Thurs 10/13 (Pay What You Can Preview) @ 7:30pm
Friday 10/14 * Opening Night * @ 7:30pm
Sat 10/15 –Matinee– @ 2pm
Sat 10/15 @ 7:30pm
Thurs 10/20 @ 7:30pm
Friday 10/21 @ 7:30pm
Sat 10/22 –Matinee– @ 2pm
Sat 10/22 @ 7:30pm
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, distinctive for its minimalist theatrical style and matter of fact point of view on American Life is the 1938 Pulitzer Prize winner set in the mythical American everytown of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The metatheatrical 3-part drama is the most renowned and frequently performed play by Thornton Wilder. The new production of Our Town at Commonwealth Theatre Center will feature original music and foley sound effects performed live and multimedia technology that elevates the timeless story of George Gibbs and Emily Webb into the modern day and transports Grover’s Corners to right here in our town, Louisville, Kentucky.
Our Town explores themes related to the human condition. Potentially sensitive topics discussed include death, alcoholism, and suicide.
All ages are welcome at CTC at Parent’s Discretion, Our Town is recommended for ages 8 and above.
Dr. Gibbs ……………………………………………….. Lachlan Apple
George Gibbs ……………………………………….. Nolan “Davis” Brown
Joe Crowell, Ensemble …………………………. Nathan Bukowski
Wally Webb …………………………………………… Colin Brandt
Emily Webb …………………………………………… Summer Clark
Mrs. Gibbs ………………………………………………. Lillian Cobb
Mrs. Soames ………………………………………….. Sierra Conner
Joe Stoddard, Ensemble ……………………….. Anya Cullen
Howie Newsome …………………………………… Lucy Dingman-Root
Sam Craig, Ensemble ……………………………. Laura Gibson
Mr. Webb ………………………………………………… Trace Henderson
Constable Warren…………………………………… Jamie Heberle
Rebecca Gibbs …………………………………………. Sophia Hyde
Woman Among the Dead, Ensemble …….. Ella Kozoll
Woman in the Balcony, Ensemble ………….. Stevie Mears
Professor Willard, Ensemble ………………….. Emma Morris
Lady in the Box, Ensemble ………………………. Riley O’ Bryan
Man in the Auditorium, Ensemble ………….. Sam Payne-Young
Simon Stimson …………………………………………. Bailey Raisor
Stage Manager ………………………………………….. Charlie Sexton
Man Among the Dead, Ensemble …………….. Roman Scott
Si Crowell, Ensemble …………………………………. Zachary Werts
Mrs. Webb ……………………………………………………. Lauren Wood
Director: Jake Allen Miller
Scenic & Lighting Design: Gerry Kean
Props & Costume Design: Hannah Greene
Costume Technician: Lindsay Chamberlin
Original Music & Sound Design: Jon Becraft and Brandon Cox
Video & Photography: Geoff Storts
Acting Coach & Intimacy Consultant: Jess De La Rosa
I initially encountered Thornton Wilder’s Our Town when I was cast as the milkman Howie Newsome at a small summer stock theater near Bloomington, Indiana. At the top of the show, my job was to set a table. On opening night that simple action covered me in goosebumps. It was surely that opening night excitement, right? Then it happened again. Then it happened EVERY night EVERY time I set my table. What was going on here? It was something about the lights, the sounds, the smells, and this play. At first glance what seemed like another quaint and dusty “classic” of the American theatre felt as living and breathing as any I’d ever been a part of. In the years since, Our Town never really let me go.
A lot of time has passed since that production, and even more time has passed since 1938 when Our Town won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Now, the incredible team of actors, artists, technicians and designers at CTC present the show in a country and a Louisville that is wrestling with its own history and how the ramifications of our past continue to shape the present and the things we believe about our future. In the Conservatory this term we are focused on the Theatre’s role as “The Seeing Place” – a space where humans are safe to ask questions about the things we know about one another and wonder out loud about the things that we do not. I am so grateful that you are here and I invite you to enter that same Seeing Place with us now, in this space, at this time, right here in our town. I hope you’ll find as I did that the questions this play was raising about life a century ago still ring true today – some of them even a little louder.
