Our Town

I've been too busy to post the latest happenings. However, this is for others who were there with me through our High School Production of "Our Town" way back in 1962! I played Mrs. Gibbs. I wanted the part of the Stage Manager, who has the most lines and narrates all the happenings in this Thorton Wilder play. But oh no, when I approached Mrs. Klinke, our drama teacher she was horrified. "What could you be thinking, Patty? That part is a male role!" Well phooey, I tried and it didn't work. I was way ahead of the times in 1962. Being who I am, I just went on about my business and learned the lines for Mrs. Gibb. One of my favorites,"step outside and smell my heliotrope!"

Bobby Ormesher was my stage hubby, Dr. Gibbs. "Now Ma," he'd recite.I thought that was dumb!

I remember my tantrum. When I saw the ugly stage dress (costume) I'd wear I cringed. YUCK!! An ugly old black thing! No way! I protested to Mrs. Klinke vigorously that "I cannot wear that old rag." She did try to assuage me but nothing doing! Here was my line in the sand! It was my Diva moment! If I couldn't have something with some lace or at least pretty in some way, I'd not be in the play! You'd have had to know me; I could be dramatic. As much as I was the "good girl and top student" I had my moments! Patty's last stand was pretty close to the final dress rehearsal and Mrs Klinke already had a head of white hair. Well, "it is not my fault that you didn't show me that ugly thing before." I caused her a few wrinkles. As was my way I whined at home to my grandmother who moved in with us after my grandfather died. There was nothing my grandmother (Baba) wouldn't do for me--it was always so between her and me. Baba to the rescue; "Bring the dress home and I'll fix it for you." Somehow she prevailed with Mrs. K. to allow some "alterations for Patty." My mother looked the other way during this episode, that was her way. She likely frowned and muttered to herself, "Why does she have to be so stubborn! She's just spoiled." Baba inserted some lace pieces, black with some sparkles and sequins, still subdued for Mrs. Gibbs in Grover's Corners but the show went on. I did love my sparkles even then.

I've not thought much about that until Sunday when I went across the Mississippi to Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI. Their production of "Our Town" called to me. Having no one with whom I can attend with doesn't stop me. If I could go to plays alone in CA, I can handle that here in the Midwest. I'd take a Thursday afternoon off/escape the office and go to the Convention Center in Sacramento for a Broadway touring production. Didn't matter to me if anyone came along or not--once I'm in the theater it doesn't matter if there is someone I know next to me. Long ago I gave up dragging Jerry along to plays, theater, etc. It only ruins my good time because he does not enjoy himself. The biggest mistake I made in that venue and the one from which I really learned my lesson to "not ask and just go" happened many years ago in Sacramento. It was a fall weekend and T.S.Elliot's "Cats" was playing at the Convention Center in Sacramento. I figured we could have a nice dinner and then on to the theater. After all he does enjoy entertainers and "Cats" is a musical with great costumes, it might work. Wrong! The dinner was great as I recall, but the play was not "his cup of tea." Jerry doesn't even drink tea unless it appeals to him in Chinese restaurants and that is rare. I, on the other hand, am an avid tea drinker; daily hot green tea and all summer copious amounts of iced tea, my beverage of choice. How'd I get onto tea from the play? Oh, yes..."Cats." Well we were seated and I settled in, enthralled. Jerry settled in extremely bored and adopted his defense mechanism, primo. Near end of Act 1, during the Musical high light of the show, "Memories" that famous song, I glanced at him and there he was in complete relaxation mode, asleep! Head back, in la la land. Well at least he hadn't snored! Lights go on; Jerry awakens. "Oh for Heaven's sake," I say or something worse! To which he looks at me, like "what?" "How can you sleep through that?" Never mind, don't ask--it was easy for him. I consider the cost of the tickets and realize this is a waste of $. Lesson learned, "don't ask, just go." I've followed that lesson the rest of our years which will be 41 years of marriage on Monday. It works for us because he doesn't expect me to attend car races or even watch them on TV!

But back to "Our Town" and Viterbo, a private Catholic University with emphasis on nursing and the fine arts. Their auditorium is gorgeous, state of the art. Part of the appeal of "Our Town" is the simple staging, chairs, tables, nothing much. The actors pantomime the use of stoves, drinking coffee, etc. But today's technology allows them to put Google Earth on the stage which flashes to Grovers Corners NH, the town of "Our Town." Really cool visual effects.

Now,get this--onto the stage walks "the stage manager" to begin the play. And it is a young woman! Well now I'm taken back to 1962 and Patty's bright idea which was not considered at all bright! Proof that yet again, I was ahead of my time. Molly Pach does an excellent job as stage manager! I would have too! Mrs. Klinke you could have had a first!

To prepare myself for this I'd reread the entire play at home. Few of my lines, which I'd memorized so easily back then return to me. The years have buried or erased them. Actually, the line that rings my bell is spoken by Emily and I don't recall who played our Emily. I think she was a junior or sophomore though. I recall thinking that was unfair too since this was our senior year. But I kept that to myself or maybe to a few close friends who'd listen. One tantrum per episode must have been my self imposed limitation. Maybe no seniors were available. That line, which Mrs. Klinke demonstrated repeatedly to our Emily was "Oh, life you are too wonderful for anyone to realize you..." I do recall Mrs. Klinke becoming nearly ecstatic reciting it. To us kids of the 60's it was a snicker and a tee hee moment...now in my 60's I can appreciate how it struck Mrs.K.

There are some lines in the play that strike me today those about Polish town. I guess it made no impression on me in 1962 where my Polish heritage mattered not to me. And lines about the Methodists singing loudly. Today as a practicing Methodist but here in the Midwest where they are very quiet, I find that line humorous.

During intermission at Viterbo I browsed the lobby displays. Thorton Wilder was born in Madison WI in 1897. Our Town was first performed in May 1938. It was a musical in 1955 staring Paul Newman and Eva Marie St with Frank Sinatra playing the Stage Manager. One well known song, Love and Marriage. I'll have to check Netflix and see if it's on DVD. That would be fun to see. If we knew that in 1962 we probably were not interested.

A dramatic scene was the rainy funeral with the black umbrellas. Mrs. Gibbs is one of the dead and so I sat among them for my lines.

David Gardiner, Viterbo director wrote, "This was a different time. It was a time when wage-earners were paid less but required less, when there were swimming holes and 10 cent sodas, ....gathering at funerals in the tree-shaded graveyard behind the country church, when few locked their doors and many didn't even own a key; when deals were closed with a handshake, ...." He shares that Our Town is being resurrected around the country today. We'll glimpse of what we've gained and lost since 1901. "It measures the significance of a single human life against the life of the stars. It's a play about all of us and reminds us that the only antidote for life is death."

I don't know that we appreciated the message that deeply in 1962. Today we do, well many of us, those of us who have survived from Ken Hi 1962.