Arthur Miller’s classic, ”Death of a Salesman,” opened on the High Springs Community Theater stage Friday night. While everything about the venue screamed small-town theater, nothing about the performance hinted at it.
A first-time patron, I walked into the old church building-turned-theater greeted by smiling volunteers and complimentary refreshments, and honestly, not expecting very much.
I couldn’t be happier to admit that I was very, very wrong.
Director Mike McShane and the cast of “Death” bring to the stage new life, the timeless tale of the final days in the life of Willy Loman, a 63-year-old traveling salesman who falls victim to the elusiveness of the American dream.
Trying but ever failing to achieve the success he feels his hard work deserves, Willy outwardly denounces his shortcomings but internally knows that he has ultimately failed himself, his devoted wife Linda and his underachieving sons Happy and Biff.
Plagued by hallucinations and haunted by a past that he can’t escape, the audience witnesses Willy’s mental deterioration through a series of his delusions, which are seamlessly interspersed with the events of the present.
Those who have seen Miller’s 1949 classic on other stages might find something a bit unexpected in McShane’s production. While there are certainly still the heavy doses of drama, grief and screaming you would expect from the original, there’s also a bit of the unexpected
humor.
Director and designer Mike McShane, who is also double cast in the roles of Happy Loman and Howard Wagner, is a University of Florida graduate with a master’s degree in Theater Lighting Design. After seeing the revival of “Death of a Salesman” on Broadway as part of his graduate work, McShane had a vision for the way he would present his version of the play.
“When I saw it on Broadway with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, they played so much of the classic 1949,” McShane said. “There was weight, and nothing was funny. It was all a whole bunch of people yelling at each other. But what we explored when we were doing this, and from what I read, there was something comedic about it, something surreal.”
To pull off the effect he sought for his vision, McShane had no doubt that keeping it in the family was the best and only way to go when casting the lead role. The part of Willy Loman went to his father and longtime theater veteran, Shamrock McShane.
“When my Dad took over the role, he was the first person I knew was going to play Willy, there was no other casting decision, that was pretty much precast,” McShane said. “Willy has this line, ‘I joke too much,’ and when I saw Phillip Seymour Hoffman and these other actors they weren’t funny. There was nothing funny about Willy Loman and it made no sense. … So, we focused on making Willy real and I knew my Dad playing that role would be just perfect.”
And perfect it was.
Shamrock McShane’s performance depicted a man who was tortured but still touching, bringing life to a character who was relatable and real despite his delusions.
As is so often the case in dramatic theater, McShane’s performance never felt forced or insincere, due in part to his occasionally comedic delivery and to something that can only be described as authenticity.
Perhaps the best explanation for his ability to deliver such an honest performance lies in his own relationship to the character.
“The more I got into the play, the more I realized that I was Willy Loman,” McShane said. “The best acting I could do was going to be no acting, to not act and just have what was true about me come through in the lines.”
Willy wasn’t the only perfect casting decision.
Anna Marie Kirkpatrick’s performance as Linda Loman was heartbreaking as the tirelessly devoted wife and mother who is loyal to a fault. Her long history of sharing the stage with Shamrock McShane was evident. Their connection and chemistry was just perfect.
Gainesville-based artist George Steven O’Brien also brings the character of Biff Loman alive, bringing a bit of lightness and comedy to an otherwise dark character. His portrayals of Biff in Willy’s delusions, as an innocent high school boy who idolizes his father, are especially poignant and touching.
Mike McShane, the production’s jack of all trades, is exceedingly impressive as he seamlessly transitions onstage from the role of Willy’s son Happy to Willy’s boss Howard, and behind the scenes doubles as the production’s designer and director.
Aside from the Loman family players, the supporting cast is equally impressive, bringing to the High Springs stage a performance that exceeds any standard of community theater I have ever seen.
“Death of a Salesman” is showing at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays now through March 3. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $9 for children and can be purchased through their website at www.highspringscommunitytheater.com.
Shamrock McShane plays Willy Loman in High Springs Community Theater’s production of “Death of a Salesman.”
