OUR TOWN to Honor Veterans in November in Partnership with TDF

The current Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, is launching a partnership with TDF’s Veterans Theatregoing Program.
 
“One of the things I love about Our Town is the sense of community. It’s about seeing each other and taking care of each other,” said star Katie Holmes. “I remember the day we visited Peterborough, New Hampshire, where Wilder wrote the play, we were walking around and I saw in the town they had all of the names of people who served in Vietnam. It hit me so deeply because of this world that Thornton created of everybody knowing one another. It suddenly was your neighbor’s son or your son, and that does affect the whole town.”
 
The idea of doing something special for veterans stemmed from a conversation between Holmes and producer Jeffrey Richards. “It speaks of Jeffrey’s humanity and profound respect for our veterans that he said yes so quickly to this idea. The entire cast is so honored to perform for our veterans,” said Holmes.
 
Founded in 2017, the TDF Veterans Theatregoing Program allows vets to see shows on Broadway and beyond alongside their peers. TDF partners exclusively with veteran organizations in the city who distribute a limited number of theatre tickets at no cost to their constituents. Post-performance talkbacks are planned when possible, and complimentary TDF memberships are provided to participating veterans so they can continue their theatregoing at greatly reduced cost.  To learn more about the program please go to https://www.tdf.org/school-and-community-programs/tdf-public-engagement-programs/tdf-veterans-program.
 
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town features 28 actors led by Emmy, Golden Globe & Screen Actors Guild Award-winner Jim Parsons as “Stage Manager”, Zoey Deutch as “Emily Webb”, Katie Holmes as “Mrs. Webb”, Obie & Audelco Award-winner and Drama Desk-nominee Billy Eugene Jones as “Dr. Gibbs”, Tony & Grammy Award-nominee Ephraim Sykes as “George Gibbs”, Tony & Drama Desk Award-nominee and Emmy-Award-winner Richard Thomas as “Mr. Webb”, Tony & Drama Desk-nominee Michelle Wilson as “Mrs. Gibbs”, 2021 Special Tony Award-winner and Drama Desk-nominee Julie Halston as “Mrs. Soames”, Donald Webber, Jr. as “Simon Stimson”, as well as Ephie Aardema Sarnak, Heather Ayers, Willa Bost, Bobby Daye, Safiya Kaijya Harris, Doron JéPaul, Shyla Lefner, Anthony Michael Lopez, John McGinty, Bryonha Marie, Kevyn Morrow, Hagan Oliveras, Noah Pyzik, Sky Smith, Bill Timoney, Ricardo Vázquez, Matthew Elijah Webb, Greg Wood and Nimene Sierra Wureh. Our Town began previews on Tuesday, September 17 ahead of an opening on Thursday, October 10 at the Barrymore Theatre.
 
The design team for Our Town includes scenic design by Tony Award-winner Beowulf Boritt (New York, New York; Act One), costume design by Tony Award-nominee and Drama Desk Award-winner Dede Ayite (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding; Suzan Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog), lighting design by Tony Award-nominee Allen Lee Hughes (Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog; A Soldier’s Play), sound design by Tony Award-nominee Justin Ellington (Ohio State Murders; for colored girls…), hair, wig & makeup design by J. Jared Janas (Mary Jane, Prayer for the French Republic), casting by Jim Carnahan, with Kate Wilson (The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window) as the dialect coach.
 
Our Town, the timeless drama of life in the village of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, has become an American classic with universal appeal. Our Town appeared on Broadway in 1938 to wide acclaim and won the Pulitzer Prize.