From March 20-24, 2026, University Opera will present the Wisconsin premiere of Ned Rorem and J.D. McClatchy’s operatic setting of Our Town, Thornton Wilder’s groundbreaking, iconic play. Directed by Karen K. Bishop Director of Opera David Ronis, and conducted by UW–Madison Director of Orchestral Activities Oriol Sans, the production will feature student performers from the School of Music, accompanied by the University Symphony Orchestra.
Widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of 20th‑century American theater, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town remains a staple on stages across the United States. Each year, hundreds of school, community, and professional theaters mount productions of the play. Since its 1937 premiere, it has become deeply woven into the American cultural imagination.
During his lifetime, Wilder declined multiple proposals to adapt Our Town into an opera, including approaches from Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. After Wilder’s death, however, his nephew and literary executor, Tappan Wilder, collaborated with librettist J.D. McClatchy to invite composer Ned Rorem to take on the project. Rorem accepted, and the resulting opera premiered at Indiana University in 2006. It has since been performed by regional opera companies and universities across the country. The UW–Madison production marks the opera’s first staging in Wisconsin–a fitting milestone, as Wilder himself was born in Madison, where his father served as editor of the Wisconsin State Journal from 1894 to 1906.
Set in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20th century, the story follows the rhythms of everyday life. Guided by the omniscient Stage Manager, audiences meet the townspeople–especially the Webb and Gibbs families. Over the first two acts, young George Gibbs and Emily Webb move from friendship to courtship and ultimately to marriage. The third act shifts nine years forward: Emily has died in childbirth, and from the world of the dead she and other departed townsfolk reflect on life, memory, and mortality. In revisiting her twelfth birthday, Emily discovers the play’s central truth: the quiet tragedy that people rarely recognize the fullness of life as they live it.
This production will involve over 70 UW–Madison students–singers, instrumentalists, technicians, and stage crew–spanning a wide age range, from first year undergrads to doctoral students.
The principal role of the Stage Manager will be performed by Jacob Zehr. George will be played by Nathan Lê and performances of the role of Emily will be split between Danielle Bullock, Gillian Hollis, and Zoë Miller. Alex Cook and Michael Kelley will split performances of Mr. Webb. Danielle Bullock and Hannah Ray will likewise do performances of the role of Mrs. Webb. Jackson Ahern will portray Doc Gibbs; Mrs. Gibbs will be sung by Kaitlin Case. Simon Stimson will be taken by Ryan Rowe and Mrs. Soames will be portrayed by Rach Misner. In minor roles, Matthew Jordan will be Joe Crowell; Jayquan Jaeger will be Frank; and Austin Demerath will be Sam. Besides Sans and the orchestra, the musical team will consist of UW–Madison vocal coach Thomas Kasdorf (musical preparation), Benjamin Hanson (choral preparation), and Michael Wu (rehearsal and orchestral pianist). Doctoral student Katie Crim will serve as assistant conductor and conduct one performance.
The production will be designed by Em Allen with lighting by Matt Albrecht, costumes by Kenneth Hoversten, wigs and hair by Jan Ross, and props by Zak Wolff. Erek Weis will be the technical director, and the production stage manager will be Meghan Stecker. Others on the production staff include Scott Shapiro, head carpenter; Jackson Ahern, operations manager for University Opera; and assistant stage managers Camille Bruce-DeMuri and Sunny March-Torme.
On Sunday, March 22 at 12:30 pm in Music Hall, there will be a free panel discussion on Wilder, Rorem, the play, and the opera. It will feature Professor Mary Trotter (UW–Madison Department of Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies), Oriol Sans, Ruby Dudasik (dramaturg for the production and Ph.D. candidate in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies), and Chip Kidd (Penguin Random House Publishing), and will be moderated David Ronis. No ticket is required to attend the panel discussion.
Ticket prices range from $10-$32 and are available in advance through the Campus Arts Ticketing office at (608) 265-ARTS and online at artsticketing.wisc.edu. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Wisconsin Union Theater Box Office Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 12:00-5:00 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at the door beginning one hour before the performance.
