PROGRAM AND EVENT GUIDE - NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest - Vigo County Public ...
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PROGRAM AND EVENT GUIDE NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
ABOUT OUR TOWN
Welcome to Grover’s Corners, a small community at the turn of the twentieth century and the
setting for Thornton Wilder’s three-act Pulitzer Prize winning play Our Town. In his play, Wilder
contemplates the transient nature of human experience through daily routines like the arrival of
the milkman, the morning paperboy’s deliveries, and family breakfast. The story centers on the
lives of the Webb and Gibbs families, especially their children Emily Webb and George Gibb, as the
two go from childhood friends to high school courtship, marriage, and eventually loss.
Although written in 1938, Our Town is an allegory that can represent any town, at any time.
Daily routines may be slow to alter, but change does creep in as the years pass. Some changes are
small, such as locking the doors at night, and others alter the community in profound ways. Our Town is also a reflection
of the innate human desire for connection: to community, to family, and to each other. From the friendly gossip between
Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Gibbs to the isolation of the choirmaster, Wilder explores a broad range of interactions in his desire
to show that human life is fleeting and the smallest of daily pleasures should be appreciated.
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Indiana State University
Pickerl Hall | Lower Level
Monday, February 24
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The creative works of ISU students will be featured at the ISU Honors Council
Open Mic Night. Excerpts of Our Town will be read throughout the evening.
NEA BIG READ KICK-OFF: MINDFUL YOGA IN THE MORNING
Vigo County Public Library | Meeting Rooms A & B
Monday, March 2
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Start your day with a relaxing 30-minute mindful yoga and meditation session
led by Kris Aninger, a certified yoga instructor. Kris focuses on trauma-informed
yoga, which seeks to create a safe, sensitive environment for students to learn
to connect with their breath, be aware of intention, and be present in the
current moment. The session will be appropriate for beginners and experienced
practitioners. Yoga mats will be provided, or you may bring your own.
NEA BIG READ: THEATER WORKSHOP
Vigo County West Branch Library | Meeting Room B
Wednesday, March 4
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Ages 5-19: Master acting techniques and practice your improvisational skills
through creative games and verbal exercises. Led by two local actors, this
workshop will keep you moving and stretch your imagination.
FIRST FRIDAY: READY, SET, ACTION!
Vigo County Public Library | Youth Services Program Room
Friday, March 6
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
All Ages: Be inspired by Thornton Wilder’s three-act play Our Town and show
off your theater skills. Direct your own puppet show or wear costumes for an
imaginative night of playing pretend while munching on theater snacks at this
drop-in event.
NEA BIG READ KEYNOTE: ARTHUR FEINSOD
Vigo County Public Library | Main Lobby
Friday, March 6
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Arthur Feinsod, Professor of Theater and University Honors at Indiana
State University, will present the NEA Big Read 2020 keynote. Dr. Feinsod
will discuss Thornton Wilder’s career and how he created the theatrical
style of his most famous play, Our Town, in its written form and its original
1938 performance as directed and produced by Jed Harris. Scenes from
the play will be performed by local actors to illustrate key points covered
in the presentation.
OUR TOWN: ROCKVILLE IN 1901
Parke County Public Library
Tuesday, March 10
6:00 p.m.
Parke County Historian Randy Wright will take you back in time to see what
Rockville and Parke County looked like in 1901. Weather permitting, a walk
around the square will be part of the program.
LOCAL WOMEN’S HISTORY BREAKFAST
HONORING SISTER BARBARA BATTISTA
Clabber Girl | 900 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute
Wednesday, March 11
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Celebrate the women who are making history in the Wabash Valley. This year, honor
Sister Barbara Battista, a physician’s assistant, social justice advocate, feminist, and
Justice Promoter for the Sisters of Providence. Battista will share the crossroads of
her experiences and discuss how she is living a life of service with her faith community.
LIFE IN CLINTON, INDIANA IN THE 1930s
Clinton Public Library
Sunday, March 1 to Tuesday, March 31
Learn what life in Clinton, Indiana was like in the 1930s when Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town was released. Items
and articles from the Clinton Public Library’s Genealogy Room will be on display.
OUR TOWN TRIVIA: SCAVENGER HUNT
Clinton Public Library
Sunday, March 1 to Tuesday, March 31
Travel through time and learn more about Clinton, Indiana in the 1930s. Pick up a questionnaire of local trivia at the
front desk and locate the answers that are hidden throughout the Library.
Refreshments will be served. Unless noted, all times are EST.
SECOND SATURDAY STUDIO: OUR TOWN IN 2D & 3D ART
Swope Art Museum | Education Center
Saturday, March 14
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Find inspiration in the special exhibition of Spring in Town, one of the last
paintings by American Regionalist artist Grant Wood (1891-1942). Create your
own artwork using drawing and collage to describe your neighborhood or make a
collaborative 3D town using paper and cardboard.
