All+My+Sons+Critique+JH

====The University of Georgia’s University Theatre’s recent production of Arthur Miller’s realistic drama All My Sons was staged in the Fine ==== ====Arts Theatre. Directed by Ray Paolino, the production featured notable alumnus Brian Reddy as Joe Keller, M.F.A. candidates Marzena Bukowska and Jennifer Schottstädt as Kate Keller and Ann Deever, respectively, and senior theatre student Harry Valentine as Chris Keller. Rounding out the cast was as ensemble of current theatre students. Scenic design was handled by Richard Dunham, costume design by Christine Burchett, sound design by Thomas Bailey, and lighting design by David Gotlieb. ====

==== Miller criticizes the American Dream, writing about the tragedy that befalls a family after the businessman/everyman Joe Keller lets faulty cylinder heads be shipped off and lets his partner Steve Deever take the blame. Ashamed of his father’s profiteering during the war, the youngest Keller son Larry commits suicide but is believed to be MIA. In the course of the play, the truth is revealed to the audience and the the characters. Faced with an unsolvable moral dilemma, Joe is forced to take his own life. The events take place three years after the incident within the span of approximately one day, yet another homage to the ancient Greek tragedies of those such as Sophocles and Aeschylus. ====

==== Richard Dunham’s scene design seems to have taken note of this. The design sharply contrasts with the realism of the text. The scene design caused the audience to view the production as theatrical. The backyard in which the action takes place is only suggested by the scarce hanging representation of the back wall of a house. Behind the house lies a gallery in which the chorus sits in a neat row of chairs while waiting to take the stage. The chorus is constantly watching the action taking place in the yard, taking note of and mentally commenting on the play, though they rarely showed their reactions, offering little facial or gestural expression to the audience. Some of the action took place in the gallery as well. The surface of the yard is hardwood, topped by a deck made of the same wood supported by stainless steel cylinders. The set is mainly a table with four chairs and a bench, all of dark wood and design that one would not expect to see in a backyard in any time. The tree, Larry’s tree, was stylized, constructed of metal rods, barely resembling a tree. The props used and scenery are not particularly suggestive of any time period, in contrast to the era specific costume design. ====

==== Costume design was handled by M.F.A. student Christine Burchett. She kept her designs accurate to the period, portraying the fantastic perfection associated with the early post-Word War II years, when the American Dream was at its height. The costume design was very realistic and added to the actors’ portrayal of their characters. The palate was very bright and colorful in contrast to the stainless steel and wood of the set. The characters’ bright and cheery clothing was juxtaposed with the overall somber mood of the production, giving the effect that this was indeed not real life, but a play, and forcing the audience’s awareness of the play. Thus achieving what theatrical productions strive for: audience alienation. The costumes were beautifully designed and constructed. They really gave off the ‘40s vibe, with the emphasis on blues and greens and reds that dominate the surrounding neutral tones of soft browns and greys. Burchett’s attention to character when designing the costumes is especially clear when in her designs for the character Frank Lubbey, the resident astrologist. Instead of being clothed in a conservative suit like the rest of the male cast, Frank Lubbey wore a bright shirt and pants that did not quite match, along with a hat to cover his balding head and socks and sandals. This costume visually set him apart from the rest of the crowd and signified his off-kilter leanings. ====

==== Thomas Bailey handled sound design. The use of sound in this production was surprising. Melodramatic music cued as characters began their revelatory monologues seemed a bit strange but did not detract from the show. The use of radio static to usher in each new act was certainly creative and fit well with the concept envisioned by director Ray Paolino. It reflected both the home radio and the war radio. The static showed that things were unclear and murky--that deception totally encompassed the characters’ world, especially that of the Kellers. ====

==== The lighting design for this show was very well done, thanks to lighting designer David Gotlieb. The lighting was kept fairly constant throughout the playing area. The absence of spots kept the audience’s attention on the whole of the action and preventing any one character from monopolizing the audience’s attention. Other than that, the main use of lighting was projection onto the cyclorama of light to signify time of day and sometimes mood, which was effective. ====

==== The cast of the show was not bad at all, though the main actors far out shined the rest of the cast, with Brian Reddy unsurprisingly stealing the majority of the show. Brian Reddy was an excellent and convincing Joe Keller. He projected so greatly that there was a marked difference between his volume and the rest of the cast, whom the audience sometimes had to struggle to be heard. Marzena Bukowska also did a terrific job as the matriarch struggling to protect her family while personally rejecting the devastating truth. However, the decision to cast her as Kate and have Bukowska keep her accent was surprising. Jennifer Schottstädt made a very convincing Ann Deever and did a wonderful American accent. The chemistry between her and fellow lead Harry Valentine, who played Chris Keller made them an even more convincing couple. Valentine shone as the idealistic son. The supporting cast was a mix of shinig talent and dull performances. Shelly DelGado did Sue Bayliss justice, though at times she slipped into an accent along the lines of 1940s film actress, which came off as a bit odd. Matt Saul, who played the doctor Jim Bayliss was on and off. At times it seemed like he did not care about the character but at others he was involved in the part. Brett Benowitz took on the role of George Deever, a minor but important part. He played it well. Katie Causey and Cole Earnest gave laudable performances as Lydia and Fran Lubbey. Colin O’Neal played Bert, the neighborhood kid. He was not good. The audience had to struggle to hear him as he mumbled over his lines and he was visibly bored and restless while sitting in the chorus. He is only a kid but he could have done better. ====

==== Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed University Theatre’s production of All My Sons and I would definitely recommend it to a friend. While I prefer plays to be produced with much faith to the text and direction of the playwright, I found Paolino’s innovative concept to be fitting and I liked the effect it gave the whole production. Thought there were a few shortcomings, All My Sons remains one of the best nonprofessional productions I have seen. ====