The cast of The Whistle Stop Theatre Company's production of "Our Town" (Photo courtesy The Whistle Stop Theatre Company)
Ashland sounds a lot like Grover’s Corners.
Louise Keeton reflects on a rehearsal for The Whistle Stop Theatre Company's production of “Our Town,” a scene where the stage manager describes the environment of Grover’s Corners and mentions train whistles. Director Matt Bloch asked about a special effect for train whistles, “and the Ashlanders in the cast chuckled,” Keeton says. Railway tracks run through the middle of the place, and during the process, trains came by, and likely will also make themselves known during the three performances, 7 p.m Nov. 3, 7 p.m. Nov. 12 and 3 p.m. Nov. 13 at the restored Ashland Theatre. The show run coincides with the town's annual “Light up the Tracks” event.
The play is significant to Whistle Stop’s 10th anniversary. Company co-founder Keeton, who is also a digital producer with Virginia Public Media and marketing director for Swift Creek Mill Theatre, considers “Our Town” Ashland-appropriate but also a reflection of what concerns people in communities today.
“It’s much more meta as a play than people may at first realize,” she muses. “I don’t know many people who’ve seen it produced with adults. It’s been mostly in school with classmates, and it’s an entirely different thing with an age-appropriate ensemble.”
Keeton grew up in Ashland from the seventh grade on and performed until college in the biannual variety show that involved nearly everyone in the town and concluded with a rousing rendition of “Ashland, Ashland, Center of the Universe.”
“On a philosophical scale, to me the show is really reflective of the spirit of Ashland,” Keeton says. “There is such an incredible sense of support here, nobody gets left behind. I really wanted to honor that with this production. This town has shown up for me in so many ways throughout my life, and it participates in people’s growth in every stage of their lives.”
Which extends to this production. Rehearsals got underway in Carolyn Peart's big barn. Keeton laughs; “Yeah, it’s very Micky [Rooney]-Judy [Garland], ‘Let’s put on a show!’ ”
There’s a personal connection to “Our Town,” because her parents, Barbara and Craig, met during a production of the play at the Mississippi State College for Women (now the Mississippi University for Women). As it was an all-female school, men were needed to fill the cast, and the director put in a local fellow, Craig, as George Gibbs. “He wanted to be the stage manager [character],” Keeton says, “but he was too young. So now this show is completing that circle.”
Keeton graduated from the Conservatory at Shenandoah University and toured extensively, primarily in productions for young people. She was fulfilling her creative side but also encountered, she says, objectification and diminishment. Following a particularly rough experience in one company, she telephoned her mother about her frustrations. “ 'I just want to make theater and tell stories,' ” Keeton recalls saying. “ 'It doesn’t have to be so toxic.' And she said, ‘OK, well, let’s do it ourselves.’ ”
And with that, The Whistle Stop Theatre Company came into being at the same time as Keeton and colleague Dax Dupuy worked as apprentices at the then-TheatreLAB (now The Conciliation Lab). They developed a script and songs for a play, “Food Baby.” The piece highlighted the friendship of two women linked by food and circumstances. “Food Baby” became the first production by Whistle Stop, launched by Keeton, her parents, Dupuy and Ashlander Lorie Foley.
The show played in what was known then as the Ashland Firehouse Theatre — the fire station’s garage. “The entire town of Ashland squeezed themselves into that garage," Keeton says, "and looking over them and talking to them I realized how much Ashland craved theater. I said on opening night, 'I see now that you want this, we’re going to work to make more theater here.' ” At that, the audience burst into applause and the actors burst into tears.
A decade on, “Our Town”’s time has come. Keeton’s mother portrays Mrs. Webb, the mother of Keeton’s character, Emily, and the same character she played during that fateful Mississippi production. "We've played mother-daughter on stage before," Keeton says, "but this is such a great opportunity to get into the nuances of these parts."
Bloch, the director, is known regionally as an actor, and due to his onstage experience, Keeton says, has contributed to in-depth scene work and collaboration. Keeton portrays Emily Webb; her father is the Stage Manager character; Axle Burtness, who played George Gibbs as a youngster, steps into the role here; Dean Knight, a well-known actor locally, is Simon Stinson, who wants to resist the small-town gravity of Grover’s Corners; Frank Creasy, also a veteran performer, is Mr. Webb; John Gordon plays Doctor Gibbs; William Young is Joe Crowell; Annie Zannetti is Mrs. Gibbs; and Ziona Tucker portrays Rebeca Gibbs. Michelle Bayliss is the production's musical director.
The Nov. 3 opening is “pay as you will”; the Nov. 12 and 13 performances are $10. Confirmation emails will be sent in lieu of tickets. Proof of vaccination is required, as is masking. Find more information and purchase tickets here.
