Alhambra High School Presents "Our Town"

Alhambra High School Drama Club is excited to invite the community to attend performances of its fall play opening next month. Thornton Wilder’s Our Town will be staged in the school’s Performing Arts Building at 150 E Street in Martinez on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov 3 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. Directed and produced by Mr. Gerry Wiener, the play provides glimpses into life in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire at the turn of the 20th Century. Once declared “the greatest American play ever written” by famed playwright Edward Albee, Our Town subtly carries forward themes that are still relevant and recognizable today through its three acts titled “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage,” and “Death and Eternity.”

In addition to its timeless concepts and familiar characters, the play is of special significance for Alhambra High School. Twenty years ago, Our Town was the inaugural play in the newly constructed Performing Arts Building on campus. The opening of the theater was a groundbreaking development for the drama program whose previous productions had been limited to a small stage in the school’s library. Reselection of this piece two decades later brings the program full circle, commemorating the substantial growth of the performing arts at AHS since the theater’s opening in 2003 and celebrating more than forty plays and musicals that have since been brought to vibrant life on its stage.

In this production of Our Town, Junior Maliyah Aranzamendez and Sophomore Brody Moran assume the lead roles of Emily Webb and George Gibbs, the young couple at the center of our story. The plot is moved along in its metatheatrical “play-within-a-play” format by Stage Managers Ethan Basa, Mars Kersey, and Calina Montero who act as earnest intermediaries between the audience and the town. Other featured actors include Nick Webb as Dr. Gibbs, Sasha Olson as Mrs. Gibbs, Ben Williams as Mr. Webb, Elena Reeves as Mrs. Webb, Angelina Harris as Rebecca Gibbs, Lev Narducci as Wally Webb, Caprice Crum as Mrs. Soames, and Niko Vaquerano as Simon Stimson. Rounding out the cast are a roster of townspeople and observers played by Charlotte Allen, Annabella Boyce, Char Davenport, Ruby Griffone, Izzy Hopkins, Eli Huntsinger, Kyle Karg, Megan Kelley, Mariano Kozera, Soph Pogorzelski, Jillian Richards, Aidan Rose, Ben Scott, Emma Scott, and Conor Topasna.

The production will be presented as the playwright intended with a simple set and minimal props. Senior Mick McDowell is credited as assistant director to Mr. Wiener while Mrs. Sara Stafford leads the show’s technical direction with the assistance of Cruz as stage manager and technicians Theo Belt and B Rubio on lights and sound. Costumes are managed by Ms. Sara Bragg assisted by Mars Kersey.

Our Town’s run time is two hours, including two 10-minute intermissions. Due to the gravity of some of the subject matter, the recommended age is 12 and up. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are now on sale to the general public via GoFan.

Our Town is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc., www.concordtheatricals.com. Productions of the AHS Drama Club are made possible in part by the nonprofit Alhambra High School Arts Foundation. Lead sponsors for Our Town include C&J Fencing, Martinez Early Childhood Center, and Martinez Music Mafia. Businesses and individuals can sponsor or donate to support the production at givebutter.com/ahsdrama.