Get an Exclusive First Look at Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch, and Katie Holmes in the ‘Our Town’ Broadway Revival

It’s been nearly 25 years since Broadway last took audiences to Grover’s Corners, but now, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town is back with a star-studded revival. Directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, this new production breathes fresh life into Wilder’s timeless story. Entertainment Weekly has your exclusive first look at the iconic production. Our Town, which won the Pulitzer Prize for drama when it premiered on Broadway in 1938, tells the story of the everyday lives of the residents of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20th century. The play is narrated by the character of the stage manager (played by Jim Parsons), who invites the audience to witness the simplicity and beauty of small-town life through the experiences of Emily Webb (Zoey Deutch).

Parsons reflected on the unique experience of performing Our Town, telling EW, “The first words of Our Town are what make seeing it and being in it utterly unique: ‘This play is called Our Town.’ You cannot get more honest with an audience than that. We then go on to tell the audience who produced and directed the show and what actors you will see playing parts for them throughout. It’s as if all 1,100 of us at the Barrymore Theatre enter into a contract each performance — we agree to be honest about the fact that we’re going to pretend certain things for a while, in order that we may all discover a little something that unites us, something we have in common, as brief residents on this earth.”

Alongside Parsons and Deutch, the revival boasts an all-star cast, including Katie Holmes as Mrs. Webb, Billy Eugene Jones as Dr. Gibbs, Ephraim Sykes as George Gibbs, Richard Thomas as Mr. Webb, Michelle Wilson as Mrs. Gibbs, Julie Halston as Mrs. Soames, and Donald Webber Jr. as Simon Stimson. Director Kenny Leon adds, “I think the play reminds us of the good in us. Community looks out for each other, this community is inclusive and embracing of the differences among us. This is an Our Town that leans in with love and hope for a more precious future as we learn lessons from the past.” Leon’s production emphasizes the universality of Wilder’s themes — the interconnectedness of all human experience — with a diverse cast and a message of love and inclusion.

The production also features a large ensemble of talented performers, including Ephie Aardema Sarnak, Heather Ayers, Willa Bost, Bobby Daye, Safiya Kaijya Harris, Doron JéPaul, Shyla Lefner, Anthony Michael Lopez, John McGinty, Bryonha Marie, Kevyn Morrow, Hagan Oliveras, Noah Pyzik, Sky Smith, Bill Timoney, Ricardo Vázquez, Matthew Elijah Webb, Greg Wood, and Nimene Sierra Wureh. This revival of Our Town is now in previews at New York’s Barrymore Theatre and is set to officially open on Oct. 10, 2024. Be sure to check out the exclusive first-look photos of the production below!

This revival brings a fresh perspective to the Pulitzer-winning play, and the cast and crew are ready to enchant a new generation of theatergoers with the timeless messages of love, community, and the fleeting nature of life. Our Town opens at the Barrymore Theatre on October 10, 2024.