Arthur Miller’s classic American tragedy “Death of a Salesman” comes to Muskegon Community College’s Overbrook Theater on Oct. 15-19, 2014.
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday and conclude with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday. MCC English Instructor Mary Tyler will offer a short commentary on the play’s themes in Overbrook Art Gallery an hour prior to the Thursday and Sunday shows. Tickets for the show are $10 for the general public and $5 for MCC students and alumni with an MCC alumni benefits card. For more information, call (231) 777-0324.
Tom and Fran Harryman, two professional stage veterans and MCC alumni who are married in real life, head the cast. Tom, an MCC instructor and career-long stage actor and director, will play Willy Loman, an aging, doomed salesman who talks a good game he can no longer play. Fran co-stars as Linda Loman, Willy’s long-suffering wife.
Tom, who played Happy Loman in MCC’s original 1973 production, is designing the production’s set based on the award-winning, original design of Jo Miellziner. The original 1949 sound production is also being used as a guide in re-creating the play.
An iconic character, Willy Loman has been portrayed by such esteemed actors as Lee J. Cobb, Fredric March, Dustin Hoffman, Brian Dennehy, George C. Scott, Christopher Lloyd and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Directed for Sheila Kulp Wahamaki, who heads the MCC Center for Theater, “Death of a Salesman” is a play about the failure of the American dream, told in the story of a man who fantasizes the success he has never achieved. It is revered throughout the world as one of the great dramatic works in theater literature.
Directed by the famous Elia Kazan, “Death of a Salesman” premiered in 1949 on Broadway where it ran for 742 performances. The play’s various incarnations have won numerous awards, including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Broadway’s highest honor, the Tony Award. It has been revived on Broadway four times. It also has been adapted for film and television.
The MCC student cast for “Death of a Salesman” includes Timothy Hegedus and Kristopher Arnold as the Lomans’ two sons, Happy and Biff. Rounding out the student cast are Chris Swanson as Bernard, Nealon Bradley as Charley, Dakotah Salazar as Ben, Adrianne Lewis as The Woman, W. Krystion Jend as Howard Wagner, Emily Guiles as Jenny, Dakota King as Stanley, Ashley Ruiter as Miss Forsythe, Tayler Zuidema as Letta, and Evan Curtice as The Waiter.
Student directors for “Death of a Salesman” are Jackson Fitzgerald and Deanna Runions. Lighting designer is Clyde Sheets. Costume designer is Susan Eyler. Scenic painting and construction is by Brian Goodman.
MCC alumni are invited to join a free reception in the art gallery prior to the play on Friday, Oct. 17, 6:30-7:30pm, where Theater Director Sheila Wahamaki will discuss the play.
Photo Credit: Frederic A. Reinecke of FAR Photography