Delta Drama will be putting on a production of the Thorton Wilder classic “Our Town,” following the story of two young people falling in love in a small town. The play is now more than 80 years old, but it is being interpreted in a new way through a multilingual lens. Delta’s version of “Our Town” will be performed in both English and Spanish.
“People call “Our Town” a ‘Great American Play,’’ said associate professor of Drama Karen Vance. “But, (the play) is performed all over the world. So I looked at the play and thought ‘how can diverse Americans relate to the themes of the play.”
Vance has previously performed ‘Our Town’ herself in college, but she says she has known about the play since childhood, being introduced to it by her father. Actress and Sacramento State student Alexa Hernandez, who plays the central character of Emily Webb, also has had prior experiences with the play. “Back when I was a student at Delta, I had the opportunity to read the play and work on scenes in Acting Study II with Professor Greg Foro,” said Hernandez in an email interview. “I instantly fell in love with the story and always dreamed of playing the role of Emily.”
The multilingual version of “Our Town” was translated by playwrights Nilo Cruz and Jeff Augustine. Originally, the Webb family spoke Spanish and the Gibbs family spoke Haitian Creole. But when it came to casting the Gibbs family, Vance was unable to find actors who spoke Creole or French. So, their lines remain in the original English.
“Ultimately, we decided it wasn’t appropriate for us to do Creole,” said Vance.
What also makes this production of “Our Town” unique is that there will be no English subtitles when the Webb family speaks Spanish amongst themselves. Vance says that having subtitles takes away from the immersion of the play.
“We should be following in their perspectives, how they see the world,” said Vance. Hernandez believes that even if the audience doesn’t speak Spanish, they will still understand the Webbs’ conflicts. “Our director, Karen Vance, worked closely with us to make sure the audience could follow along and understand the significance,” said Hernandez.
Vance said having the actors’ experience influence their performance was important to her.
“The setting of ‘Our Town’ is this classic American small town,” said Vance. “We wanted to have our Spanish speaking actors demonstrate what ‘our town’ as an idea means to them.
To Vance, this production of “Our Town” has a more personal meaning to her than usual.
“My mother is Puerto Rican and my father is Irish,” said Vance. “Growing up, I didn’t learn how to speak Spanish, and I know there are many people who are in the same boat. I think this story, which portrays such a loving town, can show a blending of cultures, rather than an assimilation.”
Hernandez also found a deeper meaning in this production. “During the rehearsal process, I faced a difficult challenge when I unexpectedly lost my grandfather,” said Hernandez. “It was a scary and emotional time, but when I returned, I poured all my energy into the play. It felt right to honor my grandfather’s memory by giving it my all.
“Our Town” will play Apr. 26, 27, and May 3rd at 7pm and Apr. 28 and May 5 at 2pm.
