
"Go see this. It will cleanse you with tears...The Very Little Theatre’s cast, under the sure-handed direction of Patrick Torelle, brought Friday’s audience to tears with performances that mined Miller’s rich dialogue for its wrenching and tragic emotional depth." Alan Beck, The Register-Guard
The Very Little Theatre continues its 81st season with a three-week run of All My Sons, the powerful award-winning play by distinguished playwright Arthur Miller.
This wonderful drama won the Tony Award in 1947 for Best Play. It is the sad post-World War II story about the Kellers, a seemingly “All-American” family. Joe Keller, the chief character, is a man who loves his family above all else, and has sacrificed everything, including his honor, in his struggle to make the family prosperous. Keller has apparently achieved the "American Dream" — he lives in a comfortable house despite being an uneducated man. However, the material comfort that Keller has worked to provide his family is of little consequence, as he allowed his factory to ship faulty airplane cylinders during the war, and twenty American pilots died as a result. As a result, Keller's American Dream has become more like an American Nightmare, and we see the painful price that is paid for compromising ethics.
Another theme of All My Sons is wartime profiteering. As there were large contracts when America entered the war on two fronts, the conditions were created for what Arthur Miller described as profiteering on a vast scale. Joe Keller's son Chris is particularly angry that his selflessness in fighting in the war is contrasted by the selfishness of those making money off the war.
The play was inspired by the true story of a young woman who informed authorities that her father had been defrauding the military; Arthur Miller was quoted as saying he was fascinated that a child could have that kind of moral courage. The resulting play is a thought-provoking examination of denial, guilt, and social responsibility.
Director Patrick Torelle has cast Chris Pinto as Joe Keller, Nancy Boyett as his wife, Kate, and Bruce McArthur as their son, Chris. Abigail Borkin plays Ann Deever, Paul Rhoden plays George, Tom Wilson is Dr. Bayliss, Darlene Morton is Sue Bayliss, Mike Hawkins and Leigh Holliday play Frank and Lydia Lubey, and Sydney Bowers plays young Bert. The set design is by Rich Scheeland, and costumes are by Sharon Wetterling.
Reserved seat tickets are $14; Thrifty Thursday (June 3 and 10) prices are $10 and senior citizens may attend the Sunday matinees (May 30 and June 6) for $10. The ten performances are Friday-Sunday, May 28-30; Thursday-Sunday, June 3-6; and Thursday-Saturday, June 10-12. Curtain is at 8 p.m. except for the 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. An Opening Night Gala with refreshments following the show is open to all who purchase tickets to the May 28 performance.
The box office opens on Friday, May 21, from 2-5:30 p.m. and will continue Wednesday-Saturday the following weeks. For more information on tickets, call 541-344-7751. The Very Little Theatre is located at 2350 Hilyard St.
Auditions
Auditions have concluded. Please see our Auditions page for upcoming auditions for other VLT shows!
Show Dates
Box Office opens Friday, May 21. Phone: (541) 344-7751.
Hours: Wed. through Sat. 2:00-5:30 PM and ONE Hour before each performance (7:00 PM, or Sunday Matinees 1:00 PM).
| May/June 2010 |
| Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
| 27 |
28
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $14
|
29
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $14 |
30
Curtain 2:00 pm
Tickets $14
(Seniors $10)
|
| Opening Night Gala |
Sunday Matinée |
3
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $10
|
4
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $14 |
5
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $14 |
6
Curtain 2:00 pm
Tickets $14
(Seniors $10)
|
| Thrifty Thursday |
Sunday Matinée |
10
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $10
|
11
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $14 |
12
Curtain 8:00 pm
Tickets $14
|
13 |
| Thrifty Thursday |
Closing Night |
Cast
Joe Keller |
Chris Pinto |
Kate Keller |
Nancy Boyett |
Chris Keller |
Bruce McArthur |
Ann Deever |
Abigail Borkin |
George Deever |
Paul Rhoden |
Dr. Jim Bayliss |
Tom Wilson |
Sue Bayliss |
Darlene Morton |
Frank Lubey |
Mike Hawkins |
Lydia Lubey |
Leigh Holliday |
Bert |
Sydney Bowers |
Production Staff
Director |
Patrick Torelle |
Assistant Directors |
Leela Gouveia, Adam Leonard |
Stage Manager |
Johnny Rogers |
Set Design |
Richard Scheeland |
Set Construction |
John Elliott |
Lighting Design |
David Sherman, Marc Shapiro |
Light Operator |
Jimmy Berguin |
Sound Operator |
Thomas Sanchez |
Costumes |
Sharon Wetterling |
Properties |
Susan Greenwald, Chris Hugo |
Poster and Program Art |
Max Maltz |
Technical Director |
Marc Shapiro |
Production Manager |
Richard Scheeland |
Publicity and Programs |
Scott Barkhurst, Jim Kissman, Nancy West |
Usher Coordinator |
Claudia Liontos |
Production Photography |
John Bauguess |
Opening Night Gala Coordinators |
Eileen Peterson & Nola Schulenberg |
Box Office Manager |
Judi Johnson |
|