[NEohioPAL] OUR TOWN in Youngstown

[John Ballantyne]

“OUR TOWN” First For
Victorious Victorian


     After winning 16 Marquee Awards in mid-August, for their 2009 / 2010 
season, the Victorian Players will open their 2010 / 2011 season with the 
Thornton Wilder classic, “Our Town.”  Having not been staged in the area since 
the Youngstown Playhouse production in 2003, “Our Town” should be a winner for 
the Mahoning Avenue theater with a leading cast of Lisandra Stebner, Dylan 
White, and David El’Hatton  --- all past Marquee Award winners.
     Stebner, who plays Emily, was last seen at the Victorian as Helen Keller in 
the moving production of “The Miracle Worker” a little over a year ago while 
White, as George, made two appearances there this past season, one as Sid Prince 
in “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” and as Benjamin Wallach in “Block 5.”  
Both of those roles won him recent Marquee Awards.  For El’Hatton, this 
appearance at the Stage Manager will serve as his premier performance at the 
Victorian.
     And those three are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “stars 
shining at the Vic” in this production.  Those who attend Youngstown theater 
regularly will recognize some of their favorites in this classic tale of small 
town family life in the fictional Grovers Corners, New Hampshire.  Appearances 
by Terry Shears, Gary Deckant, Jim Canacci, John Pecano, Gerri Sullivan, Dave 
and Donny Wolford, Lori Broderick, Marilyn Higgins, among others will provide 
added punch to this old chestnut from the theater trunk.  

     Adding some new flavor this season is the addition of corporate sponsors, 
or partners, for each production at the Vic.  Heading up “Our Town” will be Home 
Savings.  An institution in Youngstown since 1889, Home Savings has been a major 
supporter of the performing arts for many years.  “We are very excited at having 
Home Savings partner with us on ‘Our Town.’  It helps to bring the business 
community and the artistic community together,” says Vic Managing Director 
Marilyn Higgins.
     “Our Town” tells the story of a small town, Grover Corners, between the 
years of 1901 and 1913.  But it could be any town in America.  It focuses on the 
lives of the population of the town as well as two families as their kids grow 
up, get married and face all of the situations that life has to offer.  What 
makes the play unique, however, is the use of the Stage Manager (El’Hatton) who 
serves as a narrator and moves the story along in an easy, laid back manner 
which makes the audience feel a part of Grovers Corners.  Sam Luptak, Jr., the 
show’s director, calls the show “a real audience pleaser and with this cast, it 
just can’t get any better.  This is a perfect season opener for the Vic.” 

     “Our Town” will open on Friday, September 10 and run for three weekends.  
Evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays begin at 7:30 pm. with the three 
Sunday matinees beginning at 2:00 pm.  The show closes on September 26.
All audience members attending the opening night performance are invited to an 
opening night party following the performance at Cafe Cimmento in downtown 
Youngstown.   Reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by calling 
330-746-5455. 


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