Why Death of a Salesman now?
Most people can agree that Death of a Salesman is one of our great plays.
My first experience of this epic drama was seeing George C. Scott at the Circle-In-The-Square in 1975, long before I knew I was to later study there at their prestigious academy. I was mesmerized. This play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award the first time it was produced. It’s had four Broadway revivals, winning three Tonys for Best Revival. Audiences and actors still regale one another with memories of Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Dustin Hoffman, Brian Dennehy and Christopher Lloyd.
But Why Now?
When a crew of committed artists approached me to direct this play - that was the question,.
A number of things struck me enough to consider it.
First, I’d already had the pleasure of working on Arthur Miller before with Kevin McCorkle in a wonderful production of After The Fall and knew he would be an magnificent Willy Loman. Also, I’d had the delight of acting opposite Jules Bruff in her acclaimed film, Part Time Fabulous. The prospect of working with the two of them again intrigued me. I folded myself into an armchair and dove into the text and my research.
Secondly, countless reviews and articles of numerous productions, from the Broadway premier to the Guthrie Theater’s famous offering, as well as scores of regional theater productions, all mention how powerfully the play applies to each contemporary setting. Willy Loman finds himself crushed by the forces of society and commerce. As a Drummer, a salesman hauling his sample case on the road from buyer to buyer, he finds himself obsolete by the advent of the telephone. Throughout the years from the 1949 premiere until now, society continues the painful realization that we are all replaceable. We find ourselves confronted by the shrinking world of the internet and the shift of wealth from the middle class to the top percentages of our economy. It isn’t difficult to relate to Willy’s sad decline.
Lastly, what moves me the most about this play is a bit more personal. While many of us are enjoying greater longevity than ever, we are also confronted with the challenges of aging. The Baby Boomers have been seeing their parents struggle with dementia and loss of purpose. They themselves are aging in numbers previously unknown. The play sees a man, with his Aristotelian flaw, losing grip, and in a time when there was little societal allowance for it.
We have decided to offer Willy Loman and his struggles in a “Salon-Style” presentation. No levels, no hydraulics, no smoke. Simply actors in costume with light, imagination, and, most importantly, the attention and participation of an audience. For the producers, designers, actors and myself, I am grateful you are here.