TABLESCAPES EVENTS
Cocktail Party Daily Viewings
Indiana State University | Sycamore Banquet Center Indiana State University | Sycamore Banquet Center
Friday, March 13 Friday, March 13 & Saturday, March 14
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
TableScapes Dinner TableScapes is Arts Illiana’s annual fundraiser to support
Indiana State University | Sycamore Banquet Center arts in the Wabash Valley. Tickets to these events are sold
Saturday, March 14 by Arts Illiana.
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
SINFONIETTA NEA BIG READ CONCERT
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Cecilian Auditorium
Sunday, March 15
2:00 p.m.
The Sinfonietta NEA Big Read Concert will feature the score of the 1941
film-adaptation of Our Town, composed by Aaron Copland. The concert will
be narrated by Tom Roznowski, author of An American Hometown, Terre
Haute, 1927 and well-known host of the PBS programs Hometown and
PorchLight. Musical pieces that celebrate the history of railroads and rivers,
two prominent features of our town of Terre Haute, will also be performed,
including: Spoon River by Percy Aldridge Grainger, John Henry by Aaron
Copland, and The Great Locomotive Chase by Robert W. Smith.
CREATE A FAMILY TIME CAPSULE
Vigo County Public Library | Special Collections
Sunday, March 15
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Make memories now and save pieces of the past in a time capsule to open in
the future. Write letters, record family stories, and add other items to help
future generations learn about you and life in your town. One time capsule
will be provided to each family who registers.
OUR SPRING IN TOWN Swope Art Museum Friday, February 7 to Sunday, March 29 Grant Wood’s Spring in Town (1941) depicts a small town not unlike Grover’s Corners in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. In this painting, Wood galvanizes the myth of American rural life prior to World War II. Take a closer look at the painting and discover the story through both real objects and the symbols embedded in the painting. Spring in Town was one of Grant Wood’s last paintings and it graced the cover of the April 18, 1942 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, just weeks after the Swope Art Museum opened. The artist sought to convey “the picture of a country rich in the arts of peace; a homely lovable nation, infinitely worth any sacrifice necessary to its preservation.”1 Grant Wood’s words and image struck a particularly symbolic note for the American people, still reeling from Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into World War II. ¹ Wanda M. Corn, Grant Wood: The Regionalist Vision (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1983), 62. Grant Wood, Spring in Town, 1941, oil on Masonite panel, Collection of the Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana. Museum purchase 1941.30 JULIET PEDDLE EXHIBIT Vigo County Public Library | Lower Level Friday, February 21 to Tuesday, March 31 Terre Haute native Juliet Peddle was the first woman architect licensed in the state of Indiana. Her landmark career spanned four decades, and her architectural works can still be found in Terre Haute today: the Topping House on Ohio Boulevard and the Crawford School in Farrington’s Grove. The exhibit will feature Peddle’s drawings of historic buildings in Terre Haute, originally published by the Tribune Star between 1941 and 1942. Her love and appreciation of Terre Haute’s architectural history is evident, and her work preserves the legacy of these buildings, many of which were destroyed before she drew them. Image courtesy of Vigo County Historical Society.
ART HACKS Vigo County Public Library | LifeLong Learning Center Saturday, March 21 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This month’s inspiration will be the 2020 Big Read selection, Our Town, as well as scenes from Terre Haute painted by local artist Peter Bruning. Peter’s son Vincent will present a brief talk about his father’s art and legacy. Paint abstract buildings from a supplied photo or feel free to bring your own image to paint. NOTICEABLY ABSENT: EXPLORING AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERIES Vigo County Public Library | LifeLong Learning Center Saturday, March 21 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. In the final act of Our Town, Emily Webb takes her place in Grover’s Corners’ cemetery, among several other citizens who had passed since 1901. Noticeably absent are faces of color. Is this an omission on Thornton Wilder’s part or a representation of a time in America when even cemeteries were segregated? Crystal Reynolds, PhD, will provide insight into the hidden history of African American burials, examine African American burial practices, and look at three notable African American cemeteries and burial grounds across the United States. HAVE WE COME A LONG WAY, BABY? Vigo County Public Library | Meeting Rooms A & C Tuesday, March 24 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. In the early twentieth century, gender roles impacted the citizens of Grover’s Corners in every aspect of their lives. More than a century later, women’s roles have expanded, yet women are still underrepresented in leadership positions. Laura Merrifield Wilson, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Indianapolis, will discuss how historical expectations for women still affect their participation in government roles today. Dr. Wilson, a specialist in gender politics, campaigns and elections, and state government, will share her research on women’s roles in politcs and how historical assumptions about women’s work impact female representation in government. She will also discuss changes that society should make to encourage more women to run for office. NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN: COSTUME DESIGN Vigo County Public Library | LifeLong Learning Center Saturday, March 28 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Jessica Becker, costume designer for Rose-Hulman and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, will share the process of designing, building, fitting, and finishing costumes for stage performances. In 2018, Becker designed costumes for Rose-Hulman’s production of Our Town. She will discuss how her color choices enhanced the stage, demonstrate how styles have changed over the years, and share costumes from the show.
