ADITI PRAVEEN KARIYANAHALLI/THE OBSERVER

Kenny Leon’s adaptation of ‘Our Town’ opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Oct. 10.

If life were a gem, diamonds couldn’t even compare in value. The story of “Our Town” by Thorton Wilder evokes this and similar witticisms about the gift of life. Through beautiful storytelling and sad moments, Wilder’s writing reminds us of life’s joy. The main character is an unnamed, reliable and descriptive narrator who tells stories of the daily life of families in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. 

Kenny Leon, the current director of the Broadway adaptation, uses the slogan “Our Town for Our Time” to take a modern approach to this iconic story. Leon cut parts of the show, making the run time go from 2 hours and 35 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. To make the show appear more “modern” it utilizes contemporary, 21st century clothes and language in its characters  while utilizing a traditional 20th century set and props during the show. The show, starring Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory,” began previews on Broadway on Sept. 17. 

The vision behind placing different characters in different periods through costuming choices made me feel like I was watching too many powerful ingredients thrown into a pot of boiling soup, causing my taste buds to burst because of sensory overload.

I walked into this show knowing as much as my theater classmates had briefed me in passing. I was excited to see how the “Great American Play” is portrayed on a Broadway stage in a more modern concept. However, my excitement soon fell short. Ultimately, Leon’s attempt at capturing the “American Dream” was muddied by varying modern concepts, frequently leaving me unable to grasp the director’s overall vision. 

I needed clarification as to why multiple iPhones appeared once at the top of the show, appearing in the hands of several of the ensemble characters (that, according to narration, started in 1901), but then never again on the stage. The vision behind placing different characters in different periods through costuming choices made me feel like I was watching too many powerful ingredients thrown into a pot of boiling soup, causing my taste buds to burst because of sensory overload. I wish Leon either stuck to keeping the show within 1901-1913, both scenically and in the plot, or crafted a new, modern take that occurs within the current decade. 

But, a highlight of the piece was Parson’s narration. His unique voice, paired with his animated storytelling, made the show more inviting to the audience. I often found myself laughing or encapsulated by his wit and charm as he navigated this story’s recurring dichotomy of lightness and darkness in both the physical and the metaphysical. 

The actors who played Mrs. Gibbs (Michelle Wilson), Mr. Gibbs (Billy Eugene Jones), and George Gibbs (Ephraim Sykes) made the Gibbs family stand out. Their wondrous bond made the show relatable despite the confusing direction. The three were connected on the stage, leaving me enveloped in their family dynamic and shared love for one another.  

In the third and final act of the show we witness the grieving and burial of one of the main characters, Emily Webb (Zoey Deutch). As a member of the Webb family and the wife of George Gibbs her death deeply affects the town of Grover’s Corner.

Emily could revisit any of the days in her life leading up to the day of her death and she chose one of her childhood birthdays. Instead, what seemed to be an exciting memory stirred an emptying sadness in me. Tears filled my eyes as I watched Emily reminisce on her precious family memory. Pulling myself from the scene, I could see how many people felt touched by this sad moment. Many were brought to tears by the performance. The ending placed a damper mood on myself and others, Emily’s death moving many, including myself, in the audience.  

Despite my confusion and slight dislike, the show’s writing was skillfully crafted and left me in tears. But I wish for a more cohesive story that didn’t feel and look like contributors stuck pieces of theatrical ideas together on that stage. On first viewing, I knew the show should look bare-boned, with minimal set and props to leave the audience and actors to power up their imaginations. However, it needed to be stripped even more, losing all of the new and confusing concepts that made no sense to the play’s plot. There were costumes in different time periods, accents and language varying across generations, and sometimes props were used that made no sense to the 20th century time period. The amount of unfinished concepts left me leaving the theater with a giant question mark slapped on my forehead. Leon should have stuck to one thing if he wanted to be remarkable. 

While I didn’t enjoy the design of this performance, Wilder’s writing and the perfection in Leon’s casting made a mark on me. I recommend it to those who cannot sit through a three-hour performance, which is the duration of the original piece. Parts of Wilder’s story got cut in Leon’s depiction, but for the most part, they didn’t take away from the plot.

“Our Town” continues its previews at the Barrymore Theatre until Jan. 19, 2025.