent. With a cast that includes both deaf and hearing actors, it actively engages the audience, asking it to look at the play with fresh eyes. The integration of American Sign Language adds a sturdiness to the characters in a very physical way, creating a level of communication that makes for beautiful storytelling.
Aside from the fact that it is performed simultaneously in two languages, nothing else in the staging felt particularly innovative or different...in a world that feels more fractured and more damaged by the day, the reminder about the importance of appreciating every minute and living life to the fullest is perhaps more crucial than ever.
This co-production by the Pasadena Playhouse and Deaf West moves slowly, taking plenty of time to show us just how beautiful, and how awful, life can be. - RECOMMENDED
Deaf West's presentation of Our Town is a beautiful tribute to this American Classic. Especially today, October 3, 2017, it's time to remember the basics: Family, Love, Friendship.
Constructed so simply, it's hard to grasp just from the text its many intertwined layers. And director Sheryl Keller seems to unearth even more, utilizing Deaf West's pioneering style of combining American Sign Language with spoken English to underscore the deep universality of Thorton Wilder's most famous work. Voices sometimes come from the actor who is speaking, sometimes from another actor; and signing can come from the actor who is speaking or from another actor. The gender and ethnic diversity of the casting adds to the sense of shared feeling. So much is communicated, it overwhelms the senses, mesmerizing us as the community of souls come alive, even in death.
The journey Wilder takes us on through the cycle of life in an ordinary American town is too emotionally pure to resist. The playwright doesn't say anything we don't already know, but the playful way he says it helps us to take in a wisdom that no technological breakthrough will ever render obsolete. Best of all, this production of “Our Town” really seems like our town.
No matter how many times you've seen Thornton Wilder's most enduring classic (and no matter if one too many school and/or community theater productions has had you swearing off any more), Pasadena Playhouse and Deaf West Theatre's Our Town is absolutely, under no circumstances, to be missed.
This co-production by Deaf West Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse is distinct in that it accomplishes the daunting task of telling a familiar story in a new way without betraying the playwright's original intent. With a cast that includes both deaf and hearing actors, it actively engages the audience, asking it to look at the play with fresh eyes. The integration of American Sign Language adds a sturdiness to the characters in a very physical way, creating a level of communication that makes for beautiful storytelling.