Our Town 1989 Great Performances

[@bookofdust]

Who’s here after reading Patchett’s Tom Lake? I was lucky enough to see this on Broadway. I had no idea who Frances Conroy was at that time.

[@lifeinjville]

Me!! I've never seen this play so here I am.

[@SallyBosco]

Me too! I love the book Tom Lake, so I wanted to look up the references. I've never seen Our Town before either, but I love Spaulding Gray's one-man shows.

[@jeantate8442]

Me. Never seen it or read it. After Tom Lake, who could not feel like they had to see it.

[@nancynz1]

I've finished the audiobook of Tom Lake read by Meryl Strep. It was wonderful. it led me to read the play and then to search out the production. I watched the 2003 Broadway production with Paul Newman as the Stage Manager and now this 1989 production. The George and Emily in this is so much better. I think I shall have to watch the 1940 film version with William Holden and perhaps go down The Cherry Orchard rabbit hole.

[@bookofdust]

@@nancynz1 There’s a 70s production shown on PBS with Robby Benson and Glynis O’Connor flipping their trajectories from Ode to Billy Joe and Sadie Thompson as Mrs. Gibbs that’s remarkable too.

[@JonLawson-z2s]

I was the Production Electrician on this show, and remember audience members leaving the theatre weeping. Kirk Browning, the director, who was in the TV truck on 45th Street, came into the theatre after recording the performance, speechless with emotion. I spent 40 years working on Broadway and Penelope Ann Miller's performance was one of the most moving things I ever saw. Amusingly, Don Ameche took over the SM role later on and could never remember his lines. Sometimes he'd ask the prompter in the wings for his line, and then couldn't hear the response!

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

@user-ie8hy7tc2d Thanks this is what is so great about KZbin, the comments!

[@CliftonBowers-pc2xu]

Thank you ....was in the one with Paul Newman sometimes on PBS..enjoyed doing the play ..😮

[@Coco-vx2nr]

What an amazing look behind the scenes! Thank you for sharing!!!! I’ll be facilitating a discussion of this play next month!

[@Catherine-NYC]

The best Emily EVER

[@laureenhurt4095]

I just finished Tom Lake! So now I MUST see this play.

[@saanzacs]

Spalding Gray, one of the greatest to ever do it on the stage, lost to us way too soon

[@jamescorley1899]

After I got older and seen family , friends, class mates and neighbors die I come to understand this movie and wish I appreciate the people who have passed better when they were alive !

[@DavidN369]

Even with textual cuts, this is definitive. Have never understood the critical antipathy to Spalding Grey. Frances Conroy, Roberta Maxwell, James Rebhorn, Peter Maloney, and certainly Eric Stoltz are stellar, their colleagues are dead-on, and Penelope Ann Miller is the best Emily since Martha Scott, period. With "Long Day's Journey into Night," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Death of a Salesman," "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Angels in America," THE great American play. Timeless, ever trenchant and immortal. Thank you VERY much.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Ever watch Monster in a Box?

[@DavidN369]

@@jonahfalcon1970 Yes. Brilliant.

[@erikvonriese]

I agree about Spalding Grey. He's not the usual, folksy Stage Manager we're accustomed to, but he feels much closer to the matter-of-fact, otherworldly character that Wilder intended.

[@DavidN369]

@@erikvonriese Precisely

[@Star_production23]

Remarkable. Seeing Spalding Gray again wakes me agaian to his genius.

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

Poor man after the car accident he got depressed, took his last ride on the SI Ferry. Very sad.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Spalding Gray: All the critics agreed -- they wanted to tar and feather me and run me out of town!

[@andredarin8966]

@@jonahfalcon1970 Spalding was pitch perfect for the role. Every audience agreed just as they saw something in the "Phantom of the Opera" that Frank Rich and other terminal prigs didn't.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

@andredarin8966 "Spalding Gray came from outer space and Gregory Mosher left him there."

