Miller Drama At Parkside

With something like 7 or 8 shows opening locally in the first week in December, it’s bound to be the case that one or two of them may have nothing at all to do with Christmas. This is, in fact, the case. One of the shows in question is Soulstice Theatre’s production of The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged.) (More on that later-on in the week and after it opens . . . ) The other non-holiday show opening locally that week happens to be an Arthur Miller drama.

UW-Parkside’s production of Miller’s All My  Sons runs December 4 -12 at the August Wegner Studio Theatre on the campus of UW-Parkside on 900 Wood Road in Kenosha. It’s the distinctly non-holiday drama of two families: the Kellers and the Deavers. The play explores the interesting dynamic between the two families as the nation recovered from the Great Depression. The play is perhaps best known for its portrayal of a son turning his father in for selling the government faulty parts during World War II. It’s a bit odd that a story of a son standing-up for his morals in support of his government would be such a focus of controversy, but All My Sons’ critical look at the US in the wake of the great depression and the American dream was a contributing factor in Miller appearing before the House Un-American Activities committee in the 1950’s. At its heart, though, All My Sons really is a story of social family dynamics and, if executed well, should serve as a really powerful alternative to the flurry of holiday fare that will be coating local stages in the month ahead.