Main Street Productions (MSP) offers Arthur Miller’s American tragedy, Death of a Salesman, at their Basile Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St. This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner opened on Broadway in 1949 and ran for 742 performances starring Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman and Arthur Kennedy as his son, Biff.
Willy Loman’s faltering quest for the American Dream for his wife and sons is a poignant tale which is often considered to be Miller’s fineness play-writing effort.
Kelly Keller directs, tackling this classic play with a clear understanding of the themes and action – the staging of which is sometimes a challenge. The multilevel set designed by Jay Ganz and lighting by Stephen DiCarlo work in unison to provide the various areas needed.
Aaron Moon leads the cast as Willy Loman. Moon renders a powerful performance, full of the nuances and the ebbs and tides of this complicated character’s personality, at times seemingly losing himself in the role. It’s a magnificent performance and well worth making plans to see.
Countering Willy’s prideful, often delusional aspects is his more down-to-earth son Biff, played with passion by Connor Phelan. Not only does Phelan offer a noteworthy acting job, the man took over the role only nine days earlier, after the original cast member could not continue. Quite an accomplishment!
(From left) Biff (Connor Phelon), Hap (Broden Irwin), Willy (Aaron Moon), and Linda (Susan Hill). (Photo by Rob Slaven / IndyGhostLight.com)
Others shine as well: Susan Hill plays Willy’s wife Linda with polish and poignancy and Broden Irwin brings an apt bravado to Hap. Jim Gryga is memorable as Charley and Mike Sosnowski shows his talents as Bernard. Tom Smith makes his presence felt as Willy’s older brother, Ben, while lots of smaller roles are well-handled by the remaining ensemble members.
Overall – in what is an uneven production – the story is well told and the few gaffs in technical aspects and in acting can be written off as opening-night jitters and perhaps a production that was just short of being ready to open. I am confident that Mr. Keller has his eye on the small problems the opening faced and will work toward corrections.
The biggest issue remains one that seems associated with the Basile Westfield Playhouse. Sound does not travel well in this auditorium. I have heard it mentioned by others, I have experienced it as a patron. Too often words are lost – either through nuanced speech choices, or facing away from the front, or (most inexcusably) lack of diction on the part of the un-miked performers. Too often, the playwright’s words were either not loud enough or not understandable. Some of this is correctable, of course – basically just through awareness that this is a problem and taking that awareness into the performance. Enunciate and project!
Bottom line: Some very rich performances were given, especially Mr. Moon’s. He surely deserved the standing ovation he was given when he came out for his bow. Taking into account the opening night factors, this show has a load of promise and I have a feeling that it will thrill audiences during its run.
Death of a Salesman continues at Basile Westfield Playhouse through Nov. 23. Information about the schedule and reservations can be found at basilewestfieldplayhouse.org.
Read more great play reviews from A Seat on the Aisle at asota.wordpress.com.