Olivia Kleinau (’23)

The Houghton University Lyric Theater’s rendition of Our Town, told a heartfelt story of love, life, and death.

I appreciated the message of the play, which was to Enjoy your life. Both the simple pleasures and simple moments.

This was best conveyed in Act 3, when one of the main characters, Emily Webb (Played by Lydia Reich), tragically passed away (which destroyed me). During the act, we got an interesting look at the perspective of the characters who died throughout the play, as the tone turns somber. The characters reflect on their lives, realizing how much they took for granted. It is also interesting for the audience to reflect on their own life and morality. Life is short, and should be lived with every day being important. 

The message is clear: Every moment matters, even the ones that feel like our mundane everyday life. Don’t take it for granted.

I think everyone did a fantastic job in the show. It was very easy to connect with the characters as well as the message. 

There were also many moments of humor which were well appreciated amidst the tragedies. The actors did a wonderful job at blending humor into the dialogue without it being forced or out of place. It added an appreciated lighthearted element as we watched the characters go about their day to day lives. 

The town the story took place in was an important character as well, helping to further convey the message that everything changes, even when it seems like nothing does. The world keeps spinning even when everything around us is changing. Nothing is permanent, but sometimes change is gradual. It was an impactful story that thoughtfully used a narrator, the Stage Manager (Played by Cody Johnson), to aid in communicating the changes in the town between acts that we couldn’t necessarily see.I found the fourth wall breaks to add to the story, rather than take away from it, which is a difficult balance.

Overall, it was an impactful story, one that should make everyone contemplate living and being alive. ★