‘Salesman’ leads ready to face music

The WSU production’s principals have all made their mark in musical theater.

Contributed Photo "Death of a Salesman" cast members include Patrick Ross as Biff, Lee Merrill as Linda Loman, Scott Stoney as Willy Loman and Zach Schute as Happy.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Contributed Photo "Camp Rock" performers (L to R): Matthew Perkins, Montana Iverson and Brendan Plate at Town Hall Theatre

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Terry Morris, Staff Writer 11:52 AM Sunday, September 18, 2011

Wright State University Theatre’s season-opening production of “Death of a Salesman” isn’t a musical, but you might suspect otherwise.

The cast includes Scott Stoney, whose first big splash on the Dayton stage came three decades ago as a guest artist at Wright State in the title role of “Sweeney Todd,” and Lee Merrill, a WSU music faculty associate who has had leading roles in opera and musical theater across the country.

The director is Greg Hellems, who staged the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Wright State production of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” at the Schuster Center last season.

But the play is Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of 1949 about the impact of a traveling salesman’s failures on his family.

Stoney, who appeared in and co-directed last season’s collaborative production of “August: Osage County” for The Human Race Theatre and Wright State, will play central character, Willy Loman.

Merrill, who staged the musical “Little Women” at WSU and has played opposite Frank Langella, Noel Harrison and Eddie Bracken, will play Willy’s wife, Linda, in the production that opens Thursday, Sept. 22, in the WSU Creative Arts Center. It will mark her personal debut on that stage.

Wright State Theatre’s 2011-12 season will also include the musicals “Phantom of the Opera,” “Rent” and “Hairspray,” and Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”

Times are 7 p.m. Sept. 22, 28 and 29, 8 p.m. Sept. 23, 24, 30 and Oct. 1, and 2 p.m. Sept. 25 and Oct. 1 and 2. Single tickets are $19 for adults, $17 for students and seniors. Call (937) 775-2500.

Bit parts

• Washington Twp.’s Town Hall Theatre, 27 N. Main St., Centerville, will present “Camp Rock the Musical” for three weekends beginning Sept. 16. Based on the Disney Channel’s “Camp Rock” movies, the regional premiere is directed by Chris Harmon.

Times are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 2, with an added matinee at 11 a.m. Sept. 24. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, and $10 for children 12 and younger at (937) 433-8957 or www.townhalltheatre.org. All seats are $15 if purchased on the day of the show. Running time is 70 minutes and the show is recommended for kids ages 4 and older.

Role call

• Town Hall Theatre, 27 N. Main St., Centerville, will have tryouts for actors from second grade through adults for the musical “Frosty” at 3:45 p.m. Sept. 28 and 8:45 a.m. Oct. 1. Doug Lloyd will direct the December production. Registration is required. Call (937) 433-8957 or www.townhalltheatre.org.

Footlights illuminates local theater arts news and auditions. Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@ DaytonDailyNews.com.

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