[@tpickett1381]

Was read as a play in my high school English class. I didn't really appreciate it then .But this performance at age 70,had me in tears. Bravo, Great performance.

[@sarahfleiss]

This is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. Stellar all around. So glad I got to witness this

[@andredarin8966]

It's been 36 years since I saw this at the Lyceum on Broadway. The ticket was $25. It remains one of the two most profoundly moving theater piece I've ever seen (with "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby" the other. I wonder how many people are going to say that abklut "Hamilton" or "Wicked" in 2050.

[@glc1183]

Thank you for posting this - I was a college student in 1989 and wondered upon this as a viewer of Great Performances. It was one of the most significant things that I've had encountered in my life to that point having never read the play - It contains a very powerful message in a trenchant manner------- Thanks

[@V-Lo78]

Still my favorite performance of my favorite play to this day. ❤️

[@Semiotichazey]

I have never seen or read Our Town before now. This is...sublime. It affects me in odd ways that make me wonder why there are no productions of this now outside of high schools. In our current era (I write this in 2022), the quasi-timeless quality of this is deeply resonant. It is critical that we find and maintain connections to the past. Not to stay the same, but to discover that which endures.

[@larryw.phillips6779]

Monumental. You hit the nail on the head C.W.

[@anthonykortas5936]

I just got back from a lovely production of this at American Player’s Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

[@erinneil5480]

Yes. Just reading Tom Lake now. I read Our Town when I was a stagestruck girl. That is so long ago I have to watch it again because of the book.

[@CubReporterK]

You are a hero! I've wanted to see this for ages. One of the only Spalding Gray videos I've never tracked down.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

"Spalding Gray's deportment was a blight on the town." I saw myself as walking Dutch Elm disease!

[@stoutmtc]

My book group is doing Tom Lake in March and someone who finished the book early told us we must watch Our Town. I could swear I have seen this performed live, but it must have been when I was at college and chronically sleep deprived, because as we watched the 1940 movie I couldn't remember a thing. But I knew Thornton Wilder was disappointed in the 1940 movie - the movie script changed it so Emily is just having a dream of being dead and returns to life at the end. As others have said, I am older now and have lost parent and child and others to death, so was more deeply affected and expect I won't forget this time.

[@thee_calamity]

This play affected me so deeply as a young boy. Thank you for posting it.

[@Gwailo54]

I was aware of the play but knew precious little about it. Then finally I saw it in the West End with Alan Alda. This play should be performed more often. Anything other than another musical.

[@Wordman67]

For too long, it has been misperceived as a sentimental greeting card of a play, when actually it is as desolate and chillingly profound as any Beckett play. I don't know anyone who can get to the end without being a sobbing wreck.

[@waynetkelley]

I saw a production today at Emory Theatre Lab in Atlanta. It was multilingual and with a multiethnic cast. I wept throughout the entire 3rd act, as I always do even when just reading the script.

[@cliptrashbin2389]

I had to watch it in class, and these poems make me sad or unemotional, but this one got me. I had to rubber my eyes and not cry in my high school class

[@luigimgallo]

I remember watching this play in its italian version on TV more than fifty years ago. My mom saithen that the conclusion was that you are better off when you are laid at eternal rest. Last year she passed away. Maybe she was right.

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

@@luigimgallo God bless you and your mother

[@bluebread079]

It’s 3:30 am and I’m watching this again.

[@chrisparsonlives]

it's 2am and i'm locked in

[@LTMcG]

I just started Tom Lake and came here. Now I know why she keeps mentioning the beauty Northern Michigan and adoration of her daughters. Ann Patchett knows juxtaposition.

[@luellajoy]

I really loved it. As an actor I really loved it.

