Arvada Center takes audiences back to ‘Our Town’

There are some 20th century plays that are simply synonymous with the theater. And right at the top of that list is ornton Wilder’s immortal story of small-town life and love, “Our Town.”

When a show has such a strong reputation, it can be easy to think of it as rigid and traditional, with no production having anything worthwhile to add. But as any regular of the Arvada Center can attest, the company never does a production without giving it a unique spin.

“Our production, to me, feels like the product of pure artistic collaboration,” wrote Archer Rosenkrantz, who plays Joe Crowell and Wally Webb at the Center, in an email interview. “I feel lucky to work under leadership that values everyone’s voices in the room, and I think that our production is a re ection of that.” e play, directed by Geo rey Kent, is set in the ctional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire from 1901 to 1913, and follows the lives of some of the residents as they grapple with major life events and attempt to get a handle on the eeting nature of existence.

As part of the 2023 Black Box Repertory eater season, “Our Town” runs at the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., through Saturday, May 20. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. ursday through Saturday, 1 p.m. on Wednesday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Geo ’s vision for the show was that it isn’t just a show you see, you as the audience feel like a part of the story, and a part of the process, almost like being let in on a secret,” wrote Claylish Coldiron, who plays Emily Webb, in an email interview.

“We perform in the round in a very