by Hindi Greenberg, Special to Prospector

Sierra Stages' offering of "Death of a Salesman" proves that a good production company can present excellent drama as well as fine musicals. This current show is, in turns, riveting, humorous and moving, all hallmarks of a first-rate play.

"Death of a Salesman," written by Arthur Miller, won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for best play when it premiered in 1949. Addressing the tumultuous relationships and often idealized expectations between fathers and sons, the pursuit of a romanticized American Dream, and the way past memories frequently deceive, the play is just as fresh and relevant now as it was then.

Willy Loman is the archetypal everyman, the father who actually believes the embellishments he attributes to his own accomplishments and who wants more for and from his sons than he, himself, achieved. As played by the excellent Robert Rossman, Willy is a complex individual--bombastic, pitiable, idealistic and wistful, living on glorified dreams of his own and his sons' success. His adult sons are well-acted by Sam Haley-Hill as Biff, the failed athlete and prodigal son, who can never meet the overly high expectations of his father, and Josh Triplett as Happy, the son who craves the attention he doesn't receive and aspires to be like his father. Susan Mason does a fine turn as Linda, Willy's beleaguered wife, the only family member who really sees, yet loves, her husband and children for what they really are. Also notable is Michael Moerman as Charley, a successful businessman, who tries to help his neighbor Willy financially even though Willy often treats Charley badly.

 Director Jeffrey Mason has superbly brought out the nuances of the story through his actors. The set, designed by the always-creative Pamela Mengers Hodges, is attractive, utilitarian and extremely functional. And the lighting design, by Erin Beatie, well contributes to the differing moods of the play.

 For a moving, thought-provoking evening, be sure to see this splendid production, playing at the Nevada Theatre through Feb. 12.

Hindi Greenberg relates to this story very much--as a professional who "quit" and started her own business, she stepped back from the traditional "American Dream" to live her own version. So she roots for Biff in this play.

 

Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize-winning Death of a Salesman is one of the greatest achievements of 20th Century drama. Its central character, Willy Loman, a little man with modest dreams, towers over American dramatic literature. Exploring the gap between fathers and sons, the tragedy of misplaced ambitions, and the rightful definition of the American dream itself, Death of a Salesman speaks of human dilemmas and human truths...and it continues to have the power to speak to us today.

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Performance Schedule
Thursdays at 7 pm
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays (February 5 and 12) at 2 pm

Single Ticket Prices
General Admission
All Seats $20 

Reserved Seating
All Seats $30

How to Purchase Single Tickets
Online -- click below
Phone -- 530-346-3210
Nevada City Box Office at the Miners Foundry
Briar Patch Co-op
The Book Seller