Less than two months after Community High School English and drama teacher Anthony Davis invited residents of the area to join the group, Unionville Community Playhouse, the actors are ready to present their first work.

"It's gone smoothly," said director Monica Gaines. "I have not worked with a finer group of people. We've become a family."

That's appropriate, given that the play -- one of the most produced in history -- revolves around families. It emphasizes the importance of families so much so that the play was banned in Communist Russia in 1947 for making family life "too attractive," according to a Dallas newspaper article written in 1948.

The theater group will present the play Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Community High School auditorium. There is no charge.

Davis and the board of directors, which includes Gaines, Keith Williams, Scott Dennis and Earl Adcock, chose "Our Town" for very specific reasons.

"The play requires a big cast, but the characters are uniformly easy to perform -- we don't have to have any Marlon Brandos to perform -- and the set is minimalist," said Davis in an earlier interview.

"It's about life," said Gaines. "It's about childhood and growing up and getting married and death."

"Our Town" is a three-act play by Thornton Wilder, set in the fictional community of Grover's Corners. Through the actions of the Stage Manager, portrayed by Brad Simmons, the town, between the years of 1901 and 1913, is created for the audience.

Although the story focuses on the young couple Emily Webb and George Gibbs, the audience gets to share in many of the characters' lives as they progress over the 12 years. The Stage Manager fills in the gaps and lends his observations to the action. Simmons' larger-than-life stage presence is balanced by his easy, conversational tones and seems to put both the audience and the actors at ease.

With a week of rehearsal yet left, the cast and crew have built a good rapport with their directors and have already developed the stage presence of a far more seasoned troupe. The lines at Thursday night's rehearsal flowed easily, truly spoken and not just recited, and it seems as though the fledgling group is really ready to fly.

"I've got a mix of adults and young people," said the director. "It's been a really good play to work with. As far as being easy, it has been. It's been a good play for a first time.

"It's easy to run smooth when you've got a cast like we've got for 'Our Town,'" she added. "This isn't about a one person telling a bunch of people what to do -- we work together. They are all very good people."

Not only is this the first play the group has done, it is a big first for Gaines.

"This is the first pay I've ever directed, but I love the theater and I love the art," she said. "I've always wanted to do this -- I call it one of my 'Bucket List' things and now I've done it. I've loved doing it and I hope get to do another one."

The Unionville Community Theater group grew out of the community reaction to the high school actors, The Smokestack Theater.

"We've had some really, really good success back in the last few years," said Davis earlier, referring to the sold-out shows the high school productions had, such as "Grease."

"Even 'The Crucible,' which is a very serious drama, sold out opening night. It occurred to me the area was ready for something like that."

Davis had said initially he hoped to draw in some of the talented actors who recently graduated from high school. He got that -- and much more. Many members of the cast are older, parents and grandparents, widening the talent pool to include the entire community.

"Mr. Davis asked me if I'd be interested in organizing a community theater group," said Gaines. "My son was involved in the high school theater and I've always been very supportive.

"I thought it was a grand idea. I told Mr. Davis a couple of years ago he should start one. Several people have probably said something to him and it's now come about. There are so many adults who love doing theater, it's a benefit to our community."

THE CAST

* Stage Manager -- Brad Simmons

* Dr. Gibbs -- Tim Miller

* Joe Crowell -- Brandon Crosslin

* Howie Newsom -- Brandon Adcock

* Mrs. Gibbs -- Lisa Frye

* Mrs. Webb -- Meridith Troxler

* George Gibbs -- Michael Adcock

* Rebecca Gibbs -- Ashton Bennett

* Emily Webb -- Robin Bell

* Wally Webb -- Jake Garrette

* Mr. Webb -- Josh Threet

* Woman in Audience -- Lauren Glascoe

* Woman 2 -- Jewel Glascoe

* Woman 3 -- Kimberly Hall

* Simon Stimpson -- Albert Madrid

* Mrs. Soames -- Carol Garrette

* Constable Warren -- Carl McClannahan

* Si Crowell -- Thomas Meeks

* Baseball players -- Elijah James, Thomas Meeks

* Sam Craig -- Jordan Powell

* Joe Stoddard -- Martin Jones

* Townsperson -- Michelle Taylor

* Anthony Davis is producing "Our Town;" Monica Gaines is directing, with the assistance of Susan Hall; and Laura Simmons is the stage manager.