Berkshire on Stage

Arthur Miller is perhaps best known for Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, but also among
his notable works is All My Sons. Like Death of a Salesman, All My Sons concerns a seemingly
ordinary businessman with a checkered past. But unlike Death of a Salesman, which is very
focused on one family and how the actions of the patriarch affect that family, All My Sons has
international implications that make it a more impactful play, though perhaps less deeply
psychological. The current production of All My Sons at The Ghent Playhouse does a good job
portraying the national and worldwide impacts of American business while also exploring the
psychological turmoil of its major characters, thanks to a talented cast and Ed Dignum’s savvy
direction.

The show begins with three delightfully persnickety old men–Joe Keller (played by George
Filieau), Dr. Jim Bayliss (played by Brian Yorck), and Frank Lubey (played by Mark
Wilson)–sitting in what appears to be a typical suburban yard and talking about the news, their
jobs, their children, and women.

The set for this production, designed by Cathy Lee-Visscher, is aesthetically excellent: the porch
and yard outside of a pastel colored house, complete with flower pots and patio furniture
(including two blue metal chairs which are the only eyesore in an otherwise very pretty set) and
much tasteful ivy and crawling roses. If the set sounds a tad cliché, it is, but considering the
play’s interrogation of The American Dream and the unscrupulous things people might do to
achieve it, the charming yet ordinary suburban backdrop serves the play well.

The tone at the beginning of the play is more like an old-timey situational comedy than an Arthur
Miller drama. The drama unfolds slowly through three acts, as the audience learns about Joe
Keller’s stint in prison and his business partner’s conviction for the crime of knowingly selling
cracked cylinder heads to the U.S. air force. Meanwhile Ann, the daughter of Joe’s disgraced
business partner, has returned to her hometown and Joe’s son, Chris, plans to ask for her hand
in marriage. Chris’s mother, Kate, disapproves of the match because Ann was once the
sweetheart of her other son, Larry, who went missing in WWII; Chris and Ann have both come
to terms with the fact that Larry is more than likely dead, but Kate continues to desperately and
feverishly cling to the hope that Larry is still alive. The drama comes to a head when Ann’s
brother, who is convinced of their father’s innocence, comes to take Ann home and forces Chris
to face his own father’s role in the cracked cylinder head scandal.

George Filieau plays Joe Keller as a jovial but manipulative American businessman; his most
enjoyable scenes are those in which he uses his practiced charisma to redirect other characters
from thinking or speaking too much about “unpleasant” topics. Kate is played by Paula Kaplan-
Reiss with an air that puts one in mind of Kitty Forman from That 70’s Show, but begins to
unravel from the onset of the play as she refuses to face the possibility of her son’s demise. In
contrast, Tiffany McWilliams and Mark Wilson, in the roles of Lydia Lubey and Frank Lubey, bring bits of comic relief throughout the play as a well-meaning neighbor and his silly wife. But
the most compelling actors in the cast are the young leads Leo Hernandez (as Chris Keller) and
Lara Denmark (as Ann Deever). Hernandez and Denmark have wonderful chemistry on stage
which ensures that the audience is invested in their relationship. Hernandez is superbly
compelling in his romantic scenes with Denmark as well as his dramatic confrontations and
jovial banter with the other characters in the play. While there are many excellent actors in this
cast, Hernandez’s acting is singularly impressive.

Similarly impressive is the costume design by Karin Mason. Mason’s keen eye for style and
contrast ensures that all the costumes look lovely, while also subtly serving the play and its
characters. A keen eye might notice Ann’s tendency toward more bold colors in her boldest
character moments, as well as Chris’s brightly colored pinstripes which contrast the more muted
colors worn by his elders. The Ghent Playhouse’s production of All My Sons is overall well-acted, well-staged, and true to its source material. Those audience members with no taste for Miller-esque are bound to find this play tedious. But for the Arthur Miller fans out there, as well as those who enjoy a slow-burn dissection of The American Dream and American capitalism, this play is well worth your time!

The Ghent Playhouse presents All My Sons by Arthur Miller, directed by Ed Dignum, runs from
February 9-18, 2024, at the Ghent Playhouse, 6 Town Hall Place Ghent, NY 12075. Produced
by Cathy Lee-Visscher. Stage Manager: Georgie Lang. Lighting/Sound Operators: Cathy Lee-
Visscher and Shirley Neiss. Cast: George Filieau as Joe Keller, Paula Kaplan-Reiss as Kate
Keller, Leo Hernandez as Chris Keller, Lara Denmark as Ann Deever, Bill Schein as George
Deever, Brian Yorck as Dr. Jim Bayliss, Jackie DeGiorgis as Sue Bayliss, Mark Wilson as Frank
Lubey, Tiffany McWilliams as Lydia Lubey and Bert. Set design and construction by Cathy Lee-Visscher. Lighting design by Joseph Sicotte. Sound design by Michael O’Keeffe.
Set design by Cathy Lee-Visscher. Costume design by Karin Mason. Set décor by Cathy Lee-
Visscher, Linda Murawski, and Vivian Wachsberger. Props by Linda Murawski.

Performance dates are Friday-Sunday. Friday, and Saturday curtains are at 7:30pm and
Sundays are matinees only at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $28, $23 for members, $12 for students.
Runs approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission. Contains discussions of
warfare and suicide. Recommended for ages 12+. Tickets are available online at
https://www.simpletix.com/e/138662, by phone at 518-392-6264, or at the door for any
performance. For more information visit https://www.ghentplayhouse.org/, call 518-392-6264, or
email info@ghentplayhouse.org.