OUR TOWN NY Production Makes History 12/16

The critically acclaimed David Cromer production of' Thornton Wilder's Our Town now on stage at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street), will make theater history when performance #337 makes this staging the longest-running Our Town in the 71-year worldwide history of the classic play. The announcement was made by Tappan Wilder, the playwright's nephew and the literary executor of his uncle's intellectual properties.

According to Tappan Wilder, there have been "tens of thousands" of productions/licenses of Our Town that have been performed in more than 26 countries and translated into 22 languages. The longest-running of those productions was the original Broadway version which opened on February 4, 1938, and ran for 336 performances at Henry Miller's Theatre. It subsequently moved to the Morosco Theatre and closed on November 19, 1938. Our Town received the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

In a statement, Tappan Wilder commented, "I am absolutely thrilled to celebrate this wonderful milestone with the company at Barrow Street Theatre. This production will most certainly have a lasting effect on future versions of Our Town around the world."

The current New York production of Our Town began performances on February 17, 2009, with an official opening night on February 26th where it received rave reviews at the downtown venue (whose space has been completely redesigned for this staging). Our Town went on to win the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction.

The complete cast of Our Town includes (in alphabetical order) Jeremy Beiler as Simon Stimson, Rob Beitzel as Howie Newsome, Susan Bennett as Mrs. Soames, Kati Brazda as Mrs. Webb, Will Brill as Joe Crowell, Nathan Dame as Sam Craig, George Demas as Constable Warren, Jennifer Grace as Emily, Ben Livingston as Professor Willard, James McMenamin as George, Ken Marks as Editor Webb, Jake Horowitz as Wally Webb, Lori Myers as Mrs. Gibbs, Jacey Powers as Rebecca Gibbs, Jay Russell as Joe Stoddard, Armand Schultz as Doc Gibbs, and Jason Yachanin as Si Crowell, Jason Butler Harner as the ‘Stage Manager' with Elizabeth Audley, Dana Jacks, Keith Perry, Kathleen Peirce and Mark Shock.

Our Town is produced by Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian, Tom Wirtshafter, Ted Snowdon, Eagle Productions, Dena Hammerstein/Pam Pariseau, The Weinstein Company, and Burnt Umber Productions.

The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $69 & $49.50 and are available through SmartTix (212) 868-4444, www.smarttix.com, or at the Barrow Street Theatre box office (open at 1 p.m. daily). Student tickets at $20 are available on the day of performance only at the box office.

Barrow Street Theatre is located at 27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue South in the heart of Greenwich Village. Nearby subway stops are the 1 at Christopher Street (walk 1 block South on 7th Avenue to Barrow) and the A, C, E, B, D, F and V at West 4th (walk West on 4th Street, left on Barrow).