GLT to hold auditions for ‘Our Town’

The Greenwood Little Theatre will hold open auditions this week for its production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.”

Auditions will take place at the theater from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The production dates are Oct. 11 to 14.

Sometimes described as the greatest American play ever written, the 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama follows the small town of Grover’s Corners through three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage” and “Death and Eternity.” 

Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, the story follows the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry and eventually — in one of the most famous scenes in American theater — die.

Though the show has achieved great success on Broadway and is frequently assigned reading in high school classrooms, it hasn’t been performed in Greenwood for some time. Director and GLT President Steve Iwanski has high hopes for the production.

“I had never read the play or even heard of it until a few friends of mine were in a production in college,” said Iwanski. “Walking out of the theater, I felt like my brain had been rewired. It’s definitely not a frothy comedy, but it’s accessible to all ages and it certainly gives you a lot to think about.”

GLT is looking to fill roles for 17 males and seven females. Iwanski said they are going to be flexible with casting.

“I just finished a summer working on Shakespeare with a dozen teenagers who are among the most talented and hard-working actors I’ve ever known. This play has lots of roles for adults, but I encourage folks of all ages to come to auditions and try out,” he said.

No experience or prepared speeches are required.

“This is a play about a small town in America,” said Iwanski, “so I want our own town to be well-represented.”