by Amber Cassell — Feb 25, 2011
Meet hard-working salesman Willy Loman as he chases the American Dream in Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize winning tragedy, Death of a Salesman. Stacy Keach and Jane Kaczmarek head the cast when Academy Award-winning filmmaker Eric Simonson directs one of the most important dramas of all time for L.A. Theatre Works. Five performances will be recorded March 16-20 at the Skirball Cultural Center for future radio broadcast; L.A. Theatre Works' nationally syndicated radio theater series airs locally in Southern California on KPCC 89.3 every Saturday from 10 pm -midnight and can be streamed on demand at www.latw.org.
Employing stark realism, expressionism and archetypal characters with compassionate simplicity, Death of a Salesman remains one of American drama's most riveting and timeless works. Miller's devastating social commentary explores the pursuit of success and failure in the ever-shifting ideals of the American landscape. Willy Loman loses his tenuous grasp on reality as he struggles to achieve the noble dream of owning his home, suffering the terrible consequences of chasing after an illusion at the expense of his family and ultimately, himself.