Wolfpack Theatre tackles classic tragedy ‘Death of a Salesman’

No matter how many times you have experienced “Death of a Salesman,” the ending remains the same; Willy Loman dies. The Wolfpack Theatre Company at GHS will present this heart-wrenching masterpiece Nov. 8, 9 and 10. Curtain time nightly is 6:33 p.m. in the Wolfpack Theatre at Glacier High School.

Advanced tickets are available on GoFan, Glacier’s new online ticketing service, and at Photo Video Plus. Any remaining tickets will also be sold at the door. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children, students and senior citizens. To access the ticketing service, go to gofan.com and search for Glacier High School. Each night of the production is listed for ticket purchase.

The play begins with Willy Loman, an aging and failing salesman, returning early from an unsuccessful business trip. Broken and searching for a sense of meaning, Loman falls into a montage of memories and dreams. These flashbacks begin with visions of the high points of his past but soon turn dark, revealing Willy’s failures in his career, his role as a father and his marriage. As the flashbacks continue to sour, the lines between Willy’s delusions and reality begin to blur.

The next morning, Willy’s self-made, grandiose facade begins to crumble underneath the weight of reality when, instead of getting a requested transfer from his boss, he is fired. Drowning in delusional lies, self-loathing and the crippling realization that his perceived world is far from reality, Willy spirals downward to a life-ending decision.

"Willy Loman is going to die. It is called ‘Death of a Salesman,” director Greg Adkins said. “Our hope is to show that he didn't have to die. He had other choices, and ultimately Willy makes the wrong choice as he tries to help his family succeed.

“This show has always been one of my all-time favorite plays. Playwright Arthur Miller poetically tells the story of the American dream in such an artistic and realistic style. It’s a classic and I feel like everyone should not only be familiar with the text but have the opportunity to see the play staged as it was meant to be performed. The words are beautiful, but seeing them come to life is magical."

“Death of a Salesman” is as much of a masterpiece today as it was in 1949 when it debuted on stage. It’s an emotionally-gripping American classic about fathers and sons, promise and loss, and what can happen when the fragile facade of the American Dream is shattered.

“Obviously, this play is extremely challenging,” Adkins said. I am so impressed with the students’ dedication to the process of producing this play."

The cast includes Kaelin Holt, Kaylin Stein, Braden Wakefield, Aidan Schara, Fiona Fuller, Lane McKoy, Bella AuClaire, Theron Wilton, Erik Kalvig, Annabeth O’Shea, Ulrich Warner, Anya Rountree, Maeva Malcheski, Andrea Chandler, and Mac Adkins as Willy Loman.

The technical crew includes Morgan Pitts, Kiya Hendershott, Andrea Chandler, Gabby Cantrell-Musson, Gabby Cantrell-Musson, Ben Colby, Leah Esser, Kaitlyn Illi, Tristen Jorgenson, Alden Lamson and Kailie Owens.