Grand Forks’ high school theater students are bringing two Pulitzer Prize-winning plays to the stage this fall.
“Our Town” and “Crimes of the Heart,” the seasonal productions from Red River and Central, respectively, may tackle different subject matter, but they both have won the coveted award.
Red River’s production of “Our Town” is going on now and continues each day through Sunday. Central’s performance of “Crimes of the Heart” will run from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
Each show will be held at the respective high school.
‘Our Town’
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When working with Summer Performing Arts, Rich McFarlane was having so much fun he wanted to do another play the students.
So McFarlane decided to put on the play “Our Town,” a production not many of his students were familiar with.
Written by Thornton Wilder, “Our Town” explores the lives of people living in a small, quintessentially American town. The play was first produced in 1938 and received the Pulitzer Prize in literature.
“Our Town” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Red River High School Performance Hall. All tickets to the show cost $5.
The play is divided into three aspects of the human experience - daily life, marriage and death - and explores how everyday people are affected by those experiences.
“Our Town” is minimal in nature, and does not feature a set or props. Instead, the actors mime the actions of props.
“It’s a simple play. At first it might throw people off, but after about 10 minutes, you totally buy into it.
McFarlane said at first some of the actors didn’t understand the premise of the show, but by the time they rehearsed it a few times, the play’s meaning struck a chord with the cast.
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“The show relishes in the enjoying the little things in life,” McFarlane said. “The main theme is that nobody appreciates the little things in life because they’re too busy.”
‘Crimes of the Heart’
When he chose “Crimes of the Heart” for the fall play, director Todd Aleshire knew he was in for a challenge.
Though it’s a smaller production with just six cast members, Aleshire felt he had a cast talented enough to do the challenging play. He said the dark comedy is a challenging one for any actor, but especially for high school students.
“I’ve always loved the play, but I know it’s a difficult one for high schoolers,” he said. “I’ve always to do it and I felt like I had the right cast do it this year, and they’re proving me right.”
“Crimes of the Heart” will be performed at Central’s Auditorium at 7 p.m. from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. Tickets to the show are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students.
“Crimes of the Heart” is a 1981 Pulitzer-Prize winning play about three sisters who reunite after the youngest sister shoots her abusive husband. The dark comedy explores the sisterly bond that keeps the three together.
Aleshire said audiences who attend the show can expect a comedy and drama that will connect with the audience.
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“I think a great thing about this play is the way it’s able to hit home with a lot of different people,” he said. “When you have that, I think you know you have something special.”
Call Rupard at (701) 780-1122; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1122; or send email to wrupard@gfherald.com .
