Theater Review: 'Our Town' at Ridgefield Theater Barn

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member and Patch Contributor Nancy Sasso Janis

Ridgefield Theater Barn is bringing small town life to its stage with a sold out run of “Our Town.” The play by Thorton Wilder debuted 85 years ago and remains one of America’s most performed plays.

“Our Town” is a peek into life in the early 20th-century in the small town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The vintage script contains a bit of comedy and certainly includes many strongly drawn characters for the actors to bring to life. The performers are often called upon to mime some of their everyday actions, from opening doors to preparing breakfast. The RTB cast does well with all of this, although there were a few line issues at the press preview performance.

The Ridgefield production is directed by Peter Green. The director acknowledges in his program note the world looks and sounds much different than it did in Wilder’s town of Grover’s Corners. Green adds, “But what connects us to it are the powerful messages–that every person contains a spark of the divine,and every moment is a precious gift, one we’re often too busy or distracted to see.”

The director also mentions the difference in our contemporary understanding of community, particularly as it relates to the troubled choirmaster. Doc Gibbs states that “there’s nothing we can do but just leave it alone,” reflecting what Green calls “a philosophical understanding that self-sufficiency is a prime virtue.” The director points out the importance of reaching out, both offering and asking for support.

Mat Young narrates (and comments upon) the story in the role of the onstage stage manager with a folksy, modern tone. Young also gets to insert himself into the story in a supporting role and does well.

A.M. Bhatt gives a strong performance in the role of Dr. Gibbs. Edwin Rodriguez steps up to play Joe, Si Crowell and a baseball playerRTB debut. Henry Durham portrays the milkman Howie Newsome (“Pride and Prejudice” with Westport Community Theater) in his first RTB production.

Ridgefield resident Paulette Layton, treasurer of the Board of Directors, is a wonderful Mrs. Gibbs. Jessie Gilbert returns to this stage to take on the role of Mrs. Webb. Colin McLoone stands tall in the role of George Gibbs, the boy next door, in his RTB debut and seventh grader Clarissa Krasner plays his little sister Rebecca Gibbs. Krasner will next be seen as Olaf in “Frozen.”

Savannah Hall, who is a sophomore at Berklee online, shines brightly in the role of young Emily Webb. Noah Lauger and Nina Pizzarello share the role of Wally Webb.

Allison Vanetino plays Professor Willard and Patrick Duffy is very convincing as Mr. Webb, the editor of the “Grover's Corners Sentinel,” in his RTB debut.

Denise Hubbard, a veteran of “An Evening of One Acts,” appears as the woman in the balcony and the woman among the dead. In his first role onstage in 20 years, Robert Kruzykowski can be seen as a man in the audience, a man among the dead and Farmer McCarty. Bruce Apar, a journalist who serves on the RTB board, becomes a belligerent man, Mr. Carter and a man among the dead in his second RTB show.

Eric Novak (“The Baker’s Wife" at RTB) plays the choir director Simon Stimson and Angie Joachim (“Carrie” at Sherman Playhouse) stands out at Mrs. Soames, a gossipy townswoman and member of the choir.

Charlie Scatamacchia appears several times as Constable Warren in his RTB debut and Board member Tim Huber (“Moon Over Buffalo” last season) gives a great performance as Sam Craig, a nephew of Mrs. Gibbs. Barry Schilmeister plays the undertaker Joe Stoddard in his RTB debut.

Claudia Noel Nerreau worked as the play’s art director/set designer/costume designer and is able to produce an integrated look for the American small town. The set design features a large tree decorated with wooden chairs, adding an earthy tone to the Barn stage that is reflected in the “Main Street Ridgefield Conn” photo in promotional materials. Jac-que Robinson adds lighting that works well throughout the barn space, especially small lanterns above the main aisle. Mark Hankla is credited as the RTB Technical Director. Rodney Loren is the accompanist for the final hymn of “For the Beauty of the Earth,” a nice touch.

There is an intermission between the first and second act and a short pause before the third act begins.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. Until recently, she worked as a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.