(UNION, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG) will present a Talkback session entitled "The Enduring Legacy of Our Town" following the Thursday, October 30, 2025 performance of Our Town at the DMK Theater at the new Union Arts Center (7:00pm showtime). The event will be moderated by ATG Producing Artistic Director James Vagias who will be joined by the Thornton Wilder Society Executive Director Mary English and accompanied by Director Merete Muenter and members of the cast. All are welcome to attend and reservations are not necessary.
Beloved by many, Our Town is set in the fictional town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, and explores the universal themes of life, love, community and mortality. Since it was first performed in 1938, it has been widely considered one of the best American dramas of all time, combining humor, tenderness and powerful storytelling.
Mary C. English is Professor of Classics and General Humanities at Montclair State University, and Executive Director of the Thornton Wilder Society. She has written numerous articles and book chapters on the staging of ancient comedy and the reception of Greek drama by contemporary American playwrights (including Thornton Wilder). Most recently, she is the co-editor, with Dustin W. Dixon of Grinnell College, of a volume of essays entitled The Spirit of Aristophanes (Edinburgh University Press, 2024).
“Thornton Wilder’s words about love, loss, daily routines, and the need to relish simple pleasures as they occur speak to anyone who has seen or read this play,” noted ATG Producing Artistic Director Jim Vagias. “We are thrilled to have Mary join us and provide thought-provoking context to how Wilder’s story endures nearly a century later.”
ATG’s production is directed by Merete Muenter, whose numerous credits include serving as Associate Director of the 2022 Off Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof directed by Joel Grey and ATG’s 2019 production of Bridges of Madison County. Starring in the production are Timothy Ware-Hill (B’way: Kinky Boots) as the Stage Manager, Carrie Keating as Emily Webb and Chase Pittman as George Gibbs.
The production runs October 23-November 2 at the DMK Theater in the Union Arts Center, located at 1980 Morris Avenue; performances are at 7:00pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and 2pm on Sundays. The production then moves to the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge from November 6-9, 2025 with performances at 7:30pm on Thurs/Fri/Sat and 2:30pm on Sunday. Tickets are available for purchase online. Tickets range from $45-60 with special rates for students, seniors and groups.
Our Town is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
American Theater Group (ATG) produces new and classic works primarily by American playwrights with an emphasis on the development of new works and the reimagining of undeservedly neglected older ones. It also provides quality arts-in-education initiatives, including its annual DramaFest for students and its PlayLab program for BIPOC and queer playwrights.
