NATHANIAL BARTER AND EMILEE LOVE, as Willy Loman and his long-suffering wife, Linda, in Morse High School’s production of “Death of a Salesman.”
Arthur Miller’s 1949 play, on the death of the hopes of the emerging middle class after the end of World War II, is a difficult play for anyone to perform. Getting into the head of Willy Loman, who is in the twilight of his career, and his life, and his docile, co-dependent wife, Linda, who are watching the hopes and dreams they built up so elaborately crash and burn around them.
Their sons, Biff and Happy, are not successful. Biff doesn’t want what the rest of the family seems to want; he is happiest working for just what he needs, and has been happiest working in the west with horses. His younger brother, Happy, is working in a junior position and is a womanizer.
Their parents expect more from them, but by the time the young men are in their 30s, it is clear that nothing more is likely to be coming. Biff explains this to his father and believes that he finally understands. But Willy hears only what he wants to hear, and takes drastic steps to get money for his son to begin a business he doesn’t want and wouldn’t succeed at.
Getting into these complex and unfortunate characters when you’re eighteen years old, without the life experiences of a Willy Loman, would seem virtually impossible, but Nathanial Barter, senior at Morse High School, admirably finds his inner Willy Loman in the production of “Death of a Salesman”, beginning next Friday, May 16.
“I think I’ve created my own Willy Loman,” Barter said. “I’ve seen many versions of this play, and in many ways, it’s my favorite play. But I take what other people have done and add my own pieces to it.”
The character of Charley, played by Aaron Watson, who is being played by a Morse graduate, Aaron Watson, is a minor character, but also complex. Charley forms Willy’s sole support system outside of his family, and is constantly offering help and a way out of the apparent death spiral Willy has found himself in. Watson was asked by Kevin O’Leary to take on the role. Another graduate is playing the role of Happy, Dylan Withers, who graduated in 2012. “I wasn’t expecting to get such a big role,” he said. “But I had been part of the play all along, because I’d been working with the Technical Director (Chris Fitze).”
Cody Lamoreau, who plays Charley’s son Bernard, said that he is looking forward to continuing acting in college, as did Savannah Rice, who plays Willy Loman’s unnamed mistress. “We are fortunate that we’ve had the opportunity to work with Mr. O’Leary and be involved in Morse High School-calibur productions,” she said.
Morse High will present “Death of a Salesman” on May 15, 16, and 17 at 7 p.m.
It’s not a production to be missed, and you will find yourself forgetting that these are young people just beginning their own hope and dreams.
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