Spoon River Anthology

Remember how much you’ve always liked Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, first performed in 1938? Were you aware that the inspiration for this play was the poetic masterpiece Spoon River Anthology, first published 100 years ago, decades before Our Town ever hit the stage? In this work, the ghostly voices of the departed in the cemetery of Spoon River, Illinois, rise in the moonlight to reflect on life, love, longing, loss, and American identity. Now, Bostonians are lucky enough to have the chance to see this poetry reading-cum-performance brought to life by some of the best actors in our city, including Steven Barkhimer, Marianna Bassham, David Gullette, Caitlin Langstaff, Paula Langton, and Nael Nacer. Directed by Bob Scanlan, the production will be accompanied by a three-piece band in the intimate Modern Theatre.