Dordt University to present "Our Town"

The Theatre Arts Department at Dordt University will present “Our Town” for this year’s fall mainstage production. First produced in 1938, “Our Town” is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Thornton Wilder play that explores the lives of people living in a small, quintessentially American town.

“This felt like the right time for a play like this,” says director Laurel Koerner, who serves as a Dordt theatre arts professor. “One that reminds us of who we are together. It emphasizes the value of living together in community.”

Koerner is working with a cast of 20 Dordt students and two children from the community as well as a behind-the-scenes crew of 38 students to bring “Our Town” to life.

Despite “Our Town” having been written and produced nearly 100 years ago, the play’s set design will help the audience connect and stay engaged throughout the performance.

“In our costume and scenic designs, we blend the play's original late Victorian time period with contemporary style to enhance the audience's connection to the events and emphasize the timelessness of the play's themes,” says Koerner. “This play is a reminder to examine what it is that we value and awaken, if only for a few moments, our sensitivity to the beauty of this life.”

Performances will take place October 20-22, 27, and 29 at 7:30 p.m., and October 29 at 2:00 p.m. All performances will be held at the Te Paske Theatre, located in the Sioux Center Community School District north of campus.

Tickets are now available through dordt.edu/theatre/tickets.

To learn more about the Dordt University theatre arts program, visit dordt.edu/theatre-arts.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.