Embedded Files
Written by Thornton Wilder // Translated by Nilo Cruz and Jeff Augustin
Dramaturgical Work Done by Jaden Koller
Welcome to my Dramaturgical Book on Our Town!
Welcome to my Dramaturgical Book on Our Town!
This site documents the Dramaturgical research and development of Our Town (Multilingual).
This site documents the Dramaturgical research and development of Our Town (Multilingual).
Program Note:
Program Note:
Typically, playwrights elect not to challenge themselves with writing about the mundanity of day-to-day life. Even so, Thornton Wilder is not your average writer. Our Town highlights the beauty in everyday life, placing special importance on the moments we take for granted. This play follows a small community in New Hampshire as they navigate daily challenges over the course of 13 years. In this play, we learn about major themes regarding youth, love, loss, and gratitude. Audiences world wide connect with the small town, relating to each character in a unique way.
Remarkably, Nilo Cruz and Jeff Augustin add their own incredible qualities to the play by translating the dialogue to Spanish and Haitian-Creole for a Miami production of Our Town. The addition of both these languages extends the bounds of representation far beyond what audiences are used to. Of course, incredible pieces of theatre are written for minority groups, but they often depict the hardships and traumas these communities face. With the translation of Our Town, minorities are represented in a way that doesn't limit them to only profiting off their lived traumas. Instead, they are simply existing in their culture, serving as a reflection of real life.
Our Town (Multilingual) is a beautiful play that is rightfully praised for it's earnest relatability. No matter who is watching, or where the play is being produced, there will always be valuable lessons to be learned while watching this show. My goal with this dramaturgical work is to call attention to the importance of the show, and to implore audiences to recognize life while they have it.
First Impression of Our Town (Multilingual)
First Impression of Our Town (Multilingual)
My first impressions of Our Town were mixed initially, but I began to really enjoy the play toward the latter half of the first act and through to the end. In the beginning, so many characters were introduced at once that I found it hard to keep track. Once I understood who was a part of which family, I was able to make sense of everything in the play. I also really enjoyed the use of multiple languages. I think it brought such an interesting literary aspect to the play that I personally have never seen before. It enriched the background of the town and also made it easier for me to keep track of who was in which family. I do agree with the note written at the beginning of the play that the English words should have been translated to Spanish and Haitian-Creole for the audience members who didn’t speak English, but other than that, I believe it was written beautifully.
One of the main reasons I believe this play might be a good choice for middle or high school audiences is because the lesson in it is extremely important. We go through life holding so much anticipation for the next big achievement that we don’t slow down to really appreciate what is around us. When it is revealed in Act 3 of Our Town that Emily passed away, she asks the stage manager why we don’t realize life while we have it. This theme is something I wish I would have absorbed earlier in my life, so teaching it to younger audiences is very beneficial. I also think it is important to introduce inclusive shows to audiences at a young age. Performing plays that include non-white families who speak languages other than English allows for more representation on stage, and more understanding of the importance of diversity within audiences. A third reason why I believe this show would be a good choice for middle or high school audiences is because it leaves room for further research. Unfortunately, many audience members don’t think twice about the lobby display as they walk into a theatre, or about the dramaturg’s note in the program. Putting on a show that is has some dated references, experiences, and/or thought processes pressures audiences to look further into the nitty-gritty of the show. Establishing this habit early on makes for a more enriched theatre experience later on in life.
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