Summary:
Our Town Act I, by Thornton Wilder began with the stage manager walking on stage, introducing himself as the director of this play and explaining the setting.
The first act has began with the stage manager walking on stage, introducing himself as the director of this play and explaining the setting. The setting has took place in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, which has been described as a small standard town just across the Massachusetts line. Six churches, a Train Station, the Polish town, a Town Hall and post office are combined with a jail in the basement and are within the Massachusetts line. He then focuses on the town's cemetery, which dates back to the seventeenth century. Also stating that nobody remarkable has been buried there. The time is an early morning on May 7th, 1901.
After the Stage Manager has described the setting he introduces the Webbs and Gibbs to the audience. The families that are the main characters of the play. Shortly after he has ended the introduction, the activities of the typical day begin. Howie Newsome known as the milkman, and the paperboy recognized as Joe Crowell Jr, arrive on their everyday jobs. Doctor Gibbs enters the stage, returning from Polish town, where he has delivered twins to Mrs. Goruslawski. As the story is being told by two different families, Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webbs are busy getting their children ready for school. After they have both finished organizing their children the mothers visit with each other.
The day then passes in common everyday doings. When school is finished, Emily Webb and George Gibbs the teenagers of both Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb walk home together. Emily agrees to help George with his homework. As the couple moves off the stage, the Stage Manager returns and gives some additional Background Information about the town. During the coarse of the play the Stage Manager has played the role of the narrator as well as acting as a range of characters in the play. He is also able to explain the timeframe of the play, the action shifts between the past and present. The play has lack of scenery, and the Stage Manager only gives verbal descriptions of the places in Grover's Corners, the audience is forced to imagine the appearance of the houses, the jail, the schools or train station.
After the Stage Manager had explained more about the town, the play went back on subject with the characters talking. Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Gibbs are then seen returning from their choir rehearsal at the church. They had gossiped about Simon Stimson, the church organist who drinks to much. As the people of Grover's Corners prepare for bed, Constable Warren patrols the town. The Stage Manager then enters the stage to announce the end of Act I.
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