Stage Write

The American Player Theatre is just a quick drive north to Wisconsin. They produce a wide range of shows each summer in both their large outdoor theatre and smaller indoor location. It is always worth the drive and now in its 44 th season, there are still months left of productions available. Our Town It’s hard to explain the power of Our Town. It’s a quiet play about everyday life. It’s set in the town of Grover’s Corners, NH in the early 20th century. The cast of townspeople invites us to imagine with them as they go about their daily routines without much fuss. Truly, it sounds boring if you look at that summary. But what words can’t capture is the sweet moments between a husband and wife as they contemplate their child’s impending marriage or the zing of connection when two young teens first fall in love. Samantha Newcomb  plays Emily Webb a sharp and ambitious girl growing up in the town. Her story is at the heart of the play and it’s her brilliant, but simple observations t...

Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen At its heart, Sense and Sensibility is not about romantic love, though it does include swoon-worthy moments, it’s about the love between sisters. As vastly different as they may be, that connection was deeply understood by Jane Austen and was lovingly captured in this story. Laura Rook is perfect as Elinor; the picture of quiet grace and strength even in the most trying circumstances. Marianne (Samantha Newcomb) is the fire to Rook’s ice and sparkles with passion. Jamal James’ Edward steals all the scenes he’s in. He and Rook have a sweet chemistry that embodies the reserved affection of their characters. This beautiful adaptation by Jessica Swale fleshes out the scenes between Edward and Elinor. It played up lovely moments of humor and used Margaret as a tool for added interaction between the characters. Director Marti Lyons makes use of every moments. The audience was so swept up that some people were gasping and calling characters names...