Life > October 23, 2008

By Samantha Hoback | Contributing writer

As Broadway prepares for the return of Arthur Miller’s famous play, the university’s theatre department, in collaboration with the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem, will showcase All My Sons this month. Coincidence or serendipity?

click to enlarge

Featuring an age-appropriate cast consisting of students and members of the community, All My Sons is the story of a World War II scandal involving the Deever and Keller families. After faulty parts from Joe Keller and George Deever’s machine shop turn out to be fatal for the military, one man is sent to prison while the other escapes punishment.

“I particularly love All My Sons because it tells how a scandalous secret explodes the family relationships into something completely different and unexpected,” freshman John Aguilar, who is playing Frank Lubey, said.

He will be joined by senior Dan Applegate as George Deever, sophomore Morgan Maloney as Ann Deever, senior Drew Grindrod as Chris Keller, and sophomore Kelsey Girard as Lydia Lubey.

The student cast will also share the stage with two actors from the community: Carol Midura, who will play Kate Keller, and Mark Pirolo, who will play Joe Keller.

“My favorite part about the play is the relationships we as actors have to build to create this family,” Pirolo said.

“To show the everyday hurts and affections, joys and annoyances along with the greater operatic issues.”

The rare combination of experienced actors, faculty and students allows for a unique theatre experience.

According to the play’s director, Associate Professor of Acting and Directing Sharon Andrews, one of the intended outcomes of the collaboration with the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem is that the play will combine audiences — the university audience will become more aware of the Little Theatre and vice versa.

Based on a true story, All My Sons explores themes such as the individual versus society, the responsibility of the individual to the larger world, the cancerous effects of guilty secrets and the relationships between fathers and sons. “The play has incredible relevance to our lives right now,” Pirolo said. “The issues of personal responsibility are things we are struggling with as a nation.”

With the upcoming presidential elections, the play will allow audiences to reflect on current events while they enjoy a story about love, loss and loyalty.

“The play is very emotional, but it also has humor. It is a very satisfying play,” Andrews said.

Andrews encourages students to come to the play to see the work of one of the most important American playwrights and to take advantage of the quality of theater on campus.

“Theater dates are also a good idea,” Andrews said.

Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, Nov. 1 and Nov. 5-8 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the MainStage Theatre in Scales Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $5 for students. Seating is reserved, and group rates are available.

Following the performance on Nov. 6, the audience is invited to stay after the show for a conversation with the actors, director and a “surprise guest” about the issues that All My Sons explores.