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— Death of a Salesman DEATH OF A SALESMAN DEATH OF A SALESMAN Written by ARTHUR MILLER FEB. 12-MAR. 5, 2011 A MAN’S DREAM. ANY MAN’S DREAM. The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company presents Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Death of a Salesman. Directed by John Cooper, Death of a Salesman stars Tom McBeath as Willy Loman. Death of a Salesman is on stage at the Vancouver Playhouse (Hamilton & Dunsmuir) from Feb 12-Mar. 5, 2011 – Opening Night is Thursday, Feb. 17. Tickets can be reserved online at vancouverplayhouse.com, by calling the Playhouse Box Office at 604 873 3311, or in person at the theatre box office at Hamilton & Dunsmuir (Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm). HISTORY Death of a Salesman was first produced in 1949 starring Lee J. Cobb. Last produced by the Playhouse in 1983, the play’s most recent revivals on Broadway in 1999 and London’s West End in 2005 demonstrate its lasting power. A new revival starring Philip Seymour Hoffman is planned to open on Broadway in the fall of 2011. The 1951 film adaptation earned Fredric March the Best Actor Golden Globe Award for his performance as Willy Loman. The play has been adapted numerous times for TV with Lee J. Cobb, Dustin Hoffman, Warren Mitchell and Brian Dennehy taking the lead role. THE STORY Death of a Salesman attempts to raise a counterexample to Aristotle's characterization of tragedy as the downfall of a great man: though Loman certainly has hamartia, a tragic flaw or error, his downfall is that of an ordinary man. In this sense, Miller's play represents a democratization of the ancient form of tragedy; the play's protagonist is himself obsessed with the question of greatness, and his downfall arises directly from his continued misconception of himself—at age 63—as someone capable of greatness, as well as the unshakable conviction that greatness stems directly from personal charisma or popularity. THE CAST Daniel Arnold (Bernard) – Playhouse debut. A graduate of UofA’s BFA Acting Program, Daniel has performed across Canada. Daniel recently co-wrote/performed with Medina Hahn Tuesdays & Sundays (international tour) and Any Night (Summerworks). Donna Belleville (Linda) – Playhouse debut. A native New Yorker, Donna currently lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake. She has performed at theatres from coast to coast and following Salesman, she will return to the Shaw Festival for her thirteenth season. Norman Browning (Uncle Ben) made his first appearance at the Vancouver Playhouse in The Royal Hunt of the Sun in 1968 and has appeared in 17 subsequent productions, most recently Humble Boy. He is a member of the Shaw Festival Ensemble and will be returning there this spring for his 22nd season. Anna Cummer (Jenny/Letta) most recently appeared at the Playhouse as Annie Sullivan in last season’s The Miracle Worker. Other credits include How it Works (Touchstone), Recovery (Rumble), Troilus & Cressida and The Winter’s Tale (Bard on the Beach), and Peter Pan (Carousel Theatre). Sean Devine (Howard/Waiter) – Playhouse debut. Sean is the Co-Artistic Director of Horseshoes & HandGrenades Theatre. A veteranscreen actor, he has appeared in dozens of projects, including a lead role in the upcoming Territories. Genevieve Fleming (Miss Forsythe) – Playhouse debut. Genevieve most recently appeared in A Christmas Carol at Western Canada Theatre. Recent theatre credits include Rick: The Rick Hansen Story (MTYP) and The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Carousel). Bob Frazer (Biff) has performed for the Vancouver Playhouse three times prior to Death of a Salesman. He played Charlie in Mary's Wedding, Jimmy in The Rainmaker, and Nugget in Equus. Kevin K. James (Happy, Fight Director) is back at the Playhouse after performing in Timothy Findley’s The Wars and fight directing True West. Other credits include work across Canada, England and Germany. Eric Keenleyside (Charley) – Playhouse debut. While working mainly in film and TV, Eric has worked three Christmas seasons in It’s a Wonderful Life at the Arts Club. Tom McBeath (Willy Loman) celebrates his 25th production with the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. His first was Tartuffe in 1976, subsequent productions include Fire, We the Undersigned, K2, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?, Of Mice and Men, Oliver!, The Caretaker, Frost/Nixon and Where the Blood Mixes. Jameson Parker (Stanley) – Playhouse debut. Past credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Captain Bluntschli in Arms and the Man, Alessandro in The Madonna Painter (Theatre at UBC); Greg in Prodigals (Twenty-Something Theatre); Roscoe Dexter in Singin’ in the Rain (Theatre Under the Stars). Dawn Petten (The Woman) is back on the Playhouse stage having appeared in Studies in Motion, Moonlight and Magnolias and The Rainmaker. Most recently she acted in The Pavilion (Firehall) and Electric Company’s Studies in Motion (Citadel/Canadian Stage) and Tear the Curtain! (Arts Club). THE CREATIVE TEAM Arthur Miller (1915-2005) (Playwright) began writing plays as a student at the University of Michigan. Among his works are The Man who had all the Luck, All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, A View from the Bridge, The Misfits, After the Fall, Incident at Vichy, The Price, The American Clock, Broken Glass, Mr. Peters’ Connections, and his autobiography, Timebends. Miller’s writing earned him a lifetime of honours including the Pulitzer Prize, seven Tony Awards, two Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, an Obie, an Olivier, and the John F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award. John Cooper (Director) has directed for the Vancouver Playhouse: Moonlight and Magnolias, Death and the Maiden, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, My Children, My Africa, Love and Anger, Doc, and Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune. John had directed over 130 productions at theatres across Canada. Steve Thomas (Original Compositions) is an award winning graduate of the Humber College Music Program. He has been involved in Music Theatre for almost twenty-five years as a composer, arranger and Musical Director, working on musicals throughout North America. Pam Johnson (Set Designer), Alison Green (Costume Designer), Gerald King (Lighting Designer), Julie Martens (Assistant Lighting Designer), Richard Hagan (Sound Designer), Jan Hodgson (Stage Manager) and Peter Jotkus (Assistant Stage Manager). SPECIAL PERFORMANCES Friday, Feb. 25 at 8pm is Audio Described for those visually impaired. Audio description begins 15 minutes prior to the performance. EarSighted Audio Description is presented in partnership with Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture. There will be a pre-show chat on Saturday, Feb. 26 beginning at 1pm. Pre-show chats at the Playhouse enhance the experience of seeing live theatre. The guest speaker will be director, John Cooper. SPONSORS Death of a Salesman is generously sponsored by The Vancouver Sun, CBC Vancouver, Good Life Connoisseur.com (Media Sponsors), and Book Warehouse (Promotional Sponsor).
The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company presents Death of a Salesman – Feb. 12-Mar. 5, 2011 at the Vancouver Playhouse at Hamilton & Dunsmuir in downtown Vancouver. Dates of Note
There are no performances on Sundays. Single Ticket Prices (including service charges):
For tickets call 604 873 3311, order online at vancouverplayhouse.com or stop by the theatre box office at Hamilton & Dunsmuir (Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm). Group tickets (10+) and private pre-performance parties call 604 637 3094 or groups@vancouverplayhouse.com
ALL PERFORMANCES AT THE VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE – HAMILTON & DUNSMUIR The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company is British Columbia’s premier regional theatre company, producing engaging plays of the highest calibre since 1962. Visit www.vancouverplayhouse.com
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