'Our Town' opens at freeFall in St. Petersburg

If you said that "Our Town" was one of the greatest plays in the canon of American theater, very few people would argue with you.

Besides being among the greatest, Thornton Wilder's quietly powerful drama about life and death in a small New England town is one of the most frequently produced American plays. High schools, colleges, community theaters and regional theaters love to stage "Our Town." An Off-Broadway production that closed a few years back was the longest-running production ever, and featured acclaimed performances by Helen Hunt and Michael McKean. So most theater-goers are very familiar with "Our Town."

Still, the upcoming production of the Pulitzer Prize-winner at freeFall Theatre in St. Petersburg ought to be worth checking out. It's directed by Eric Davis, who's a relentlessly creative director, and it features longtime St. Petersburg stage stalwart Bob Devin-Jones as the Stage Manager.

Wilder divides the play into three sections, titled "Daily Life," "Love and Marriage" and "Death and Dying," set years apart. Together they weave a metatheatrical story about the town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, in the very early 20th century, and the everyday drama that makes up the lives of its citizens.

Details: Jan. 16-Feb. 14, freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave, St. Petersburg. Show times: 7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: Information: 727-498-5205, freefalltheatre.com.

--Marty Clear

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 6:17 PM with the headline "'Our Town' opens at freeFall in St. Petersburg ."