Throughout his life as a playwright, Arthur Miller fondly recalled the influence his time as a student at the University of Michigan had on his great ability to create some of the 20th century鈥檚 most celebrated works.
Nearly 70 years after Miller received a Pulitzer Prize for Death of a Salesman, the University Musical Society is welcoming actor Alec Baldwin to its stage. Baldwin will perform a reading of the 1949 play beside U-M Department of Theatre & Drama students and faculty.
The timeless story chronicles a chain of events for Willy Loman, the 63-year-old traveling worker who romanticizes the American Dream despite its blatant shortcomings.
鈥淲hile Salesman was chosen on artistic and educational grounds, and especially given Arthur Miller鈥檚 history here, there is certainly an interesting moment and opportunity to view the Willy Loman character in a new way,鈥 UMS President Matthew VanBesien says. He notes that Baldwin, who has been involved with the Arthur Miller Foundation, will read the main role. 鈥淲e knew that Alec would enjoy doing Death of a Salesman and feel very strongly about making sure Michigan students [have] a great experience.鈥
As part of the creative collaboration, the actor will participate in a few days of rehearsal prior to the Sept. 29 performance, which will benefit UMS programs. VanBesien says the performance is due in part to his personal connection with Baldwin 鈥 the two previously served on the board of the New York Philharmonic together 鈥 as well as the relevance Miller鈥檚 piece continues to have in today鈥檚 society.
鈥淚n this 鈥榩erception-is-everything鈥 moment, accusations of fake news, and what has been at least a partial erosion of the certitude of fact in our society, Loman鈥檚 own lack of truthfulness, delusional behavior, and denial feel particularly timely,鈥 he says. 鈥淕reat works illuminate the time in which they were written but also the present.鈥
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