Perhaps you’ve been to Grover’s Corners before, or perhaps tonight is your first visit. Either way, welcome. I think you’ll find that no matter how many times the sun has come up over the mountain, on the whole not much has changed around here.
Colin Brandt is a homeschooled 10th grader who has been attending classes at CTC for about seven years. His other appearances at CTC include Romeo and Juliet (Paris/Sampson), The Secret Garden (Colin Craven), Baba Yaga (Father/Skull 3/Frying Pan/Samovar), and The Trials of Robin Hood (Much the Miller’s Son/Allan A Dale/Archery Butt). Regionally, Colin has also appeared in A Christmas Story (Ralphie) at Hayswood Theatre, The Wizard of Oz (Lollipop Guild) at Clarksville Little Theatre, and in multiple Camp Shakespeare pre-show performances for Kentucky Shakespeare’s summer seasons.
Laura Gibson is a Senior at Highlands Latin School and has attended Commonwealth Theatre Centre for nine years. She is a Governor’s School for the Arts Drama Alumnus of the class of 2022. She has performed in several community and Commonwealth shows, the most recent being Leonata in Much Ado About Nothing (Globe Players, Kentucky Shakespeare), Romeo and Juliet (YASF, Commonwealth Theatre), Fairview (Commonwealth Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Globe Players, Kentucky Shakespeare), and Ophelia in Hamlet (YASF, Commonwealth Theatre). Laura has written for the Young Playwrights Festival, is an avid novel writer, and is the Assistant Director and Stage Manager for the JCTMS Musical Theatre Club. She is so excited to be a part of this ensemble and is looking forward to future opportunities!
Emma Morris is a sophomore at Eastern High School and has been attending CTC classes since she was 10 years old.
Sophia Hyde is a junior at the J Graham Brown School and has been attending CTC classes for eight years. She has appeared in multiple CTC shows including Eurydice (Eurydice), The Children’s Hour (Agatha), Hamlet (Voltemand and Priest), and many more. She has been in many school productions such as Urning it (Charlie) and has been in the Best Christmas Pageant Ever with StageOne twice (Beth and Maxine). Outside of acting at CTC she has written and directed three plays for the young playwrights festival.
Nolan Brown is a seven year member of CTC, is a senior at Francis Parker School of Louisville. He participated in two summer academy shows: Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Grandpa George/Oompa Loompa) and Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland (Duck), As well as Stage Managing for two summer academies: 1001 Nights, Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit. He has been in four Shakespeare festivals at CTC: Marry Wives Of Windsor (John Rugby,) Macbeth (Donaldbain/Seward, ) Much Ado About Nothing (Antonio/Seacoal,) and Loves Labors Lost (Longavill.) He has been in three Young Playwrights festivals, and other plays such as Welcome To Wandaland (Paul jr,) 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Mitch Mahoney,) The Liar (Philiste,) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (a tragedy.) Outside of CTC, he has been in Much Ado About Nothing (Don Pedro,) A Midsummer Nights Dream (Snug, and The Curious Savage (Mr. Paddy)
Stevie Mears is a senior at Ballard High School and has been taking classes at CTC since last year. This is their debut performance in a Conservatory show in the mainstage season. Stevie has also performed in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Pigpen) at their school and attended New York Film Academy’s Teen Acting for Film Intensive program.
Ella Kozoll is in the eighth grade at the J. Graham Brown School and has been attending classes at CTC since she was 9 years old. She has performed in several Summer Academy shows including Wizard of Oz (Ensemble), James and the Giant Peach (Narrator), and 1001 Nights (Alex). This is her debut performance in a conservatory show in the MainStage season! Ella has also performed in Willy Wonka Jr. (Mrs. Beauregard) with StageOne, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander) and the Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Maxine) at her school.
