On Friday, May 18th and Saturday, May 19th, Greylock students will be directing and performing the play Our Town, written by Thornton Wilder. The play takes place in the early 1900s in a small town called Grover’s Corners in New Hampshire.  Our Town is unique in that although the setting is Grover’s Corners, Wilder sets the play in the theater where it is being performed; the characters frequently break the fourth wall and interact with the audience members, telling them about their home. Since Our Town is set on an actual stage, the physical set for the play is very simple.

For the first time in quite some years, Greylock’s spring drama is completely run by students. Seniors Madison VanDeurzen, Grace Kelley, and Sabrina Templeton share the directing spotlight, while Morgan Nottke runs costumes and makeup. And, of course, there is an outgoing and talented group of actors and actresses this year, with students from grades seven through twelve, ready to make Our Town come to life.

Our Town has been a popular play in high schools for many years, but the directors wish to put on a production with its own voice. “I hope…  that we have done some different things with it to make it unique and special, so that it will still be a new opportunity even if an audience member has seen the play before,” says Madison VanDeurzen, who has been in the spring drama, as well as the fall Shakespeare production, for many years. “I hope that all of the hard work that we directors and the students have done will be clear to the audience at the show. I want the audience to see how much we put into the show in rehearsals in our performance.”

Those interested to see what their friends and classmates have been working on in Our Town will have the opportunity to see their hard work, acting, and directing pay off as the play debuts at Lanesborough Elementary School on Friday and Saturday at 7 PM. Admission for students is three dollars, while general admission is five dollars. Our Town will give the community a glimpse of how actual students contribute to the Mount Greylock performing arts program, not only as actors but as leaders.