Local Production of Classic Play "Our Town" Promises Reflection on Community and Connection
Curtain’s Up Theater Company will bring Thornton Wilder’s "Our Town" to Roxana. Discover why Diana Enloe and Diana Maneke see the classic play as a reminder to notice the beauty in everyday life.
Curtains Up Theater Company brings Thornton Wilder’s Our Town to Roxana
ROXANA - Curtain’s Up Theater Company will present the famous play “Our Town” in Roxana.
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At 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19 and 20, 2026, and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 21 and 22, 2026, community members can come by The Rox Theater in Roxana for a special production of Thornton Wilder’s classic play. Directed by Diana Enloe, the show promises to be a fun, meaningful reflection on life.
“Most everyone, and that includes theater teachers, critics, and theater people, regard this as an American classic masterpiece. It’s done in high schools, community theaters, regional theaters. It was just revived on Broadway two years ago with Jim Parsons,” Enloe shared. “It’s a reminder to everybody who is there listening or reading that life is precious and it’s fleeting, and don’t miss a minute of it if you can.”
“Our Town” tells the story of a small New Hampshire community. Divided into three parts, the story follows characters through early life, middle age and end-of-life storylines.
Enloe and Diana Maneke, a renowned local actress who plays Mrs. Gibbs in the play, noted that the story is a powerful reminder to notice the beauty of life and the connections that make life worth living.
“The characters are written to be real human beings. They’re not perfect. Nobody is perfect. Not every day is happy. We all have different struggles,” Maneke said. “But you learn, and I pray everybody stays for the three acts. Everything is enlightened in the third act. You just learn a hard lesson in the third act.”
This story is especially poignant for Enloe and Maneke, who was Enloe’s student and presented her with a lifetime achievement award last year. Enloe noted that “Our Town” will be her “swan song” as she prepares to step away from theater.
“I’ve been doing this about 60 or 70 years, and it's time to retire,” she said. “This is a great, great show to go out on, and Curtain’s Up is wonderful company.”
Maneke and Enloe agreed it means a lot to them to be involved in the local Curtain’s Up Theater Company, which has brought people together across generations and communities for “Our Town.”
The theater company connects people to put on the show, and it reflects the themes of “Our Town” as these community members have grown closer and work together to support one another.
“The other thing that I love about it is the community theme, that no one is an island,” Maneke explained. “We all are affected by other people. We all need other people. We all have to learn to get along and do what the other person needs and be there for them. You really feel those themes in ‘Our Town’ as well.”
You can click here to purchase tickets or get them at the door. Tickets cost $20, and a portion of proceeds will go to the Alton Community Service League. For more information about Curtain’s Up Theater Company and their work, visit their official website or their official Facebook page.
This featured article is sponsored by Curtain's Up Theater Company. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
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