Death of a Salesman at Lake Tahoe Community College

One of the most important plays of the American theatre will receive a unique staging as the Theatre Arts Department at Lake Tahoe Community College presents Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Performances are November 13-22 in the Duke Theatre at LTCC, located at One College Drive off of Al Tahoe Blvd.

Miller’s famous play circles around traveling salesman Willy Loman, who finds himself at the end of his career and the end of his rope. Tortured by his own sense of failure and his crushed hopes that his sons will achieve greatness, Willy’s mind slips more and more into the past, where the future still held great promise and achieving the American Dream seemed possible. Willy’s family struggles to keep him in the present, even as relationships are strained and forgiveness seems impossible.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play, Death of a Salesman is considered to be one of the greatest plays in the American theatre. Written by Miller in 1949, the play is a work of tremendous emotional impact that executes an unflinching examination of the American Dream that is as relevant today as the day it was first produced. A play of deep, universal themes, Miller’s indictment of the American Dream sheds light on the high cost of the relentless pursuit of success.

Susan Boulanger, Director of Theatre at LTCC, is directing the production. The first thing she felt had to be done was to rearrange the seating in the Duke Theatre. “I have stripped the scenic elements down in this production to focus on the brilliance of Miller’s play,” says Boulanger. “We have created a thrust space. That means the audience will sit on three sides of the stage, instead of our regular end-stage configuration. This will give the audience and the actors a much more intimate experience.”

Next came deciding how to stage the production. “I have almost completely done away with a standard set,” says Boulanger. “I don’t want to give it all away, but I think what we are doing is going to be unique, surprising, and will serve the play very well.”

The cast includes familiar as well as new faces to the Duke Theatre stage. Chris Taylor plays the iconic Willy Loman, with Aletha Nelligan as his devoted wife, Linda; Matthew Ault as his estranged son, Biff; and Thomas Lopez as his self-absorbed son, Happy. The cast also includes Ryan Adams, Bailey Anderson, Stephanie Grigsby, Kurt Munger, Shana Noel, Frank Riley, and Chris Scott.
Performances of Death of a Salesman will be November 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees on November 15 and 22 at 2 p.m. Post-show discussions with the actors and director will take place after the first Sunday matinee, and by request. This play contains some strong language and adult subject matter, and is not recommended for audiences under 16 years of age.

Tickets for Death of a Salesman are $10 general admission, and $5 for seniors, groups of eight or more, and students with a valid student I.D. Tickets may be purchased in advance at LTCC’s Bookstore Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. starting November 2. LTCC’s Box Office will be open for ticket sales one hour prior to all performances.

High school students are invited to attend the performance on Thurs., Nov. 19 for free. Present a valid student I.D. at the LTCC Bookstore to get these tickets in advance, or at the Box Office on the night of the performance, as long as tickets are available.

For more information, please check the Theatre Arts webpage at www.ltcc.edu/theatrearts, or the Theatre Arts Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/LTCCTheatreArts. You can also call the Theatre Department at (530) 541-4660 ext. 240, or send an email to Boulanger@ltcc.edu.