Thornton Wilder’s Our Town Shines Bright: A 2025 Tony Award Nominee for Best Revival of a Play
The cast of Our Town on stage
The Broadway community is buzzing with excitement as Thornton Wilder’s timeless classic Our Town has been officially nominated for a 2025 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. This prestigious recognition celebrates the remarkable work of the entire company behind the production, directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, which has captivated audiences at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre since its opening on October 10, 2024. As we eagerly await the Tony Awards ceremony, let’s dive into why this revival has earned its place among Broadway’s finest, exploring its innovative approach, stellar cast, and enduring relevance.
A Classic Reimagined for Today’s Audience
First premiered in 1938, Our Town is a Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece that chronicles the lives of ordinary people in the fictional Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, from 1901 to 1913. Through the lens of the omniscient Stage Manager, the play explores universal themes of life, love, death, and the fleeting nature of existence. Its minimalist staging and direct address to the audience were groundbreaking at the time, and the play remains a cornerstone of American theater, performed in high schools, community theaters, and professional stages worldwide. According to the Thornton Wilder Society, approximately 400 productions of Our Town are mounted annually, a testament to its universal appeal.
This 2025 Tony-nominated revival, the fifth on Broadway since the play’s debut, breathes new life into Thornton Wilder’s work. Directed by Kenny Leon, known for his acclaimed revivals of A Raisin in the Sun and Fences, the production honors the spirit of the original while making bold choices to reflect a contemporary, inclusive vision. Kenny Leon has described Our Town as standing “at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” and his direction ensures that Grover’s Corners feels like “everywhere,” as Thornton Wilder intended.
One of the revival’s standout features is its diverse, 28-member cast, which reimagines the traditionally homogenous small-town setting. Led by Jim Parsons as the Stage Manager, the ensemble includes Zoey Deutch as Emily Webb, Katie Holmes as Mrs. Webb, Billy Eugene Jones as Dr. Gibbs, Ephraim Sykes as George Gibbs, and Richard Thomas as Mr. Webb, among others. This casting choice underscores the play’s universality, showing that the human experiences Thornton Wilder depicts transcend race, culture, and time. Critics have praised Kenny Leon for “smartly repopulating” Grover’s Corners, making it a town that reflects the diversity of modern America.
Critical Acclaim and Emotional Impact
Since its opening, the revival has garnered rave reviews for its emotional depth and innovative staging. Critics have lauded Kenny Leon’s “swift and unsentimental direction” and the cast’s ability to balance the play’s folksy tone with its profound existential questions. Jim Parsons, in particular, has been singled out for his portrayal of the Stage Manager, a role previously played by icons like Paul Newman in the 2002 Broadway revival. Reviewers note that Jim Parsons strikes a “dry yet sincere” balance, delivering a third-act monologue that resonates with clarity and poignancy.
The production’s design elements have also received high praise. Beowulf Boritt’s minimalist set, featuring weathered siding and a nebula of lanterns extending into the audience, evokes both the simplicity of Grover’s Corners and the cosmic scope of Thornton Wilder’s themes. Allen Lee Hughes’ spectral lighting design, described as a “swirl of lanterns like a procession of ascending souls,” enhances the play’s emotional weight, particularly in the haunting cemetery scene. These elements work together to create what the New York Times called a “brutal and avant-garde” revival that remains true to Thornton Wilder’s vision of juxtaposing “the life of a village against the life of the stars.”
Audiences have been deeply moved by the production’s ability to make them reflect on their own lives. As one reviewer noted, Our Town is “the most likely American play of the 20th century to have you walking out of the theater determined to do things a little differently in your day-to-day existence.” The play’s message—to appreciate “every, every minute” of life—feels especially poignant in 2025, a time marked by global challenges and rapid technological change. Kenny Leon’s revival begins with a cacophony of prayers in multiple languages, including a Hebrew hymn, setting a tone of inclusivity and shared humanity that resonates throughout.
A Journey Rooted in Wilder’s Legacy
The road to this Tony nomination has been a meaningful one for the Our Town company. To prepare for the production, Kenny Leon and the cast took a bus trip to Peterborough, New Hampshire, the real-life town that inspired Grover’s Corners. There, they visited sites like the MacDowell artist residency, where Thornton Wilder developed the play in the 1930s, and the East Hill Cemetery, which influenced the play’s third act. This pilgrimage, documented by NPR, deepened the cast’s connection to Thornton Wilder’s work and the small-town ethos he sought to capture.
The revival also pays homage to Thornton Wilder’s innovative spirit. When Our Town debuted, its lack of traditional scenery and use of a narrator who broke the fourth wall were radical departures from conventional theater. Kenny Leon builds on this legacy by incorporating modern touches, such as actors scrolling through their phones at the start of the play, subtly nodding to the distractions of contemporary life. These choices reinforce Thornton Wilder’s call to slow down and savor the moment, a message that feels as urgent today as it did in 1938.
Community Engagement and Broader Impact
Beyond the stage, the Our Town revival has made a significant impact through community initiatives. In November 2024, the production partnered with TDF’s Veterans Theatregoing Program to honor veterans, reflecting the play’s themes of community and connection. Katie Holmes, who plays Mrs. Webb, emphasized this aspect, stating, “One of the things I love about Our Town is the sense of community. It’s about seeing each other and taking care of each other.” Such efforts have helped the production resonate with a wide audience, reinforcing its relevance in today’s fractured world.
The revival’s Tony nomination places it in esteemed company, alongside other Best Revival of a Play nominees like Romeo + Juliet, Eureka Day, and Yellow Face. While the competition is fierce, Our Town stands out for its ability to honor a classic while making it accessible and meaningful to new generations. The production’s run, extended through January 19, 2025, ensures that more theatergoers can experience its magic before the Tony Awards in June.
Looking Ahead to the Tony Awards
As we celebrate this well-deserved Tony nomination, the entire Our Town company—cast, crew, and creative team—deserves applause for bringing Thornton Wilder’s vision to life with such grace and power. Whether or not the production takes home the Tony, its impact is undeniable. It reminds us to pause, look around, and cherish the fleeting moments that define our lives.
So, here’s to Our Town—a play that continues to teach us what it means to be human, 86 years after its debut. Congratulations to Kenny Leon, Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch, Katie Holmes, and the entire ensemble for this remarkable achievement. We’ll be rooting for you at the 2025 Tony Awards, where Grover’s Corners will shine under Broadway’s brightest lights. See you at the ceremony!