50th Season • 473rd Production SEGERSTROM STAGE / AuGuST 30 - SEPTEMbER 29, 2013 Marc Masterson Paula Tomei ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR David Emmes & Martin Benson FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTORS presents DEATH OF A SALESMAN by Arthur Miller Michael B. Raiford Holly Poe Durbin Brian J. Lilienthal SCENIC DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN Jim Ragland Joshua Marchesi Jamie A. Tucker* COMPOSER/SOUNDSCAPE PRODUCTION MANAGER STAGE MANAGER Directed by Marc Masterson Sophie and Larry Cripe Alan and Olivia Slutzky Honorary Producers Honorary Producers Corporate Producer DEATH OF A SALESMAN is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. Death of a Salesman • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • P1 CAST OF CHARACTERS (In order of appearance) Willy Loman ............................................................................... Charlie Robinson* Linda ................................................................................................ Kim Staunton* Happy .................................................................................................. Larry Bates* Biff ....................................................................................................... Chris Butler* Bernard ........................................................................................ Tobie Windham* The Woman ................................................................................... Tracey A. Leigh* Charley .................................................................................. James A. Watson, Jr.* Uncle ben ......................................................................................... Gregg Daniel* Howard Wagner .................................................................................. Tyler Pierce* Jenny ......................................................................................... Georgina E. Okon* Stanley ....................................................................................... Christopher Rivas* Miss Forsythe ...................................................................................... Celeste Den* Letta ........................................................................................... Becca Lustgarten* PRODUCTION STAFF Casting .................................................................................... Joanne DeNaut, CSA Dramaturg .................................................................................. Kimberly Colburn Dialect Coach ................................................................................... Andrea Caban Assistant Stage Manager ....................................................................... Sue Karutz* Assistant Dramaturg ............................................................................ Andy Knight Production Assistant ......................................................................... Amber Caras Assistant to the Director .................................................................. Sarah Figoten Costume Design Assistant .............................................................. Haleh Risdana Assistant to the Composer ................................................................... Will Daniel Stage Management Intern ................................................................ Sara Beaman Light board Operator .................................................................. Andrew Stephens Sound board Operator .................................................................. G.W. Rodriguez Wardrobe Supervisor/Dresser ............................................................. Bert Henert Additional Costume Staff .......... Brandy de Aguero, Mary Bergot, Jessica Brown Gwenyth Conaway Bennison, Adriana Lambarri, Iris Marshall Deona Offield, Peggy Oquist, Virginia Thorne, Sarah Timm, Swantje Tuohino Costume Shop Interns ........................................... Kaitlyn Kauffman, Helen Ton MUSICIANS Eyvind Kang (Violin, viola and euphonium); Will Daniel (Saxophone, clarinet, flute); Susan Pascal (Vibraphone); Jim Ragland (Guitar, piano and synthesizers); Randy burgeson (Trumpet); David Pascal (Bass); Chris Monroe (Drums) Recorded at Avast Studio, Seattle P2 • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Death of a Salesman THE CAST: (top row, left to right) Christopher Rivas, Charlie Robinson, Gregg Daniel, Chris Butler, James A. Watson, Jr, Tobie Windham, Larry Bates and Tyler Pierce; (bottom row) Tracey A. Leigh, Becca Lustgarten, Kim Staunton, Georgina E. Okon and Celeste Den. SETTING The late 1940s. Various places in New York City and Boston. LENGTH Approximately two hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission. The use of cameras, videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. Cellular phones, beepers and watch alarms should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance. Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre. * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers. Segerstrom Stage Season Media Partner Media Partner Death of a Salesman • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • P3 Universal Reach “You have to describe the country in terms of what you passionately hope it will become, as well as in terms of what you know it to be now.” Richard Rorty, Achieving Our Country, 1998 by Kimberly Colburn to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ which were vouchsafed to us in the past in vision and on parchment.” he origin of the phrase “American dream” is Although the term wasn’t in our vernacular yet, the often credited to u.S. Historian James Trus- concept of the American dream has roots in the very gen- low Adams, who used it 33 times in his 1931 esis of our modern country, from the seventeenth cen- book The Epic of America. He posited that it tury Puritans fleeing persecution in hopes of religious was the “dream of a land in which life should freedom to the entrepreneurs who trekked to the new be better and richer and fuller for everyone, world and established colonies like Jamestown in 1607. with opportunity for each according to ability Capitalism has intertwined with the idea of freedom or achievement,” regardless of what circum- throughout America’s history, and in Death of a Sales- stancesT one was born into. He also specified that achieve- man Willy Loman continues to espouse the virtues of a ment should not solely be defined in monetary prosper- capitalist system even when he finds himself failing to ity but also by the strength of one’s character. Writing just live up to the triumphs of his own past. Willy can’t help after the Great Depression had wreaked havoc on many but reach for more to maintain his status as a “big shot.” people’s material wealth, Adams cautioned that “possibly This persistent pursuit of success defines the the greatest of these struggles lies just ahead of us at this American dream and makes Willy’s character instantly present time—not a struggle of revolutionists against the identifiable. Willy believes that one can attain success established order, but of the ordinary man to hold fast through sheer force of will and personality, and after 30 P4 • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Death of a Salesman years of working the same his first 13 years of life, way, can’t quite grasp that to a clapboard hovel in both he and the times brooklyn. Miller has cited may have changed. Willy the Depression as a for- is emblematic of any per- mative experience and son who has tried to make in his writing he often re- a great life and to pass that turned to themes of both life on to their children. questioning a capitalist Willy tries to instill system and exploring the his lessons for victory nature of the father/son in his sons, so that they relationship. Miller him- may find success as Willy self vacillated between defines it—through con- boasting of his father’s crete evidence such as a large business and cri- home you own and a good tiquing his choices. Tell- job with a generous salary. ingly, he once wrote: The parent/child relation- “One rarely hears of any ship in Death of a Sales- American writer whose man is relatable across father was to be regarded many socio-economic as in any way adequate and geographic lines, as or successful. The Ameri- generations of children can writer is supplanting have either embraced or somebody, correcting rejected following in their him, making up for his parents footsteps. biff and errors or failures…He is Happy have intangible the power that the father needs in their search for lost.” happiness that Willy just Today we find our- can’t or won’t under- Norman Rockwell’s 1943 painting “Freedom from Want.” selves a few years out of stand, and each son tries what has been dubbed his best to please or pla- the Great Recession, cate Willy and his dreams for them. and Willy’s struggle resonates more than ever. President Libraries are full of books about the “American barack Obama, in a 2009 speech to Congress a month dream”, and the mass media has embraced the term. It after he was sworn in, addressed the state of the country continues to be seen as a pursuit, and subsequent gen- from the perspective of the average person: erations have either pursued it differently than their par- ents or even called the entire concept into question. The “You don’t need to hear another list of statistics to cyclical nature of our family and society mirrors the cycli- know that our economy is in crisis, because you live