This is one of those plays where you try to stay out of the way of the great writing…keep things simple and let it speak for itself.  I was very proud of bringing my cast (all undergrads) to the level of maturity and depth required on this one.  I 'eliminated' the neighborhood boy, Bert, relegating him to a barely audible offstage voice.  This kept the appearance of real youth from shining an undesirable light on our theatrical ages.  It also became another "unseen child", much like Larry. 

Other choices I made were to let it get REALLY dark, moving to our tragic end; Chris read Larry's letter by lighter, Joe surmounted the porch steps (using the porchlight to read ) giving him real prominence for his last moments.  Also, I added a sound cue; a plane could be heard early in the Chris and George scene, filling and extending an awkward silence, while also giving them a bond as veterans, reacting to and recognizing the all too familiar and thematically relevant sound.  

“At times, audible sniffles and gasps could be heard in the audience.  This energetic production was indeed a refreshing experience after witnessing the bloodless and misguided Broadway revival last year… 

Director Jamie Cheatham had a firm grasp of the play’s detailed meanings and admirably led his cast …an inspired production of Arthur Miller’s powerhouse tragedy.”
-                        ~Joseph Kane, The Arthur Miller Journal, Spring 2010 edition

Photographs courtesy of Don Lintner

Scenic Design - Devin Nee, Lighting Design - Kevin Nelson, Costume/Makeup Design - Misti Bradford, Properties Master - Tracy Hoida