I'm curious how Sumter audiences will receive the next Sumter Little Theatre production, Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." It's a Pulitzer Prize winner and a classic, a word that a lot of people are really leery of -- unless it's followed by "musical" or "comedy" or both.
"Death of a Salesman" is a drama, a tragedy of almost Greek proportions. You know what's going to happen to the lead character, the salesman Willy Loman, from the title alone. How he gets there, well, that's the thing.
Miller's story and his portraits of the characters, especially Willy, are masterful.
Maybe that's why, as director Eric Bultman pointed out, "everybody who auditioned really wanted to do this play. They didn't care what part they got, they just wanted to do it."
Luckily for Eric -- and Sumter -- he got some of the cream of the town's acting crop. David Brown as Willy. It's undoubtedly the most challenging role David's played, but I have no doubt he'll nail it.
Dee Renko as his wife, Braden Bunch and Cristian Badiu as his sons; Mike Duffy, Buzz Cornell, fresh off his triumph as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof" ...
I went over to the theater today, mainly to get a feel for the set, as I imagined it would be difficult on SLT's small stage. It's not finished yet, but the skeleton was enough that Eric was able to walk me through it and show me where the different scenes are set.
He and the crew have made some modifications that will allow the lighting to set the mood in many scenes. The costumes, too, will play an important part, Eric said. That's one thing about SLT's productions: They can be appreciated for all their aspects -- acting, set, light and sound design, costumes, etc. -- and sometimes you're so drawn into the show you don't recognize the contributions of each. It's like being a kid again and either thinking it's real, or that the actors are making it up as they go along.
Eric just started in his position as SLT's executive director this summer, so he had no part in selecting the season, but he's excited about directing the Miller play.
He told me he's determined to find out exactly what "community theater" means, having just come from academia, earning his master's degree and teaching college students. Then he had to go off to teach his SLT Youth Theatre class.
I suspect we'll find his talents and those of the cast and crew more than up to the challenge of "Death of a Salesman." I, for one, wouldn't miss the chance to see what the combined gifts of those involved bring to our community theater. It's bound to be a gem.

The Lost Symbol, the lost night's sleep

I'm heading over to Alice Drive to poke around the outside of the Masonic Temple. Not really, but I'm really tempted after staying up until 2 a.m. last night to read Dan Brown's new thriller, "The Lost Symbol."
It's a good book, almost as good as "The Da Vinci Code." This time Brown takes on the Masons -- and even the Shriners, sort of, as well as almost all the world's religions, past and present and maybe future.
Robert Langdon, master symbologist and college professor, is called on by his friend Peter Solomon, a 33rd degree Mason and the most exalted ruler of Washington,D.C., Masons, to fill in for an ill lecturer. Of course, Langdon doesn't know what's really in store for him when he gets to D.C., and I don't want to spoil the story, so I'll just say there are murder, mayhem, advanced science, ancient and modern mysteries regarding man's relationship to the divine, a very diabolical villain and danger -- lots of danger.
Many of Washington's landmarks figure in the story, and I can imagine there will be "Lost Symbol" tours of D.C. to rival the "Da Vinci Code" guided tours that followed that book and film.
One of the best things about the book -- besides the riveting suspense -- is that Brown has thoroughly researched his facts on the Masons, religion and science. I have new respect for Isaac Newton. Learning so much when I'm feeling this deliciously guilty somehow makes me feel better.
It'll be interesting to see how the Catholic Church and Christians (as well as Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Hindus and others) react to this book. Brown doesn't diss religion; in fact, he honors it in some ways, even though Langdon is clearly a non-believer.
For those people who complained because it took Brown five years to write his follow-up to "The Da Vinci Code," I have to say it's amazing he could have researched and collated his facts in that short period of time. It's well worth the wait.
Mystery lovers shouldn't miss this one.

King of instruments

I grew up in small churches where the music was made only with a piano or a tiny console organ and, in one case, only voices. Later, I listened to Billy Preston's Hammond organ when he was known as "the 5th Beatle."
It was only as an adult that I came to appreciate the music of the pipe organ, primarily because a close friend, Crys Armbrust, a wonderful musician, allowed me to hear the capabilities of the organ in a local church. While he was practicing for a service, I lay in the center aisle, listening. I remember thinking that Phil Specter's so-called "wall of sound" paled in comparison.
On Tuesday, Linda Coyne demonstrated Trinity United Methodist Church's new Rodgers Masterpiece Organ for me. Trinity's sanctuary has great acoustics, but it's big and it was empty. The instrument still filled the space, wonderfully.
If karaoke means "empty orchestra," then "organ" must mean full symphony! Of course, Linda's playing had a lot to do with it, too. Besides playing several selections demonstrating the Rodgers' versatility, she played several individual sounds that were indistinguishable from the instruments they duplicated -- flutes, bells, bagpipes.
Sumter native Al Murrell, vice president of the Daffer organ company, designed the organ to fit Trinity's needs. If you're not a member of Trinity, you're still invited to the dedication recital on Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. to judge for yourself. Admission is free, and a reception follows. Hector Olivera will play -- you can check out his talents at www.hectorolivera.com.
Trinity is located at 226 W. Liberty St.