Written by Lucia Winkler
On the weekends of Oct. 10-12 and 17-19, the Gem Theater in Mulberry was transformed into Grover's Corners, a tight-knit community where the renowned play, Our Town, takes place. A painted moon shone brightly at the theater with a luminous, yellow hue. The stage was set with minimal props, but would creatively encapsulate a much larger setting. The town's tale has been told many times, and it has been captured in a new light, courtesy of The Missing Piece Theatre Company's interpretation.
"One of the reasons Our Town continues to delight audiences almost 100 years after it was written is its message is timeless - yet still unique for each time," Director Steven Bucko commented.
The production follows the story of two families, Gibbs and Webb, as their children fall in love. It takes place in three acts: daily life, love and marriage, and death and eternity. The story prompts the audience to appreciate the present moment. The fast-paced, rushed feel of the first two acts contrasts sharply with the solemn tones of the third act, when main character Emily Webb reflects on her short-lived time and this missed opportunity to enjoy the fleeting aspects of life.
The most significant character of Our Town, referred to as the "Stage Manager", possesses a mysteriousness unlike a role of any other play. Put simply, the Stage Manager is an archetypal figure who develops the setting and lifestyle of Grover’s Corners for the audience's understanding. Played by Trevor Feshanko, the Stage Manager was portrayed as a poised figure whose attention encompassed even the smallest details of the setting. As the character would state, "In our town, we like to know the facts - about everyone."
Feshanko was determined to establish an interpretation of the Stage Manager according to his distinct understanding of the script. "A lot of big names have played the role, and there was certainly a temptation to research and imitate those who had done it before," he described, "but I wanted to trust my instincts and let the text guide me." His performance was notably distinguished from the other actors in the play, reflective of a sense of personal style. And though actors who came before him would foreshadow the third act's gravity, Feshanko carried himself as someone equally caught up in the rapid dynamics of the first and second acts. Upon the arrival of the third act, Feshanko's performance created a dramatic suddenness and profound emotionalism in the shift to heavy themes.
Each character was crucial to the purpose of the story, be it the members of the Gibbs and Webb family or the simple milkman, Howie Newsome. Heather Horning, who played the passionate role of Mrs. Soames, stated "[At] no point did I feel like an "extra" person on the stage, despite my role being more part of the ensemble than the main family cast." Though Mrs. Soames is written as a town gossip, Horning painted her as she saw her to be: a sensitive person among her interconnected town, who isn't afraid to show her emotional side. The audience was guaranteed to grow attached to each figure in the production, even the side characters.
Though Bucko would help challenge each actor to define their character's individual voice, he also watched as the actors personally grasped the role they played. "Sometimes that means working with an actor on very specific actions like when to turn their head or say a line - and other times - it's getting out of their way and letting them create these beautiful characters that fill the moments of this play," he said.
Our Town was the final Missing Piece Theatre play for 2025, concluding this year's theme of Classics. The 2025 season ended on a bittersweet note that reminded the audience to cherish the joys of the present moment. The decided theme for the 2026 year will be Journeys, reimagining several well-known adventures including Crowns, The Wizard of Oz, and Finding Nemo Jr. As The Missing Piece Theatre Company embarks on its journey of daring tales, it seeks to turn attention toward its main supporter - the audience. "That is why the name of our company is The Missing Piece Theatre Company," Bucko described, "to ensure that our focus and efforts are always to bring the audience into our story."
