Preparations are underway for McLean High School’s Spring Play, “Our Town.” The play, which is also this year’s Cappies production, has already been rehearsing since mid-February.
The play is about a small town in New Hampshire, Grover’s Corner, and is narrated by a Stage Manager, being played by senior Alex Krall. George Gibbs and Emily Webb are played by Bret Vandenbos and Kirstin Calvert. There is a cast of 27 and a crew of 10.This year’s spring play will be different than those before it. To make the play more intimate with the audience, it will be performed in the Black Box Theater. This play will be the first production in the black box theatre since “David and Lisa” four years ago. “We’re really excited to be doing Our Town in the Black Box,” stage manager senior Kat Williams said. “Performing in there means that the actors are about five feet away from the audience, bringing [the audience] into the production that much more.” However, it also introduces many complications, including limited stage space and minimal sets. Having the play in the Black Box means that only limited seating will be available. “The lighting and sound are going to be especially crucial in this production to make up for the minimal sets and lack of props,” Williams said. “There’s also going to have to be a lot of miming.”The play, by Thornton Wilder, is split into three acts. “It’s an unconventional story structure,” Vandenbos said. “The first act is meeting citizens of out town, the second act is a ‘boy meets girl’ story line that includes a wedding, and the third act is a metaphysical examination of life after death.”