MLT opens 2026 season Thursday with ‘Our Town’

Published 1:17 pm Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Meridian Little Theatre begins its 2026 season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Our Town” which runs Feb. 19-21 with 7 p.m. performances, and a matinee at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22.

Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” examines the ordinary lives, love, and deaths of citizens in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, between 1901 and 1913. Narrated by a stage manager on a minimalist set, it focuses on the Gibbs and Webb families, highlighting the beauty in daily routines and the fleeting nature of life.

This MLT production features guest artistic director, Jim Wood. Wood’s first involvement with MLT was in 1990 when he came here for flight school.

“I was an actor in New York City before I flew in the Navy, and I loved the idea of being involved in theatre while I was stationed here.  I walked in the door, introduced myself to Jimmy Pigford, and he immediately put me to work.  I assistant directed a show for him then and was cast in a couple of shows while I was here.  Since then, I’ve been invited to come back three times to direct, and I jump at the chance every time I’m asked.”

“Since it won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1938, Thornton Wilder’s play has been the most produced play in the United States.  At any given time, there are dozens of productions happening simultaneously across the U.S.  Even after almost a century, the play’s theme is incredibly relevant to what it means to be human in 2026. Simply, Wilder uses the ‘ordinary’ lives of folks in a small town to invite us all to pause, recognize, and truly appreciate the beauty and joy of our everyday lives.”

While originally set in Grovers Corner, New Hampshire, Wood has decided to relocate the town to Mississippi instead.

“My intent here is to make the residents of the town feel familiar to audiences and therefore allow them to relate to the characters easily.  This, in turn, will hopefully allow the audience to reflect on a more personal level.”

Eliza Sanders is a full-time student at Meridian Community College playing the role of Emily Gibbs. Born in California, Eliza has lived all over the United States as her father was in the Navy. She came to Enterprise when he retired, and she soon found her way to MLT. She’s performed in 14 MLT productions, including “Newsies” and “A Christmas Carol, The Musical.”

While “Our Town” is Sanders’ first foray into the dramatic world, she knew she wanted to audition when she saw herself in the character of Emily.

“This is a beautifully emotional show about life and remembering every moment of it, even when it feels mundane. It’s a very fun story disguised as a simple show about growing up. It’s a reminder of the fleeting nature of life and how wonderful even the little moments are.”

“Playing Emily has changed my perspective in my own life, reminding me to be present and appreciate the little things with my loved ones. I can’t help but cry every time we reach the end of story.”

Sanders continues, “The real MVP of bringing this show together is our wonderful director, Jim Wood. He’s pushed us to be the best we can be for the sake of the show. His passion for the show is contagious, and you can feel how much he cares in every word he says.”

With over 20 MLT productions under his belt, Meridian native Clint Brown plays Simon Stimson, the church organist and choir leader. The whole town knows he has a drinking problem making him a bit of an outsider.

“I worked with our director Jim Woods before when we did “Noises Off,” and he brings great energy, has a great vision for the play, and knows how to push everyone into getting the best possible performance. I think the cast is wonderful and everyone is really putting their all into bringing everything to life,” Brown says.

“‘Our Town’ is widely considered one of the great American plays and I just really wanted to be a part of telling such a wonderful story. This is a beautiful story about life, love and what comes after and a reminder to live life to the fullest and appreciate every moment we have.”

Wood encourages everyone to purchase tickets for this production.

“The show is deceptively difficult.  It seems simple and straight-forward for the actors, but it’s not.  This show requires believable and interesting performances for each and every actor on stage.  The sets are minimal, the costumes are simple, and there are no big musical numbers. In other words, it’s all about the actors presenting real characters for the audience to care about. It’s really hard for me to overstate how impressed I am with the talent level and commitment of the local talent here in Meridian. “

“I think we all understand that we are living in dynamic times. It’s so easy to lose sight of what’s important. This play serves as a beautiful reminder of the importance of taking a breath and really, really, seeing the people sitting at the supper table with each of us.  And taking a second to be thankful for them being a part of our life.”

Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 601-482-6371 or by going online at meridianlittletheatre.com.