NEA BIG READ ART RECEPTION
Vigo County Public Library | Conference Room
Monday, March 30 | 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Experience the artistry of Vigo County at the Big Read Art Reception, where local artists’ works dedicated to the
themes of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town will be on display. Awards will be presented, including prizes for Best of
Show and People’s Choice.
NEA Big Read Films and Viewings
OUR TOWN (1940) TEEN MOVIE NIGHT
Oakley Auditorium Vigo County Public Library
8000 Education Drive, Terre Haute Teen Space
Thursday, March 5 | 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25
Ritz Theater 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
201 West Ohio Street, Rockville Ages 12-19: Ferris Bueller
Tuesday, March 31 | 7:00 p.m. has an uncanny skill for
Change comes slowly to Grover’s cutting classes, so when he
Corners and daily life moves at a wants a day off, he comes up with
predictable pace. The milkman the perfect plan for one last hurrah before graduation.
arrives every morning, the neighbors gossip, and children With the help of his best friend Cameron and his
plan for their futures. In this Oscar-nominated adaptation girlfriend Sloane, Ferris ditches the monotony of high
of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Emily Webb and George school to explore Chicago and shows his friends how to
Gibbs move from friendship into courtship and then an find the joy in life because, as he tells the audience, “[it]
anxiety-filled wedding. After a tragic death, Emily is left moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once
to ponder her existence and how often people overlook in a while, you could miss it.” Rated PG-13. 103 minutes.
the small joys that life provides. After the movie, discuss
the film and how it compares to the written play, stage OUR TOWN (2003)
productions, and other adaptations. Not rated. 90 minutes.
Clinton Public Library
Wednesday, March 4
THE ANONYMOUS PEOPLE 1:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Vigo County Public Library Vigo County Public Library
Meeting Rooms A, B & C West Branch
Wednesday, March 18 Meeting Room B
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 16
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
In Our Town, choirmaster Simon
Stimson suffered from alcoholism Sullivan County Public Library
in isolation. Hiding addiction still Friday, March 27
happens today, but communities 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
can combat the shame of Travel to Grover’s Corners with veteran actor-director
dependency by having open, honest conversations about Paul Newman, who returned to Broadway after a
causes and treatments. In The Anonymous People, director four-decade break for this early 21st century revival of
Greg Williams begins this conversation by exploring a Thornton Wilder’s classic play Our Town. As the Stage
criminal justice system that favors incarceration over Manager, Newman introduces characters, sets the
treatment, a news media that exploits addiction to scene, and leads the audience through day-to-day life in
entertain, and the belief that substance dependence is a a small town at the turn of the 20th century. Originally
moral failure instead of an illness. After the film, Issy Hyde, produced at the Westport Country Playhouse, Our
board member of the Wabash Valley Recovery Alliance, will Town was filmed at the Booth Theatre and is part of the
discuss local community resources that aim to help with PBS Masterpiece series. Rated PG. 120 minutes.
addiction recovery. This film is rated Mature. 88 minutes.
BOOK CLUBS & DISCUSSIONS
Marshall Public Library Vigo County Public Library | LifeLong Learning Center
Tuesday, March 17 · 10:00 a.m. CST Thursday, March 19 · 2:30 p.m.
Parke County Public Library Paris Public Library
Tuesday, March 17 · 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19 · 5:30 p.m.
Sullivan County Public Library
Wednesday, March 18 · 6:00 p.m.
WILDER’S EARLY ONE-ACTS: FINGER EXERCISES IN PREPARATION FOR OUR TOWN
WITH ARTHUR FEINSOD, ISU PROFESSOR OF THEATER
Westminster Village | 1120 East Davis Drive, Terre Haute
Friday, April 3
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
In 1931, Thornton Wilder published three experimental short works influenced by Japanese Noh theater: Long
Christmas Dinner, Pullman Car Hiawatha, and The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden. Originally performed with
little fanfare, these bold experiments have been described as “the workshops, the laboratories” for Wilder’s highly
acclaimed Broadway production of Our Town in 1938, most noted for its use of minimalist staging. To demonstrate
some of Wilder’s innovative approaches to stage simplification, a portion of The Happy Journey to Trenton and
Camden will be presented. Cast will include local theater professionals, featuring Susan Monts Bologna, Charles
Adams, and Peter Ciancone. A question-and-answer session will follow the lecture and performance. Presented by
the ISU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
NEA BIG READ FINALE:
BREAKING THE SILENCE IN OUR TOWN
Vigo County Public Library | Meeting Rooms A, B & C
Tuesday, March 31
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
In Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, addiction, mental illness, and suicide were
silent specters looming in the background of Grover’s Corners. To conclude the
NEA Big Read 2020, Marty Norman of the Wabash Valley Recovery Alliance,
Jaymie Wood of FSA Counseling, and Christina Crist of Team of Mercy will
break the silence and discuss the prevalence of substance dependence, mental
illness, and suicide in Vigo County. Each speaker will explain the importance
of having open conversations, how the community can help those in need
overcome the hurdles of recovery, and what resources are available to assist.
A question-and-answer session will follow.
SPONSORED BY
NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in
partnership with Arts Midwest.
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