[@chrishampton3649]

Seein for the 3rd or 4th or however many times, enjoy it each time Penelope Ann Miller was my main interest in it ❤ed her in it but still a good play, I don't watch plays but this is an exception the last act is touchin, it's touchin seein her 😢 cause you know those are real tears, think that's part of what makes her a real good actress & she's very talented, her & James Rebhorn were in Carlito's Way, loved her Escape to paradise scene in there, The Shadow, Kindergarten Cop, Gun in Betty Lou's 👜, Other People's 💵, Adventures in Babysitting etc are my some of my Penelope movies, wanna meet her someday.

[@a_d_a_m]

i had never heard of this play but randy rainbow and sarah silverman sent me :) they mentioned the line about the saints and poets and it sounded so brilliant i had to check it out. thanks for posting it!

[@neurogence]

Absolutely Awesome loved it

[@Allie8567]

The play is so much better than the movie…. It is meant for the stage. I haven’t watched this play or read this book since highschool ,now over 30 years ago. Love this play so much. This was so well done this 1989 version.

[@byron2521]

I'm here because KZbin's algorithms are weird. I saw this play with Eric Stoltz about 30 years ago. Maybe looked it up on KZbin 5 years ago. Then KZbin decides now I need to seen scenes from it again. It is a good platy though.

[@elainehoward9449]

Me!! I'm not to excited about reading Tom Lake, so I'm watching this!!

[@Allie8567]

This play is so amazing. I practically know all the words by heart I’ve seen it so many times. To me it must be seen on the stage. Not in a movie.

[@jsbrules]

I am sure that this is a little sped up! I suggest playing it at .85 speed. At first listen, the speed seems like these New Englanders are New Yorkers in an old screwball comedy. Or as if they were urged to try to talk fast to fit into a short time slot, which I doubt. However, the pitch is clearly correct; so I changed the speed to .85 and that seems just right. I then compared that speed with an excerpt (the opening monologue) that was posted elsewhere on KZbin, and it seemed a better match for the speed of delivery. (When not adjusted, this version got ahead of the excerpt.)

[@theunitedsamilyofamerica8183]

Tysm for sharing

[@lalithamariaperez2937]

Thank you!

[@not_an_animal]

This deserves more attention...like y'all

[@neurogence]

Loved it

[@kendallgaskin6436]

macaulay culkin’s brother, shane culkin, is in this play btw

[@kavyazworld730]

This is literally a play I’m doing at my school. This is technically my homework😭🤚 Update: the play is tomorrow😬😬

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

Hope it went well!

[@kavyazworld730]

@@pattymelt-go3fvit went well! I messed up but no one had a clue😉 On year 2 of theater, and now we're doing beauty and the beast

[@tomshea8382]

Giving competitive awards for artistic achievement is so dumb; look at the work Penelope Ann Miller is doing here and now imagine giving or not giving her a prize for it compared to the work the great Christine Baranski did the same season in an Uptown Neil Simon farce.

[@godzintok]

have to watch this for english homework😭

[@timyore1295]

See also the 1956 producers showcase live kinescope version with Frank Sinatra,Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint!

[@sanclementekid]

At least no one from Grover's Corners died on the Titanic. George the peeper.

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

@sanclementekid I always think about my grandmother being born 6 weeks later. She was always terrified of water.

[@timyore1295]

See also the 1956 producers Showcase live kinescope with Frank Sinatra,Paul Newman,and Eva Marie Saint!

[@jackryan4862]

Act 3 1:13:54

[@laura_brand]

58:26

[@jonahfalcon1970]

"Nice town, know what I mean?" Frank Rich might have been right about that line delivery.

[@rudranshparab2007]

Martha scott did very well in 1940 movie with same name

[@hellbooks3024]

Ron Parady was a great actor.

[@anragukonis1292]

Required reading in high school nearly 50 years ago. Didn’t get it. Didn’t like it. Just finished Tom Lake and now I want to see it performed live.

