Death of a Salesman

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – CASA 0101 Theater, Emmanuel Deleage, Brown Fist Productions, MariaElena Yepes and David Reyes present Arthur Miller’s 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Death of a Salesman – “a tragedy of a common man”- under the direction of Corky Dominguez,  June 9 – July 16.

Set in late 1940s Brooklyn, New York, the two-act tragedy, Death of a Salesman, follows the central character of Willy Loman, who is experiencing an epic battle against time, exhaustion and encroaching mental and psychological debility.  He desperately must find a way to reconcile his life and the deep pain it has caused his family.

In 1949 Arthur Miller won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as the Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics’ Award for Best Play for Death of a Salesman. Today the play is still considered by many critics as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.

Emmanuel Deleage, producer of the show and executive director of CASA 0101 Theater, said:  “We are extremely pleased to present Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, an American classic in Boyle Heights with a primarily Latino cast.  This masterpiece of American literature explores the quintessential battle taking place in one way or another inside the heads of each one of us:  the pursuit of success, the difficulty of accepting reality, the love of family, the struggle to force the hand of destiny.  It’s perhaps the first time this play is being presented in Boyle Heights.”

The late Arthur Miller once said, “Success and prosperity are better attained by facing the challenging situations of the reality of American life rather than romanticizing on fanciful dreams.”  Miller defined a tragic hero as “a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing – his sense of personal dignity.”  For Miller, tragedy was driven by “Man’s total compunction to evaluate himself justly.” 

The Cast

Vance Valencia (of Boyle Heights, CA) leads the cast of 13 as Willy Loman.  Others in the cast include:  Christine Avila (of Culver City, CA) as Linda Loman, Eddie Diaz (of Inglewood, CA) as Biff Loman, Adam Hollick (of North Hollywood, CA) as Happy Loman, Jack Bernaz (of North Hollywood, CA) as Uncle Ben Loman, Daniel E. Mora (of Glendale, CA) as Charley, Jared Treviño (of Glendale, CA) as Bernard, Leah Verrill (of Lake Balboa, CA) as The Woman, Jeff Blumberg (of Los Feliz, CA) as Howard Wagner, Chloe Diaz (of Ladera Heights, CA) as Jenny, Gor Leo Babakhanyan (of Glendale) as Stanley, Kriss Dozal (West Hollywood, CA) as Miss Forsythe and Mariana Campos (of Riverside, CA) as Letta. 

The Team:

The production team for Death of a Salesman includes:  Josefina López (of Silver Lake), Founding Artistic Director, CASA 0101 Theater; Emmanuel Deleage (of Silver Lake), Producer and Executive Director, CASA 0101 Theater; MariaElena Yepes (of Diamond Bar, CA) Producer, Brown Fist Productions; David Reyes (of Upland, CA) Producer, Brown Fist Productions; Corky Dominguez (of Boyle Heights, CA), Director; Marco De León (of Tujunga, CA) Set Designer; Kevin E. Vasquez (of Van Nuys, CA) Lighting Designer; Abel Alvarado (of Silver Lake, CA) Costume Designer; Ari Rich (of West Hollywood, CA) Stage Manager; Max Brother (of MacArthur Park, CA) CASA 0101 Theater Technical Director and Sound Designer; Andy James Garcia (of East Los Angeles, CA) Props Master; Mark Kraus (of Los Angeles, CA), CASA 0101 Theater Development Director and Webmaster; Itzel Anahi (of Alhambra) CASA 0101 Theater Office Administrator and Graphic Designer; Conrado TerrazasCross (of Echo Park, CA) Development Consultant; Al Aguilar (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Assistant; Rosa Navarrete (of El Sereno), CA Social Media; Soap Studio Inc., (of Los Angeles, CA) Playbill Design; Rudy Torres (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Photographer and Steve Moyer Public Relations (of Los Angeles, CA), Press Representative, who was a publicist who worked directly with Arthur Miller promoting historic productions of his plays in the later years of his life.

This production of Death of a Salesman is also made possible, in part, through Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles.  CASA 0101 Theater sponsors:  The California Endowment, Los Angeles County Arts & Culture; Eastside Arts Initiative, The Perenchino Foundation, The LA Arts Recovery Fund and The Herb Albert Foundation.

Tickets are $30 per person for General Admission; $25 per person for Boyle Heights residents and Groups of 20 of more; $27 per person for Students and Seniors 60+; $75 per person for VIP tickets which included Preferred Seating, one free concession item, a ticket to the Opening Night or Closing Night Party and one cast-signed production photo.

Concurrently with the run of the show there will be an Art Exhibit in the Jean Deleage Art Gallery, located in the lobby of CASA 0101 Theater of PAINT by Suzanne Linares.  This series of painting are spontaneous, energetic strokes and of drips and splashes.  They lay upon the viewer’s mystery with no answers.  Admission is FREE.  Exhibit Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and prior to performances of DEATH OF A SALESMAN.