The Boardmore Theatre is lighting up the stage this month with its rendition of Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, Death of a Salesman. Starting Tuesday, January 24, the playhouse will put on six performances of this western classic as part of the theatre’s 41st Season of Plays.
Directed by Todd Pettigrew, Death of a Salesman will be preformed on the evenings of January 24 – 28 at 7pm, with a Sunday matinee on January 29 at 2pm. The cost of admission is $12 for a general ticket, $8 for students and seniors and $6 for CBU students. January 24 is Pay What You Can Night; bring whatever change you can spare or make a food bank donation at the door. January 27 is Talkback Night, which provides the audience with an opportunity to discuss the play with the director and performers.
Director Todd Pettigrew says, “Death of a Salesman has become such a classic that it is easy to forget what an extraordinary piece of theatre it really is. Not only is it a brilliantly crafted tragedy, it’s a moving family drama, and an insightful social commentary.”
In this Pulitzer Prize winning play, a worn out 1940’s salesman, who has spent a lifetime working on the road and earning barely enough to keep his family afloat, is slowly losing his mind and quickly realizing his dreams of wealth and fortune will never come true. His son Biff, a once promising athlete right out of high school, returns home for a visit having accomplished little of the greatness once expected of him. When Biff and his brother hatch a plan to open a high profile sporting store, their father regains a flicker of hope for his family’s wealth. But, can a lifetime of lies and secrets really be left in the past, or will the truth come out and jeopardize the family’s newly reformed dream of success.
“Like all great plays, it is timeless, but today, as we are increasingly aware of the problems of economic inequality in our societies, the play feels especially relevant. In Willy Loman, a man striving for a dream of success always just beyond his grasp, Death of a Salesman reminds us of the peril of divorcing value from work, of placing image ahead of substance, and of making profit essential while making people dispensable. If you remember the play only vaguely as something you read in high school, you’ll be amazed by how funny, yet heartbreaking it is on stage. For anyone who has children – or parents – this play is simply something you have to see at least once in your life,” says Pettigrew.
For tickets or other inquires contact the Playhouse Box Office at 563-1652. The box office hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 1pm to 5pm and one hour before show time. The box office will open one week prior to performances and remain open until the night of the last show.
For more information on the Boardmore Playhouse as well as a complete list of this seasons line up, visit cbu.ca or CBU Boardmore Playhouse on Facebook.
