Review: DEATH OF A SALESMAN Recounts Willy Loman's Struggle to Survive Life on the Road and in his Mind

Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN is considered by most theater professionals to be one of the best pieces of American drama ever written. It opened in February 1949 and won both a Pulitzer and a Tony for best play that same year, centering on the life of Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who is past his prime and struggling to remain relevant and liked as his life crumbles around him.

As Willy's fears of failure envelope him, his wife Linda's unwavering love and support never falter, even as the disillusionment of their sons Happy and Biff send the family into an emotional tailspin. As Willy sinks deeper into schizophrenia, his ongoing delusions and hallucinations about the past make it increasing difficult for him to function in his stressful reality. Taking what he thinks is the easy way out since he believes he is worth more dead than alive, Willy falls deeper into overwhelming depression from which there is no escape.

Certainly Willy Loman is a tragic hero because his own character flaws cause his demise. Unable to accept what life has dealt him after losing his job, Willy decides to make things right by buying new seeds and planting them in his backyard to allow change he cannot seem to accomplish anywhere else; even though he knows nothing can grow there because the ever-encroaching city has blocked all light. His actions cause him to remain firmly planted in his delusion that success in all things is possible. And isn't that the American Dream personified?

In the current production at the Long Beach Playhouse, the challenge of grasping every nuance of this flawed character is met full force by Karl Schott who allows us to see both the joys Willy's experiences in his mind as well as the deep frustrations which cause him to lash out at everyone around him, especially his sons and wife. Harriet Whitmyer is a wonder as the ever-devoted typical post World War II housewife, acting as the emotional rock of the Loman family, doing what she can to support her husband and sons, all the while trying to keep the family afloat financially as her husband's career falters. Costume designer Donna Fritsche has created just the right look for Linda, using vintage patterns and fabric prints in muted tones to create housedresses that typify the "housewife" experience of the era.

The scenes between Willy and his sons Biff (John Conway) and Happy (Zachary Salene) run the gamut from joyful to heartbreaking in a series of dreamlike flashbacks that show the failing philosophy of Willy's life. Certainly his hopes and regrets are shared by everyone who has questioned their own life choices, wishing things could just turn out for the best no matter how difficult the situation becomes.

Rounding out the talented 12-member cast are Skip Blas (so dashing as Ben Loman), Gary Douglas, Ron Ramon Flores, Tyler Gray, Robyn Hastings, Phie Mura, Nick Warnock, and Jennifer Whitney.

Lighting designer Donny Jackson effectively creates mood-enhancing focus, while Sean Gray's sound design works wonders at bringing the reality of each scene to life on Andrew Vonderschmitt's functionally minimal set which allows up close and personal viewing from all three sides of the thrust stage.

Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN continues through June 20, 2015, at the Long Beach Playhouse, located at 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA, 90804. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Adults are $24.00, seniors $21.00, and Students $14.00. Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling 562-494-1014, option 1.

Photos by Michael Hardy Photography

Karl Schott as Willy Loman

Harriet Whitmyer (Linda) and Karl Schott (Willy).

Zachary Salene (Happy) and John Conway (Biff)

Zachary Salene (Happy), Karl Schott (Willy), John Conway (Biff)

Zachary salene (Happy), John Conway (Biff), Karl Schott (Willy)

Tyler Gray (Bernard), Harriet Whitmyer (Linda), John Conway (Biff), Zachary Salene (Happy)

Willy (Karl Schott) asks Howard Wagner (Nick Warnock) to give him an office job so he no longer has to be on the road.