[@harryloomus7486]

3Kuula Apostli soovist külastada Tessaloonikat uuesti 1 Seepärast meie, kui me enam ei läbenud kannatada, arvasime heaks jääda Ateenasse 2 ja läkitasime Timoteose, oma venna ja Jumala kaastöölise Kristuse evangeeliumi kuulutamises, kinnitama ja julgustama teid teie usus, 3 et ükski ei lööks kõikuma nendes viletsustes. Te ju teate, et me oleme nendesse pandud. 4 Sest juba siis, kui me olime teie juures, ütlesime teile ette, et meid hakatakse taga kiusama, nagu see on ka sündinud ja on teile teada. 5 Seepärast ka mina, maldamata enam, saatsingi tema, et teada saada teie usku, kas vahest kiusaja pole teid kiusanud ning meie vaevanägemist tühjaks teinud. 6 Aga kui nüüd Timoteos tuli teie juurest tagasi ning tõi meile häid sõnumeid teie usust ja teie armastusest ning et teie meid alati heaga mäletate, igatsedes meid näha saada, nii nagu meie teidki, 7 siis saime julgustatud teie kaudu, vennad, kogu oma kitsikuses ja ahistuses teie usu läbi, 8 sest nüüd me võime elada, kui teie püsite Issandas. 9 Mis tänu me võiksime küll Jumalale anda teie pärast kogu selle rõõmu eest, millega me rõõmustame teie üle oma Jumala palge ees? 10 Me anume ööd ja päevad üliväga, et saada näha teie palet ja parandada seda, mis on veel puudulik teie usus. 11 Aga tema, meie Jumal ja Isa, ning meie Issand Jeesus Kristus tasandagu meie tee teie juurde! 12 Ning Issand kasvatagu teie armastust ja tehku see rohkeks üksteise ja kõikide vastu, nii nagu see meilgi on teie vastu, 13 et kinnitada teie südameid olema pühaduses laitmatud Jumala ja meie Isa palge ees, kui meie Issand Jeesus tuleb kõigi oma pühadega. [Aamen.] 4Kuula Jumalale meelepärasest elust 1 Viimaks nüüd veel, vennad, me palume ja keelitame teid Issandas Jeesuses, et nagu te olete meilt saanud teada, kuidas teil tuleb elada ja Jumalale meeldida - nõnda te ju elategi -, et te selles veelgi enam edeneksite. 2 Te ju teate, millised korraldused me teile oleme Issandas Jeesuses andnud. 3 Jah, see on Jumala tahtmine: teie pühitsus, et te hoiduksite hooruse eest, 4 et igaüks teie seast oskaks pidada oma astjat pühitsuses ja aus, 5 mitte himude kires, nõnda nagu paganad, kes ei tea midagi Jumalast, 6 et ükski ei oleks üleastuja ega petaks oma venda asjaajamises, sest Issand maksab kõige säärase eest kätte, nii nagu me oleme seda teile ka enne ütelnud ja tunnistanud. 7 Jumal ei ole meid ju kutsunud rüvedusele, vaid pühitsusele. 8 Seepärast siis, kes on selle suhtes hoolimatu, see on hoolimatu mitte inimese, vaid Jumala vastu, kes oma Püha Vaimu teisse annab. 9 Aga vennaarmastusest ei ole vaja teile kirjutada, sest Jumal on teid endid õpetanud armastama üksteist, 10 ja seda teie osutategi kõigile vendadele terves Makedoonias. Meie aga manitseme teid, vennad, et te veelgi edeneksite. 11 Ja arvake auks elada vaikselt, ajada oma asju ning teha tööd oma kätega, nagu meie teid oleme käskinud, 12 nii et te elaksite kombekalt nende ees, kes on väljaspool, ega oleks teil kelleltki midagi vaja. Surnute olukorrast 13 Meie ei taha aga, vennad, et teil jääks teadmata nende järg, kes on läinud magama, et teie ei oleks kurvad nagu need teised, kellel ei ole lootust. 14 Sest kui me usume, et Jeesus on surnud ja üles tõusnud, siis usume ka, et Jumal äratab Jeesuse kaudu üles need, kes koos temaga on läinud magama. 15 Jah, seda me ütleme teile Issanda sõnana, et meie, kes me üle jääme elama Issanda tulekuni, ei jõua ette magamaläinutest, 16 sest Issand ise tuleb sõjahüüu, peaingli hääle ja Jumala pasuna saatel alla taevast ning esmalt tõusevad üles surnud, kes on läinud magama Kristuses, 17 pärast kistakse meid, kes me oleme üle jäänud elama, ühtviisi koos nendega pilvedes üles õhku Issandale vastu, ja nõnda me saame alati olla koos Issandaga. 18 Julgustage siis üksteist nende sõnadega!

