The History of Our Town on Broadway

by Ben Togut

In April, it was announced that Thornton Wilder’s Our Town will be returning to Broadway. Directed by Kenny Leon, the revival, which will feature stars such as Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch, Ephraim Sykes, and Katie Holmes, begins performances at The Ethel Barrymore Theatre on September 17th. In anticipation of its opening, let’s take a look at the history behind this classic play.

Written by Thornton Wilder, Our Town premiered on Broadway in 1938. A play-within-a-play, Our Town depicts the everyday lives of citizens living in a fictional small town in New Hampshire, honing in on the relationship between George Gibbs and Emily Webb, two childhood friends who fall in love and get married. The play’s main character, the Stage Manager, provides commentary on the inhabitants of the town Grover’s Corners, breaking the fourth wall to address the audience. 

Upon its original opening in the 1930s, Our Town received widespread acclaim, going on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Considered one of the greatest plays in American theatre, Our Town is also one of the most popular, remaining a perennial favorite for high school productions since its inception. It is consistently produced by theaters at every level, be they professional, community, or school groups. No matter where or when it is staged, Our Town remains an unmissable American masterpiece.

Following its 1938 Broadway premiere, Our Town was revived in 1944, starring Montgomery Clift as George Gibbs, Martha Scott as Emily Gibbs, and Thomas W. Ross as Mr. Webb.

Twenty five years later, Our Town was revived once again, starring Henry Fonda as Stage Manager and Elizabeth Hamilton as Emily Webb. Also included among the cast were Ed Begley and Margaret Hamilton, famous for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz.

Our Town was revived again in 1988, this time with Spalding Gray as Stage Manager, Frances Conroy as Mrs. Gibbs, Penelope Ann Miller as Emily Webb, and Eric Stoltz as George Gibbs. The production was nominated for five Tony Awards, winning for Best Revival.

Our Town was last revived in 2002, starring Paul Newman as Stage Manager in what would be his final onstage performance. Alongside Newman, Jayne Atksinon played Mrs. Gibbs while  Jane Curtin played Mrs. Webb. This production was immortalized with a PBS Masterpiece Theatre filmed adaptation, still part of the PBS live theatre catalog today.