Our Town
Synopsis
Act I
The Stage Manager introduces us to Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The date is 1901. We meet prominent locals including Doctor Gibbs, his patient, Mrs. Soames, and Mrs. Gibbs. We also catch sight of their neighbor, Mrs. Webb. We then meet our two main characters, George Gibbs and Emily Webb, both 15 (almost 16). Emily is the brightest student in town and George is a local star baseball player. Emily, who has ambitions to be a public speaker, agrees to help George with his algebra. George, who plans to take over his Uncle’s farm, runs off to play baseball while Emily tries to discuss an important issue with her mother. Audience questions are taken by the Stage Manager: “Is there any culture in Grover’s Corners” and “What about social injustice”? The Stage Manager calls on the town newspaper editor, Mr. Webb, for answers. George and Emily speak to each other from their bedroom windows. The church choir led by Simon Stimson, the alcoholic choir director, can be heard in the distance. George is summoned by his father. It seems that George has been neglecting his chores and his mother has had to pick up the slack. George, appropriately contrite, starts to cry. Doc Gibbs, feeling guilty, offers to raise George’s allowance. Mrs. Gibbs comes home after choir practice and remarks on Simon Stimson’s problem. Just then, Simon stumbles onstage, bemoaning the lack of appreciation for music in the town. He then stumbles off. Doc and Mrs. Gibbs sing a sweet love duet as George falls deeper in love with Emily.
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Act II
Three years later (1904), it is the morning of George and Emily’s wedding. Both households are awake early and in a state of panic. George hops next door to see Emily but Mrs. Webb intervenes. Mr. Webb offers George some sage advice as to how to maintain a happy marriage. The Stage Manager takes us back a year to the origin of the wedding. Emily is angry with George for his obsession with baseball and tells him he has become stuck-up. George appreciates Emily’s honesty and buys her a strawberry soda at Mr. Morgan’s drugstore (Mr. Morgan looks remarkably like the Stage Manager). Without literally saying the words, George and Emily admit their love for each other as George decides to forego agricultural college to marry Emily. The wedding! The entire town is there. Mrs. Soames is overwhelmed. Mrs. Webb admits that she has not spoken to Emily about married life. George and Emily are in panic mode but
somehow it all works out. The Minister looks very familiar...
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Act III
Nine years later... The Stage Manager introduces us to the local cemetery. It is the day of a funeral. The deceased are restless because of the new arrival. Mrs. Gibbs explains that they will be welcoming her daughter-in-law, Emily, who has died in childbirth. Both Mrs. Soames and Simon Stimson are surprised to hear Emily’s name. Joe Crowell, a best friend of George, is there, too, having been killed in World War I. The funeral procession arrives and Emily is delivered to her new existence, underground among the dead. She is confused and frightened. She instinctively realizes that she can go back to the world of the living. She chooses to relive her 13th birthday, even though the other dead try to convince her not to. The Stage Manager guides Emily to the past. The past, however, proves too painful to endure. Emily realizes that she and all other living people never “realize(d) life while they live(d) it, every minute of it, every moment of it”. Emily accepts her death. The Stage Manager gently reminds us that this is happening every day, everywhere. He then bids us goodnight.