Photo Flash: Journalist Robert MacNeil Honored With Thornton Wilder Award

Tappan Wilder, nephew of famed playwright Thornton Wilder and literary executor, and cast members of the critically acclaimed (Lucille Lortel Award-winning) David Cromer production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, in association with The Thornton Wilder Society, presented the "Thornton Wilder Prize," to famed Journalist Robert MacNeil on Saturday afternoon, May 22, 2010 following the matinee at the Barrow Street Theatre.

The Thornton Wilder Prize honors that individual who, in the opinion of the Board, practices his or her calling with the distinction, devotion and zest that characterized the artist for whom the prize is named. The Thornton Wilder Prize was established in 2008 with a donation from June Trolley, a friend of MR. Wilder's. The Prize was first awarded to novelist Russell Banks. Robert MacNeil was a journalist for forty years with, successively, Reuters News Agency, NBC News and the BBC, culminating as executive editor and co-anchor of "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour," a 20-year nightly partnership with Jim Lehrer on PBS.

Now in its historic second year, the critically acclaimed, record-breaking David Cromer production of' Thornton Wilder's Our Town played its 500th performance on May 9, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street).

The New York production of Our Town began performances on February 17, 2009 (officially opening night was February 26, 2009) and went on to win the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction and Obie Award for Outstanding Director. This current staging of Our Town entered its second year on February 26th and became the longest-running production of the play in its 72-year history with its record-breaking 337th performance on December 16, 2009.

The complete cast of Our Town includes (in alphabetical order) Elizabeth Audley as Mrs. Soames, Robert Beitzel as Howie Newsome, Kati Brazda as Mrs. Webb, Will Brill as Joe Crowell, Nathan Dame as Sam Craig, Roger DeWitt as Joe Stoddard, Mark Hatton as Constable Warren, Emma Galvin as Rebecca Gibbs, Jennifer Grace as Emily, Wilbur Edwin Henry as Professor Willard, Seamus Mulcahy as Wally Webb, Ben Livingston as Doc Gibbs, David Manis as Editor Webb, Jonathan Mastro as Simon Stimson, James McMenamin as George, Lori Myers as Mrs. Gibbs, Michael Shannon as the ‘Stage Manager', and Jason Yachanin as Si Crowell with Dana Jacks, Lynn Laurence, Kathleen Peirce, Keith Perry, and Mark Shock.

Our Town is produced by Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian, Tom Wirtshafter, Ted Snowdon, Eagle Productions, Dena Hammerstein/Pam Pariseau, The Weinstein Company, and Burnt Umber Productions.

The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $69 & $49.50 and are available through SmartTix (212) 868-4444, www.smarttix.com, or at the Barrow Street Theatre box office (open at 1 p.m. daily). Student tickets at $20 are available on the day of performance only at the box office. Tickets now on sale through June 27, 2010.

Barrow Street Theatre is located at 27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue South in the heart of Greenwich Village. Nearby subway stops are the 1 at Christopher Street (walk 1 block South on 7th Avenue to Barrow) and the A, C, E, B, D, F and V at West 4th (walk West on 4th Street, left on Barrow).

Photo credit: Charles Eschelman

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