The Sheboygan Theatre Company will continue the Seventy-Fifth Season, which is funded in part by the Stefanie H. Weill Charitable Fund and Acuity for the Arts, with the opening on Friday, February 6, of “Our Town,” which is being sponsored by Community Bank and Trust.

Winner of the coveted Pulitzer Prize, “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder is considered one of the great plays of the American Theatre. When the show first appeared on Broadway it broke new theatrical ground by doing away with a realistic set and having a Stage Manager narrate the story. All of this was done to replace the strict realism of theatre with a more presentational style that emphasized the fact that a play was unfolding on stage. There was thus no attempt to convince audience members that they were eavesdropping on conversations that would occur whether or not they were watching. So inherent in the script, this production style has become synonymous with the play itself.

None of this, however, is meant to diminish the reality of either the subject matter or the emotions being expressed. In fact, with many of the physical aspects of the theatre eliminated, the characters, their feelings, the words they use and the situations in which they find themselves gain emphasis. The author’s intention is clearly to underscore the beauty and importance of everyday activities so often overlooked and to celebrate the traditional, small town, family values which make life so meaningful.

Set in Grovers Corners, New Hampshire, in the early 1900’s, “Our Town” chronicles Daily Life, Love and Marriage and Life and Death by focusing on two neighboring families, the Gibbses and the Webbs. With new meaning for every generation, this is a play for the entire family and for audience members of all ages.

"Our Town" will open Friday, February 6, and be performed each evening through Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14, with the exceptions of Sunday and Monday. There is also a matinee on Sunday, February 8. The production will be presented at the Leslie W. Johnson Theatre, 2820 Union Avenue, Sheboygan, with evening shows at 7:30 p.m. and the matinee at 2:00 p.m.

Admission is $20.00 for adults, $16.00 for seniors sixty and over and $10.00 for youngsters through high school and college students. Tickets are available at the Theatre Company office in the Community Recreation Department, 607 S. Water Street, or at the theatre box office 45 minutes before curtain of each performance. Season Tickets guaranteeing admission for all five shows are still available at $50.00 for adults and $25.00 for students. To learn more visit www.sheboygantheatercompany.com and then call 920/459-3779 to reserve tickets or for further information.