The Stage Manager in Our Town Essay

Our Town: The Stage Manager

In the book, Our Town, the character of the Stage Manager was very essential to the play. He gave insight to the characters. He also explained the different situations occurring. He directed the characters as they gave their dialogue. He gave a clear perception to vague scenes.

In Act I: Part One, The Stage Manager spoke to the audience and painted them an image of Grovers Corners in 1901. He gave them an account of the town. He chose what he wanted the audience to know. He noted the towns orthodox schedule in showing the trains departure to Boston at precisely 5:45 a.m. As the scene continues he spoke on what was occurring at the moment, Dr. Gibbs was coming home from delivering twins and Joe Crowell Jr. delivering the paper and begin to converse. Soon after Joe Crowell Jr. and Dr. Gibbs finish their conversation the Stage Manager interrupts to speak on Joes life and tragic and unfortunate death.

In Act I: Part Two, the Stage Manager introduces the Professor Willard and Mr. Webb to give the details and the statistics of Grovers Corners in during this it shows his authority over the characters. When the reports on the town are finished he asked the audience is there any questions for Mr. Webb. After the question has been answered the Stage Manager dismissed Mr. Webb. During this time the Stage Manager plays as a time keeper who suddenly looses track of time. After the scene is acted out the Stage Manager dismisses the audience to a brief intermission.

In Act II: Part One, the Stage Manager welcomes the audience back and informs them that this is now 1904 and not much has change except the characters have matured and some like Joe Crowell have died. The Stage Manager used a flashback to return to the time when George Gibbs and Emily Webbs romantic relationship begins to blossom and then when it was fully bloomed. In this act he played many roles. He was Mr. Morgan in the local drugstore, then went on to play the Stage Manager again and stated the seriousness of the following part. Lastly the Stage Manager plays the clergyman marrying George and Emily, when he returns to the character of the Stage Manager speaks on the tradition of marriage.

In Act III, the Stage Manager informs the audience that it is now 1913. He begins in speaking about death, and then takes the audience to a graveyard. The Stage Manager helps Emily after death to revisit a part of her life. During this time it explains that majority of mankind dont appreciate life until after death.

To conclude I would like to express the Stage Manager not only played as a sort of narrator but also has an individual that has a higher view of understanding of life in Grovers Corners. He fit into the play as a higher authority. He could bring others to view life after death. He was the glue to the play and the connection to the audience. In the beginning he stated Sopeople a thousand years from nowthis is the way we were in the provinces north of New York at the beginning of the twentieth century.This is the way we were: in our growing up and in our marrying and in our living and in our dying. He spoke of each act of the play in this little quote, from birth of the twins, parenting, marriage of George and Emily, and finally death.