(Left to right) Jeff Lowe and Stacey Loew portray Willy and Linda Loman in Bay Area Stage’s adaptation of “Death of a Salesman.” (Photo courtesy of Scott Slagle)

The drive for success, the harsh reality of life and the collapse of the American Dream will all be present at Vallejo’s Bay Area Stage (BAS) Theatre beginning this Friday when its production of “Death of a Salesman” opens.

Arthur Miller’s 1949 drama centers around the decline of a traveling New York City salesman named Willy Loman. The play focuses on Loman’s complicated relationship with his wife and two adult sons and his struggles to provide for his family and achieve the American Dream, a concept which each character has a different interpretation of.

Miller’s play won a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award in its first year, has seen numerous Broadway revivals and adaptations and is often hailed as a timeless work. It was largely because of the characters that BAS co-producers Jeff Lowe and Stacey Loew opted to select “Death of a Salesman” as the first BAS production of 2018. Lowe had always wanted to play Willy Loman, and for the first time in their nine years of operating BAS, Lowe and Loew will be playing opposite one another, with Loew portraying Willy’s wife Linda.

Despite the grim nature of the production, Loew says audience members will relate to the characters.

“The characters are so real and yet so sad,” she said. “I think everybody can identify with at least one of the characters. At any rate, it will make you feel better about your own family.”

Loew described “Death of a Salesman” as a “theater person’s play,” and due to the wordiness of the text, BAS had to add extra rehearsal days. Additionally, the cast has come from all over, with some cast members coming from Vacaville and Fairfield. Kathie Gassett, who has acted in Benicia Old Town Theatre Group productions, will be playing Jenny. On the opposite end, Patrick Broncato flew all the way out from New York City to play Willy’s son Biff. He is staying with a member of the BAS Board of Directors.

“Different actors have different schedules, so trying to get everybody at the theater has been a challenge,” she said.

Nonetheless, Loew said the actors have pulled it off well.

“It’s an awesome experience to be playing these iconic roles,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but actors are kind of crazy people anyway. It’s very challenging, but I think you can’t not grow as an actor from playing one of these characters in the show.”

“Death of a Salesman,” directed by Kenn Stevens, opens this Friday at BAS Theatre, located at 515 Broadway St. Suite H in Vallejo, and will run through March 18. Performances will begin at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $18 for seniors and students, and they can be purchased by following the EventBrite.com link at BayAreaStage.org. For more information, call 649-1053. Following the heavy drama of “Death of a Salesman,” BAS is hoping to lighten things up in June with a production of Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” followed by “Young Frankenstein: The Musical” and “Scrooge: The Musical” in December.

Sharing is caring!