Zachary Werts is a seventh grade student at Eastside Middle School and has been attending classes at CTC since he was 6 years old. He has performed in multiple Summer Academy shows including Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland as Mad Hatter, The Wizard of Oz as a munchkin, James And The Giant Peach with multiple parts, 1001 Nights as Crook 1 and Thief 6, and Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit as Hansel and B.B. Wolf. Zachary debuted in The Trojan Women as Astyanax, and has also performed in the Young Playwrights Festival as Jai and the crowd.
Nathan Bukowski is an eighth grade student at St. Margret Mary and has been attending CTC since he was 10 years old. Some of the other productions he has been a part of include The Young Playwrights Festival at CTC, Fiddler on The Roof Jr. (Motel) St. Margret Mary, and four seasons of A Christmas Carol (Ensemble) at Actors Theatre.
Lauren Wood is a senior at duPont Manual High School in her seventh year with the company. Credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost, Much Ado About Nothing, Young Playwrights’ Festival 2020, and Pride and Prejudice. She is so grateful for all of the incredible people and experiences that CTC has given her over the years.
Bailey Raisor is a Freshman student at Francis Parker School of Louisville. Bailey’s been a student at CTC since 2014 and was last in Eurydice in the 2022 Shakespeare Festival.
Lucy Dingman-Root has been active at Commonwealth Theatre Center since 2013, starring in multiple mainstage plays including The Trials of Robin Hood, as Robin Hood, Seyton from Macbeth, and one of the comedic players in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead. She is also a three-time writer for the Young Playwrights Festival here at CTC. She last appeared as Holofornes in Love’s Labour’s Lost directed by Charlie Sexton.
Anya Cullen is a sophomore at Ballard High School and has been taking CTC classes since 5th grade! They’ve been in productions at CTC such as The Children’s Hour (Lois), Young Playwrights Festival (directing, acting and writing), Loves Labour’s Lost (Costard), and more outside of CTC. Like Clue (Chief of Police), A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Cratchet), Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh), Wizard of Oz (The Wizard of Oz), and more! This is Anya’s second main stage show for the fall and they can’t wait!
Lachlan Apple is a junior at the Francis Parker school of Louisville and has been at CTC since he was in 6th grade. He has preformed in shows at CTC recently such as The Liar, YPF 2022, And Loves Labour’s Lost.
Roman Scott is a sophomore at Highlands Latin School and has been at CTC since last year. He has been in multiple plays including Romeo and Juliet (Messenger), The Hound of the Baskervilles (Henry Baskerville), Love’s Labor’s Lost (Anthony Dull), and Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio). He loves to act and is very excited to be back on stage again. He hopes to be part of many more productions at CTC and elsewhere.
Summer Clark is a Senior at Assumption High School and has been attending CTC since she was 12 years old. She has performed in several shows at CTC including Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), Much Ado About Nothing (Conrade), Henry V (Duke of Bourbon), The Young Playwrights Festival 2019, The Young Playwrights Festival 2020, and several CTC showcases. Summer has also performed in multiple shows at Assumption’s Rose Theater including A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), and Steel Magnolias (Shelby)
Charlie Sexton is artistic director of CTC. Recent appearances as an actor at CTC: Uncle Vayna, Misalliance, Henry IV, parts 1 & 2, Rhinoceros and Blue Stockings. He has directed dozens of plays at CTC over the years and recently shepherded the company through the completion of Shakespeare’s canon, becoming the first youth conservatory in the world to accomplish that feat. He and his wife Laura have 2 sons and 3 dogs and they recently started playing pickleball.
Sierra Conner is a senior at South Oldham High School and has been attending CTC classes for 5 years now. She has been in multiple Summer Academy shows as well as a couple mainstage productions, specifically The Liar (Lucrece) and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Maria). Outside of CTC, Sierra has been in shows such as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Beth Bradley) at Stage One Theatre and Around the World of 80 Days (Winnie the Newspaper Girl) at The Chamber Theatre.
