The Stage Manager In Thorton Wilder's Our Town

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Simplicio, Ashley Risdana Intro to Theatre (M/W 11:30) April 8th, 2015 The Stage Manager A play consists of many people. Each and every person serves a purpose to create a production. It is important that each individual has the same idea and if not, to express and contribute those ideas to the cast and crew. Each play is unique. A stage manager is a key aspect to a play. In Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, he is a man of many roles whom is far from the traditional, whether it be his purpose as a role, his manner of narrating or even how he includes the audience, he goes above and beyond his usual functions. What was the purpose of the stage manager? Generally speaking a stage manager provides support to the directors, actors and anyone who is involved …show more content…

In this play, he shows casualness. This casualness creates a connection with the audience. For example, he presents himself in a very informal manner and is shown by smoking a pipe, wearing a hat and leaning against a pillar in the beginning of the play. He is very involved with the audience, he greets and dismisses, yet also interrupts conversation amongst the characters as the play continues. He goes back and fourth between his roles. Some distinguishable and others at random. He makes himself part of the community. What makes him different than other stage managers is that, as the audience, at any given moment, he could be apart of the audience or part of the cast. In Act I, he acts as a woman that George accidentally bumped into while running after a baseball. He plays Mrs. Forest in this scene and continues to say ""Go out and play in the fields, young man... You got no business playing baseball on Main Street". This is an example as to how he goes in and out of playing a character. As a stage manager, it isn't necessary to acknowledge the audience. In this play, he does just that. The audience is constantly witnessing asides from the stage manager. An aside is commentary made to the audience without the other characters being aware. I personally liked the fact that he talked to the audience. It makes me feel significant to the play, as if I, myself, am apart of the production. It makes it just a tad more personable as well as

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