Thornton Wilder is one of the most inventive playwrights of all time. His creative vision and exceptional imagination led to such classics as his most notable drama, Our Town. Throughout this drama, Wilder’s unusual use of the Stage Manager allows Him to become one of the most famous roles of all time. Although his identity is unknown and he appears to be insignificant to the plot of the story, the Stage Manager’s role is the most important in the entire play (Galens 226). It may seem like he is just an ordinary narrator who informs, describes, and sets up the beginning of each act, but that is far from the truth (Ballet 77). Unlike most narrators, the Stage Manager is the play by play voice for all the action while playing small roles throughout the play as well (Galens 229).
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The way he talks to them, as if they are some of his closest friends, helps connect the audience with the Stage Manager. He uses that connection with the audience to destroy the border between the onstage events and the audience to make them feel as if they are a part of the play (Papajewski 3). In addition to destroying the border between the audience and the stage, he leads us as the audience to focus on the families in Grover’s Corner and the events going on in their lives (Austell 96). He uses his thorough descriptions to paint a picture in our minds of Grover’s Corner and its people (Haberman 22). Also, the Stage Manager is our connection with daily life in Grover’s Corner while he is controlling the tempo of the play all at the same time (Austell 96). He uses these remarkable abilities he has been given to unveil primary facts about life to the audience (Austell 94). All this being said, Wilder’s character, the Stage Manager possesses enormous control over the community of Grover’s Corner while being a part of it all at the same time (Papajewski 3). Wilder’s bizarre yet brilliant use of the Stage Manager throughout Our Town has changed the world of drama forever. At the time
The way he talks to them, as if they are some of his closest friends, helps connect the audience with the Stage Manager. He uses that connection with the audience to destroy the border between the onstage events and the audience to make them feel as if they are a part of the play (Papajewski 3). In addition to destroying the border between the audience and the stage, he leads us as the audience to focus on the families in Grover’s Corner and the events going on in their lives (Austell 96). He uses his thorough descriptions to paint a picture in our minds of Grover’s Corner and its people (Haberman 22). Also, the Stage Manager is our connection with daily life in Grover’s Corner while he is controlling the tempo of the play all at the same time (Austell 96). He uses these remarkable abilities he has been given to unveil primary facts about life to the audience (Austell 94). All this being said, Wilder’s character, the Stage Manager possesses enormous control over the community of Grover’s Corner while being a part of it all at the same time (Papajewski 3). Wilder’s bizarre yet brilliant use of the Stage Manager throughout Our Town has changed the world of drama forever. At the time