[@karlkarlos3545]

Casting Spalding Gray as Stage Manager was certainly a choice.

[@누구인까]

1:33:30

[@dearthunderstorm4062]

26:27

[@harryloomus7486]

5Kuula Issanda päevaks valmistumisest 1 Aegade ja tundide kohta, vennad, ei ole aga vaja teile kirjutada, 2 sest te teate täpselt, et Issanda päev tuleb just nii nagu varas öösel. 3 Kui öeldakse: „Nüüd on rahu ja kindel olek”, siis langeb äkiline hukatus nende peale nagu sünnitusvalud lapseootel naise peale, ja nad ei pääse pakku. 4 Teie aga, vennad, ei ole pimeduses, nii et see päev saaks teid tabada nagu varas. 5 Teie kõik olete ju valguse lapsed ja päeva lapsed. Meie ei ole öö ega pimeduse lapsed. 6 Niisiis, ärgem magagem nagu teised, vaid olgem ärkvel ja kained, 7 sest magajad magavad öösel ja joomarid on joobnud öösel. 8 Aga meie, kes me oleme päeva lapsed, olgem kained, rõivastatud usu ja armastuse kaitserüüga ning päästelootuse kiivriga, 9 sest Jumal ei ole meid asetanud viha alla, vaid pääste saamiseks meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse läbi, 10 kes meie eest on surnud, et meie, kas me oleme ärkvel või magame, üheskoos temaga elaksime. 11 Seepärast julgustage üksteist ja igaüks kosutagu teist, nagu te seda teetegi! Nõuandeid koguduse eluks 12 Ent me palume teid, vennad, tunnustada neid, kes teie seas tööd teevad ja teid Issandas juhatavad ning noomivad, 13 ja pidada neist armastuses üliväga lugu nende töö pärast. Hoidke omavahel rahu! 14 Meie aga manitseme teid, vennad: noomige korratuid, julgustage pelglikke, aidake nõrku, olge pika meelega kõikide vastu! 15 Vaadake, et keegi teisele kurja ei tasuks kurjaga, vaid taotlege alati head üksteisele ja kõikidele! 16 Rõõmustage alati, 17 palvetage lakkamatult, 18 tänage kõige eest - sest see on, mida Jumal teilt tahab Jeesuses Kristuses! 19 Ärge kustutage Vaimu, 20 ärge põlastage prohvetiandi, 21 katsuge läbi kõik, pidage kinni heast, 22 hoiduge igasuguse kurja eest! Lõputervitused 23 Aga rahu Jumal ise pühitsegu teid läbinisti ning teie vaim ja hing ja ihu olgu tervikuna hoitud laitmatuna meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse tulemiseks! 24 Ustav on see, kes teid kutsub; küll tema teebki seda. 25 Vennad, palvetage meie eest! 26 Tervitage kõiki vendi püha suudlusega! 27 Ma vannutan teid Issanda nimel, et see kiri loetaks ette kõikidele vendadele! 28 Meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse arm olgu teiega!

[@NandiniSharma-o7r]

Robinson Jessica Jackson Sarah Hall William

[@CliftonBowers-pc2xu]

Thank you...😮