“Our Town” Opening at Hole in the Wall Theater – CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Editor’s Note (3/16/2020): On March 16, 2020, the Hole in the Wall Theater announced that, “It is with great regret that we announce that HITW will be cancelling all live shows until further notice, due to concerns of spreading COVID-19 in our community. The state of Connecticut has announced the closing of all movie theaters and even restaurants. The CDC has officially recommended that no gatherings of 50 or more people be held for the next eight weeks.”

New Britain’s Hole in the Wall Theater is presenting the American classic play, Our Town, by renown playwright Thornton Wilder.

The Theater says that, in Our Town, “we are taken to 1901 Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire, first meeting the Stage Manager – our narrator and guide of the tale.”

“Throughout the play,” the Theater says, “we follow the Webb and Gibbs family through everyday life, marriage, childbirth, and death. ‘Our Town’ explores the idea of our inability to appreciate the life we’re living while we’re living it, and the perspective that comes with death.”

The play opens on Friday, March 13, 2020.

As John Bosco announced on the Theater’s blog, the character “Stage Manager” is played by Dennis Hull of New Britain. Hull is joined by New Britain residents Jennifer Tellier, as Mrs. Webb, Jordan Wassil as Howie Newsome, Elijah Rosario, playing the parts of Wally Webb, Si Crowell and “Belligerent Man,” and Johnny Peifer as Constable Warren.

In addition, George Sebastian-Coleman performs as Dr. Gibbs, Tina Millman as Mrs. Gibbs, Jesse Burke as George Gibbs, Warren Dutkiewicz as Mr. Webb, Jamie Lapierre as Emily Webb, Terrance Peters as Simon Stimson, Rebecca C. Zajac as Mrs. Soames, EJ Ramirez as the characters Sam Craig, Joe Crowell and a “Baseball Player,” Alan Burkholder as Joe Stoddard and a “Baseball Player,” John Garvey as Professor Willard and “Man among the Dead,” and Lexi Faust as Rebecca Gibbs, “Woman among the Dead” and “Lady in a Box.”

The Theater will perform the play through April 4th. March 20th is the Theater’s “Pay What You Can” night.

"Our Town" Dates and Times

Tickets for the Theater’s plays are available at its online tickets web page. The Theater says that reservations can be made by calling 860-229-3049. “For phone reservations,” the Theater says, “please make sure to leave your name, the date of the performance, number and type of tickets (GA, student, or senior), phone number, as well as your email address so that we can send you a confirmation.”

The Theater also says that, “Tickets can also be purchased at the door on performance nights with cash or credit card.”

On March 11, 2020, Hole in the Wall Theater President Ryan Wantroba issued a statement concerning COVID-19, saying that,

We are also carefully monitoring the news surrounding the novel coronavirus in Connecticut. Because of the low incidence rate in the state (with only four confirmed cases as of Wednesday morning) and the high level of public awareness, we will be staging our performances as scheduled.

Wantroba says that the Theater is taking extra measures to disinfect its auditorium. Saying that, “we care greatly about the health and safety of both our volunteers and patrons,” Wantroba notes that, “will continually reassess the situation,” and that, “there is no guarantee that we will not need to close in the coming weeks.”

“For the safety of our cast, crew, and your fellow patrons,” Wantroba, “if you have a fever, cough, or any signs of illness, we ask that you please stay home and not attend the show.”

Wantroba added that,

If you have purchased a ticket for Our Town online and are either ill or not comfortable attending the show, please contact the box office at [email protected] or (860) 229-3049 and we will be happy to assist you. Furthermore, we will be honoring ALL reservations this weekend, so that if you had purchased ticket for a performance later in March or April, you may see the show opening weekend instead at no additional charge.

“Stay safe,” Wantroba says, “and we look forward to seeing you at Our Town!”

The Hole in the Wall Theater has said that it, “has been a staple of the New Britain arts community for over 40 years. Through the hundreds of shows we’ve produced, our mission has always been to make theater accessible to everyone.”

The Hole in the Wall Theater is located at 116 Main Street.