SPEECH

At the company meeting just before the final performance of OUR TOWN at Carlbrook School, one of the cast members (the young man who played Editor Webb) asked if he could share an “inspirational speech.” This is what he read:

What if?

What if every time this play is acted, it is Emily’s present to the world? If it were her giving up her last wish to help us live, and fade into her grave without taking acknowledgment? Her giving us the ultimate present?

How could you help but fall in love? With Emily? With everyone? With every milk bottle placed, every fake newspaper read, each syllable spoken, each pause rendered?

You can’t.

Fall in love. Love the world. Love the screaming, the mistakes, the bad screen-door pantomime...lose yourself. Then we can create something beautiful.

Sometimes these teenage actors just totally get it, don’t they? Good man, Zane.