Youngstown Playhouse turns to one of the classics of American theater with ''Death of a Salesman.''
Any list of the greatest American plays of the 20th century is sure to include the Arthur Miller favorite, which won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1949. Lee J. Cobb played struggling salesman Willy Loman in the original production.
Since then it has been revived four times on Broadway with George C. Scott, Dustin Hoffman, Brian Dennehy and, most recently, Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Loman. Hoffman and Dennehy both won Tony Awards for Best Actor, and the last three Broadway productions all won Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play.
The story revolves around the last days of Willy Loman, a failing salesman, who cannot understand how he failed to win success and happiness. Miller dramatizes how Willy's quest for the "American Dream" kept him blind to the people who truly loved him through a series of tragic soul-searching revelations of the life he has lived with his wife, his sons, and his business associates.
The Playhouse production stars Chuck Simon as Willy Loman. The rest of the cast includes Molly Galano, Matthew DiBattiste, Cheney Morgan, Joey Pasc, Stephanie Cambro, Dave Wolford, Terry Shears, Brian K. Dew, Lauren May Wenick, Frank G. Martin and Kate Starling.
Joseph Scarvell will direct the play with John Cox as assistant director and Susi Thompson as stage manager.
''Death of a Salesman'' will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and March 22-23 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday and March 24 at the Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane. There also will be a performance for area schools at 9 a.m. March 21. Tickets are $17 for adults and $14 for students and senior citizens. For reservations or more information, call 330-788-8739.