Lillian Cobb is a senior at Community Montessori School just across the river in New Albany. She has been attending CTC for a little over a year now and is super grateful for her friends and the community she has found at CTC. Lillian has performed in other productions including Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), She Kills Monsters (Agnes), A killer Party (Lily Wright), Peter and The Star catcher (Molly Aster), and many others. Lillian is so excited about this production and hopes that everyone enjoys the show!
Riley O’Bryan is a sophomore at duPont Manual High School and has been attending classes at CTC since they were 7. They have performed in many Summer Academy shows including Baker Goes to War, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland (frog footman), Wizard of Oz (flying monkey, tree), and James and the Giant Peach (Narrator). They were also in Macbeth (Malcolm) and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Forester, Mercade).
Sam Payne-Young (Man at the Back of Auditorium, Baseball Player, Mr. Carter) is a seventh grade student at Western Middle School for the Arts and has been attending classes at CTC since they were 7 years old. They have performed in several Walden shows such as YPF, and Love’s Labour’s Lost.
Jake Allen Miller is a Louisville resident since 2019, a native of Pike County, Indiana, an alumnus of Hanover College. Prior to re-locating to Louisville in 2019, Jake lived and worked in the Chicago theatre community including periods at the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, and at The Second City as a touring and resident stage manager. In Louisville, Jake has worked with Kentucky Shakespeare, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and at Commonwealth Theatre Center as an educator and Production Manager since 2019. Jake is so grateful to the incredible cast and crew of this production and thanks you for supporting live theatre.
Jon Becraft is an actor, musician, and educator. With CTC, he has been an instructor in the Walden Conservatory Program, an outreach artist with the Blue Apple Players, and composer/music director for the 2021 Young American Shakespeare Festival. He has also worked extensively with Kentucky Shakespeare, both as an Artist Educator, and a mainstage performer. He is a full-time Instructional Assistant in the JCPS school district, and a member of the bands Surf Webster and Waveplate.
Geoffrey Storts has been a part of the Louisville Film community since graduating from the University of Kentucky in 2011. Working in the Camera Department as a First Assistant Camera, his credits include Commercials, Music Videos, Television Shows, and Feature Films (Mom & Dad, The Art of Self Defense, Old Henry). He also runs the local short film night Below the Line.
Brandon Cox is a musician, educator, and actor. This is his first performance with CTC. He is a member of the band Waveplate. During the week, he is an elementary school Science teacher.
Gerry Kean is a Louisville native, working in the entertainment industry since 1995. He has loved being part of the Commonwealth family for the last four years. Gerry has worked with such groups as Ursuline Arts Center, Bunbury Theatre, Stephen Foster Drama Association, Faith Works Studio, Woodford County Theatrical Arts Association, Louisville Central Community Center, Centerstage as well as Dick Clark Productions and ABC. Gerry would like to thank his wife Angel for putting up with this crazy theatre life.
Lindsay Chamberlin is excited to begin her seventh season at Commonwealth Theatre. Starting in Halloween costume design, she moved to theatrical work at Actors Theatre of Louisville as the Assistant Costume Designer eleven years ago. She has worked with several local companies including Pandora Productions, Theatre 502, Liminal Playhouse, Bellarmine University, Hardin County Performing Arts Center, Josephine Sculpture Park Summer Shakespeare and is an active company member with Looking for Lilith Theatre Company.
Hannah Brooks is a local theatrical artist who has been active in the theatre scene for the last five years, working with companies including Bunbury Theatre Company, The Kentucky Opera, and Looking for Lilith. They joined the CTC family in March of 2020. When Hannah isn’t working on theatre you can usually catch them drawing or making stickers! Thanks to Colt, who has supported them through all their artistic endeavors.
