GTA spring season starts with 'Our Town'

The Gainesville Theatre Alliance (GTA) will begin its spring performances with "Our Town" Feb. 11-19 in the Ed Cabell Theatre on the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville Campus.

Written by Thornton Wilder, "Our Town" presents the small town of Grover's Corners in three acts: "Daily Life," "Love and Marriage" and "Death and Eternity." Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, this beloved meta-play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families.

Jayme McGhan, GTA artistic director, described the play as "the quintessential American play that reminds us, very gently, to slow down and enjoy the individual moments that make up our lives — lest they should pass us by completely." 

GTA is a one-of-a-kind, nationally-recognized collaboration between UNG and Brenau University. Utilizing hands-on, individualized training while emphasizing ensemble and collaboration between programs, GTA boasts a production program rivaling the largest theater schools in the country.

The silence is difficult. It's frightening, it's uncomfortable, and it's revealing of truths that we need to wrestle with.

Zechariah Pierce

Associate professor of theater at UNG

Pierce said that the quote sums up the importance of the play, even decades later when we interact with humans via screens and use technology to lessen the discomfort of silence.

"The silence is difficult. It's frightening, it's uncomfortable, and it's revealing of truths that we need to wrestle with," Pierce said. "But it's in these moments where we can truly allow our mind to contemplate the things that are most important:  the eternal, the meaningful, the intimately personal."

From Feb. 24-27, GTA will present a New Works Festival, which introduces audiences to the next generation of stories for the American theater. There will be staged readings of two plays, a musical and student plays. It, too, will be at the Ed Cabell Theatre and is free to the public. 

"The Secret Garden," the enchanting, Tony Award-winning musical based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, will be performed April 8-16 at the Hosch Theater on Brenau University's campus at 429 Academy St. NE in Gainesville, Georgia. With music and lyrics by Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon, the performance tells the compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal. It is recommended for all ages.

Tickets are on sale through the theater box office at 678-717-3624 and on the GTA website.