I will be the first to admit that I was not too thrilled when the theatre department announced that this year’s freshman/sophomore show would be Our Town. To many of us, it is essentially one of those typical American classics you read in your English class and never dare to pick it up to read again.

But director John Wanninger and all the young actors have brought this story to life in a refreshing way. When watching this classic Thursday, the actors strayed away from the old and inhibited a new, modern take on the story. The challenging themes and messages that the young actors displayed with maturity throughout the course of the show will not be leaving my mind anytime soon.

Our Town focuses on the lives of individuals in the simple town of Grover’s Corners. Branched off into three separate acts with one 10-minute intermission, the show first reveals the ordinary lives of the people, then transitions into the idea of what it means to discover love, with a final reflection on the idea of death in the respects of what we value in our lives.

Among all the young talented actors, one particular actor stuck out among the rest. Sophomore Kailey Albus’s interpretation of The Stage Manager, one of the most challenging roles in American theatre, left me in awe.

Albus created a vivid map for the audience of what it means to be limitless and to appreciate life in all its forms. Through her eye contact and conversational tone to each individual audience member, Albus directly let the audience connect with their inner emotions but left room for us to explore what it means to be in the moment in everyday life.

The rest of the cast deserves recognition for their achievements too. Sophomore Anna Randall’s performance of Emily Webb is heartfelt and innocent, and sophomore Cole Joseph’s charming performance of George Gibbs radiated the stage. Both made me fall even more in love with this well-known pair from American literature.

In contribution to Our Town’s evident success was the incorporation of the minimalistic style with very little usage of set and props throughout the show. This allowed imagination to diverge within the entirety of the theater. The simplicity allowed the audience to create a clear image of what it looks like to make breakfast, go to school, and watch the moon high in the sky of Grover’s Corners. All of which evidently mold our perceptions of everyday life.

I encourage all to go see Our Town tonight or Saturday. I am so pleased I decided to go see Our Town and congrats to all who were involved in this wonderful production.

Bravo.